Hannah Arendt | Schocken Books, 1951 | Book
The classic study of totalitarianism and fascism, produced by a superb scholar who witnessed the rise of the Nazis first hand. Though much has been written about fascism in the following seven decades, Arendt's analysis is still one of the best starting points for a deep understanding of this phenomenon, especially as she was informed by her personal experiences rather than by second-hand reports alone.
Timothy Snyder | Crown/Archetype, 2017 | Book
Timothy Synder is one of the leading historians of twentieth-century fascism and totalitarianism. In this highly accessible book, he summarizes what we can learn from the horrific experiences of the past century, and offers some practical guidelines for how we might deal with a resurgence of authoritarianism in the twenty-first century.
Timothy Snyder | Tim Duggan Books, 2018 | Book
A brilliant and disturbing analysis of the rise of authoritarianism in Russia, Europe and the USA in the second decade of the twenty-first century. Essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the political crisis currently engulfing the world.
Tim Wu | Knopf, 2010 | Book
Tim Wu | Knopf, 2016 | Book
These two insightful books survey the history of modern information technology and its political implications, from the age of print and radio to the era of Google and Facebook. This history is characterized by a never-ending struggle between centralized information systems and diffused systems.
Cathy O’Neil | Crown, 2016 | Book
In this fascinating and deeply disturbing book, O’Neil explains how authority is shifting from humans to Big Data algorithms. These algorithms now decide whether to give you a loan, offer you a job, or even lock you in jail. The algorithms promise scientific objectivity, but they have their own built-in biases, which often cause even greater harm than oldfashioned human prejudice.