Surviving and resisting America’s arc toward authoritarianism, illustrated

Timothy Snyder’s New York Times bestseller On Tyranny is the book we wish we didn’t need to read. In it he examines some of the darkest moments of twentieth-century history, from Nazism to Communism, to distill twenty lessons on resisting modern-day authoritarianism.

Timothy Snyder’s New York Times bestseller On Tyranny is the book we wish we didn’t need to read. In it he examines some of the darkest moments of twentieth-century history, from Nazism to Communism, to distill twenty lessons on resisting modern-day authoritarianism.

Written in 2017, the book is concise and direct, a tone that intensifies the urgency of its warnings. So, I was relieved to learn that Nora Krug—a German-American illustrator, author, and professor known for her deeply personal and historically reflective works—had created an illustrated edition.

Somehow, lessons like “Beware the one-party state” feel more accessible and engaging when paired with witty, warm illustrations and hand-drawn typography.

WEBPAGE: On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century (graphic edition)

Surviving and resisting America’s arc toward authoritarianism, illustrated

The legitimacy gap in democracy is no accident. It’s a feature of the design.

Societies struggle to confront major challenges when so much wealth, decision-making power, and political influence are concentrated in a small group of technology companies.

Why I still hold onto some of my flower-child hope

We don’t have to wait for the whole system to change to begin living differently.