How to Stand Up to a Dictator by Maria Ressa

4.34 AVERAGE

notesquotesscarletmotes's profile picture

notesquotesscarletmotes's review against another edition

4.0
dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
I admit I didn't look much into what this book entailed when I added it to my TBR, I was taken in by the title. I was pleasantly surprised to find it is a memoir, and the memoir of a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize no less.

How to Stand Up to a Dictator details the life of Maria Ressa in her own words. It is sometimes difficult but always inspiring. Her dedication to sharing the truth with the world is remarkable. I only wish more journalists, and honestly, just more people shared her commitment to truth and transparency.

In the end, this work did give me hope, just with the knowledge that there still are good people out there doing their best to fight for what is right in a world gone so far awry.

michele6169's review against another edition

4.5
challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced
Fascinating insight into how social media impacts all facets of life and how it can be used to undermine democracy, 
thomaskhughes's profile picture

thomaskhughes's review against another edition

4.75
hopeful informative inspiring tense medium-paced

marieandthebooks's review

5.0
This book is important and necessary! 

With the majority of the world on social media we should all be aware of how history is erased and revised, and how we are used as pawns to spread disinformation. 

My biggest takeaway is how divisive the “us against them” discourse is and how it is used as a tool. 
And if it’s one thing social media is good at, it’s pushing this for clicks, money and ultimately, power - for the benefit of fascism. 

Highly recommend everyone read this, or at the very least, familiarize yourself with the fight against disinformation. This book is a cautionary tale not of what could happen - but what HAS happened in the Philippines, with strategy that has been applied in the US and that can be applied anywhere. 



emilycombs's profile picture

emilycombs's review

3.0
She has good ideas, good intent, and has done good work. But this isn't a clear narrative. It couldn't decide between its central/title theme and simply being a memoir about specific events in Ressa's life and journalism career. I'm not mad to learn about Ressa and her work, though I found it topically muddled.

sashinkareads's review

4.5
emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced
sarahpreskitt's profile picture

sarahpreskitt's review against another edition

5.0
hopeful informative reflective tense

glissonre's review against another edition

5.0
challenging hopeful informative medium-paced

santibereading's review against another edition

5.0
challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced
internationalreads's profile picture

internationalreads's review against another edition

Not in the right mood for this one. May try to pick it up in print some other time.