Politics: A Survivor’s Guide: How to Stay Engaged without Getting Enraged

by Rafael Behr

 'A wonderful meditation on populism, nationalism, politics and truth' Rory Stewart, author, The Marches

***Chosen as a 2023 Non-Fiction highlight in the Guardian, New Statesman and Irish Times ***

We live in an age of fury and confusion. A new crisis erupts before the last one has financial crisis, Brexit, pandemic, war in Ukraine, inflation, strikes. Prime Ministers come and go but politics stays divided and toxic.

It is tempting to switch off the news, tune out and hope things will get back to normal. Except, this is the new normal, and our democracy can only work if enough people stay engaged without getting enraged. But how?

To answer that question, award-winning journalist Rafael Behr takes the reader on a personal journey from despair at the state of politics to hope that there is a better way of doing things, with insights drawn from three decades as a political commentator and foreign correspondent.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

416 pages, Paperback

Published June 18, 2024

Reviews

[Si Clarke]

Is this book interesting and compelling? Yes, definitely. But does it answer the titular question (i.e. how to stay engaged without getting enraged)? Honestly, not really. It begins to touch on it … in the epilogue. But it does provide a really good and mostly quite balanced account of British politics over the past few decades.

Having said all that, we need to talk about transphobia. Having read this, I do *not* believe the author is transphobic. However, it's clear he's spent more time listening to transphobes than he has listening to trans people.

In fact, the only time found myself rolling my eyes at this book was during the (very short) section of the book on the so-called trans debate. The heart of the debate is, of course, whether humans who happen to be trans are deserving of human rights.

As I say, I'm not left with the impression Behr is a TERF. In fact, given how much stock he's put into Helen Lewis's arguments, the fact he isn't banging the drum for TERF rights is a minor miracle and probably shows his ability to see past what he's being spoon fed.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal, personal, colourful, eloquent read.

[El]

@ page 148

i was getting too enraged for the how-to-stop-getting-enraged book 😔

[Dan Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rafael Behr has written a personal, insightful, and compelling account of current UK politics.

I found it readable, thoughtful, interesting, and satisfying. There are superb explanations that took ideas I’d grappled with, brought them into focus, then explained how and why they mattered. The prose is excellent, and the metaphors are elegant and precise.

Behr weaves together his experiences as a journalist and the personal crisis of a heart attack, with the post-cold war period, the rise of populism, Brexit, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It is measure of Behr’s skill that the book has a cohesive narrative, full of resonance and wisdom.

The book succeeds in its mission of suggesting how stay engaged with politics, without getting furious. It not only clarified things I thought to be the case, but also challenged me to rethink and refine ideas.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great breakdown of just why British politics is so mad at the moment, along with a very calmly made case for finding perspective about the whole thing.

This book's going to upset supporters of Johnson and Corbyn alike, and explains how Brexit has thrown political parties into turmoil, not politics as a whole. Liberal democracy remains the most sensible way to run a country.

[Adam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Failed at title - book is transphobic as hell.

[Elizabeth Mashova · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very well-written book with good analysis of recent developments in British politics. Unfortunately, it does not answer its own question in the title at all.

[Aled · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is such a strange one. did I enjoy the political insights and history covered in this book ? yes.
but is it what it says on the tin ? ( a guide to surviving with your health intact following politics in an age of permacrisis ) not really.
nevertheless, an enjoyable and informative read

[Glynn Skerratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful written; eloquent, insightful. The prose sparkles and the terrain where the author’s sympathies lie is clearly mapped out. I can’t say I came away enlightened, but it is reassuring to hear there’s someone who thinks about politics as I do…and can express it all 10x better than I ever could.

[Daniel Clemence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rafael Behr's book Politics: A Survivor's Guide is a highly personal polemic which gives a critique of the rising populism and identity politics. Behr's personal story of his heart attack and his family's Jewish background makes the book more relatable. Behr's personal background shows the stakes of politics and why we have to deal with populism.

In the first few chapters, we gain the extent as to why democracy should be defended. The Reverse Clausewitz Argument, in which politics is the avoidance of war, instead of war being politics by other means, is a strong argument for democratic involvement. The book looks at the usual explanation for rising nationalism. I think there isn't a cohesive argument as to why nationalism isn't rising across the world. However, Behr does argue that the politics of the early 20th century mirrors the politics today in that rising nationalism today in that globalisation creates a backlash against it.

Politics: The Survivor's Guide doesn't give a good explanation as to how to be engaged without being destructive. Neither does it offer a substantial political framework for offering post-populist politics. If I am countering the narrative of populism, you don't defeat it by simply offering the same status quo. In books like the Road To Somewhere, there is a clear policy platform for dealing with populism.

There are some interesting quotes in the book. For example, Douglas Adams is quoted as having a view of technology that was that your age would change the view of technology, being young viewed technology as always being there, being a younger adult and technology is viewed highly positively whilst being over 35 technology is viewed as being a threat for existence. However, this isn't linked to an overview as to why technology is good other than the truth wins out.

The book defends truth and attacks misinformation. But what solutions are there to misinformation? A legal requirement to display where all information comes from? Sentencing for misinformation? Is there a need to create a truth that we all agree on? And how would that be achieved? The book is quite vague on policy specifics and that would be a disadvantage.

An interesting polemic against populism which offers intriguing arguments but doesn't particularly offer any solutions.

[Peter K · Rating 5 out of 5]

"An essential division in politics is now between those who are meaningfully engaged with the scale of thee challenge and those who are too stupefied by ideology to grasp what is at stake "

This is an excellent book that mingles a nuanced and in depth appraisal of the political scene in the UK with elements of biography from an experienced journalist forced to reflect on his life and profession after suffering and surviving a "widowmaker" heart attack at the age of 49.

The flow in this book is excellent and Rafael Behr's review of the current political scene and its causes , as well as possible solutions is humane and sophisticated and does not resort to blame - though there is plenty to go around.

A thoughtful and meaningful book - an important book and an enjoyable one

[Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read, particularly because I used it as as another introduction to the political sphere and a specific literary entry point to understanding British politics—something that I will need to fully grasp when I submit my first legal vote!

I think Behr has written a very genuine piece of work here, with honest humour and some impartial insights into the realities of Britain and our current stagnation (of which I am not entirely unaware of)…

The book offers his best attempt at explaining what propels populism, drives division, intoxicates parliament, and paralyses social sanity. It’s properly laid out, easy to follow, and I think considering his personal heart issues, a damn brave expedition into our age old institutions.

[Mario Cardile · Rating 2 out of 5]

With consummate eloquence, and considerable erudition, he cherry picks and focuses on extreme examples; ignoring vital facts and events. A classical use of the straw man logical fallacy. Then he inserts a sentence or paragraph that makes you think he is so insightful and truly balanced. The insight is sometimes genuine while the balance is a spurious, but dazzling, mirage.

Whether from conviction or cooption, or a combination of both, this is an apologist masterpiece for deeply dishonest and destructive developments in our current global, or local, scene.
Ultimately it’s a subtle, if scintillating, con job.

[Ben Gould · Rating 3 out of 5]

Behr has created a peculiar vibe with this book, which wears its structure lightly but whose prose is pitched quite high (almost at an academic level, as other reviews have noted). The end result is like an amiable ramble through a complex, wide-ranging topic that nonetheless requires considerable reader investment.

Not really a memoir, nor a polemic, but not unbiased either... and not likely to change the minds of readers who - idiotically - equate centrism with cowardice or moral bankruptcy. I enjoyed this without loving it.

[Alan Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

As this book is well written, it covers a lot of difficult ground without ever feeling difficult to read. Indeed, it is often very funny and the personal anecdotes that he uses to illustrate the problems and issues are genuinely illuminating. If I had a complaint, it would be that he can't fully take himself above some subjects, particularly the Brexit referendum, and thus he sometimes mistakes populism for the far-right. But apart from this a very entertaining and educational book.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. a very humane and reasoned understanding of where politics has reached.
One slight criticism - the cover and title don't really reflect the contents; one could easily be put off by is looking like, and titled like one of those many airport titles promising steps to putting things right. It is much more general, and useful than that.

Thoroughly recommended.

[Roy Van Den Brande · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very british centered and maybe half of the book was about being jewish. It was a good way to talk about things like intergenerational trauma and identity, but it was too much to just see it as an illustration of the chapters about the different topics.

[Colin Maclennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and intelligent account of politics in UK in recent years. Of special interest are the author's comments on anti-semitism in the Labour party under Corbyn, on his time in Russia, and of course on Brexit.

[Alessandra Mongiardino · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very interesting and thorough book. However, the prose is unnecessarily complex. The use of very long sentences is annoying and detracts from enjoying the book. In terms of content I would give the book 5*. However, the heavy drafting brings it down to a 3*

[Paulinette.130406 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent political analysis, seems groundbreaking but is really rooted in common sense with a lot of critical thinking, wonderfully well written. Side note - a bit too many personal anecdotes which were not always relevant to the political discussion

[Eamon Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the current state of the news feeling at best uncertain this book felt like a tonic. Rafael Behr takes us through recent history to describe how we got in this situation and some recommendations for how we stay involved without giving up your happiness or your sanity.

[Duncan Maccoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, bloody good analysis and interesting autobiographic detail.

[Ewan Cornwall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't expect to like judging by title and author of cover quotes... Why shouldn't I be enraged?

[Samantha Townsend · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book but mis-titled …

[Loti · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read and good writing if slightly long at times. Although it certainly goes into depths about recent political events I’m not entirely sure that it answers the questions it sets.

[Liliana · Rating 1 out of 5]

decided to give up after 80 pages as i'm finding the tone really annoying and arrogant

[Nikki Lockwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of interesting topics covered but didn’t actually address the question posed on its cover.

[Paul Lehane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful & entertaining

[Meghan Wimlett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me a while to get into and finish but shows the importance of engaging with current affairs and also connecting/listening to others who may have a different view to my own.

[Matt Salts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. A must read for anyone remotely interested in UK politics