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How Do You Kill 11 Million People?: Why the Truth Matters More Than You Think
Become an informed, passionate citizen who demands honesty and integrity from our leaders or suffer the consequences of our own ignorance and apathy.
In this updated and expanded New York Times bestselling nonpartisan book, Andy Andrews urges you to believe that seeking and discerning the truth really, really matters and that believing lies is the most dangerous thing you can do. You’ll be challenged to become a more “careful student” of the past, seeking accurate, factual accounts of events and decisions that illuminate choices you face now.
By considering how the Nazi German regime was able to carry out over eleven million institutional killings between 1933 and 1945, Andrews advocates for an informed population that demands honesty and integrity from its leaders and from each other. He includes several key documents written by our Founding Fathers as examples of America’s core principles that present and future leadership should live up to and embrace.
We can no longer measure a leader’s worth by the yardsticks provided by the left or the right. Instead, we must use an unchanging standard: the pure, unvarnished truth.
In this updated and expanded New York Times bestselling nonpartisan book, Andy Andrews urges you to believe that seeking and discerning the truth really, really matters and that believing lies is the most dangerous thing you can do. You’ll be challenged to become a more “careful student” of the past, seeking accurate, factual accounts of events and decisions that illuminate choices you face now.
By considering how the Nazi German regime was able to carry out over eleven million institutional killings between 1933 and 1945, Andrews advocates for an informed population that demands honesty and integrity from its leaders and from each other. He includes several key documents written by our Founding Fathers as examples of America’s core principles that present and future leadership should live up to and embrace.
We can no longer measure a leader’s worth by the yardsticks provided by the left or the right. Instead, we must use an unchanging standard: the pure, unvarnished truth.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
394 people are currently reading
2969 people want to read
About the author
Andy Andrews
117 books1,092 followers~ Hailed by a New York Times writer as a "modern-day Will Rogers who has quietly become one of the most influential people in America."
~ Spoken at the request of four different U.S. Presidents
~ Every single minute a book by Andy Andrews is sold somewhere in the world!
~ New York Times Bestselling Author of The Noticer and The Traveler's Gift
Source:
http://www.andyandrews.com/
~ Spoken at the request of four different U.S. Presidents
~ Every single minute a book by Andy Andrews is sold somewhere in the world!
~ New York Times Bestselling Author of The Noticer and The Traveler's Gift
Source:
http://www.andyandrews.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 682 reviews
March 31, 2024
Powerful. Short. Concise.
Should be read by everyone.
Andy Andrews distills several concepts that I have read and heard about in other books, but the simplicity and clarity is thought-provoking.
How do you kill 11 million people? You lie to them. You reassure them initially. Then you begin lying. The lie should be a big lie; people believe big lies more than little lies. This was stated in HItler's book, Mein Kampf.
In the US, 10 million people vote and 100 million people of voting age don't vote.
The world's greatest civilizations typically last about 200 years and they progress through the same sequence:
Bondage
Spiritual faith
Courage
Liberty
Abundance
Complacency
Apathy
Dependence
Bondage
This book is a wake up call to pay attention and to always vote.
Should be read by everyone.
Andy Andrews distills several concepts that I have read and heard about in other books, but the simplicity and clarity is thought-provoking.
How do you kill 11 million people? You lie to them. You reassure them initially. Then you begin lying. The lie should be a big lie; people believe big lies more than little lies. This was stated in HItler's book, Mein Kampf.
In the US, 10 million people vote and 100 million people of voting age don't vote.
The world's greatest civilizations typically last about 200 years and they progress through the same sequence:
Bondage
Spiritual faith
Courage
Liberty
Abundance
Complacency
Apathy
Dependence
Bondage
This book is a wake up call to pay attention and to always vote.
Read
June 5, 2023In rating books, I'm not sure which says more regarding my opinion.
I applaud those who pen books on the horror of the Holocaust.
This particular book is a short one, appx. 54 pages.
Reading other reviews, none reflected any thoughts similar to my mine, which is is fine though I must wonder why not.
For the author to simply ask and answer his question of "How do you Kill 11 Million People "-
with "because they were lied to" is a very short sighted condescending answer. Those folks who are unaware might just believe that.
Although the title alludes to a serious topic, I'm not sure whether the pretext of this book was written as a dupe or cliff notes on the Holocaust.
If anyone can teach an accurate account of Holocaust Studies in 54 pages...god bless them.
I would suggest a course in WW2 in history, or at the very least a documentary.
.
I applaud those who pen books on the horror of the Holocaust.
This particular book is a short one, appx. 54 pages.
Reading other reviews, none reflected any thoughts similar to my mine, which is is fine though I must wonder why not.
For the author to simply ask and answer his question of "How do you Kill 11 Million People "-
with "because they were lied to" is a very short sighted condescending answer. Those folks who are unaware might just believe that.
Although the title alludes to a serious topic, I'm not sure whether the pretext of this book was written as a dupe or cliff notes on the Holocaust.
If anyone can teach an accurate account of Holocaust Studies in 54 pages...god bless them.
I would suggest a course in WW2 in history, or at the very least a documentary.
.
May 27, 2012
Preachy claptrap. With all the reviews, I was expecting a Thomas Paine missive for modern times. This is a third-grade reading level cow patty.
Save yourself 30 minutes of the trite and obvious, and just read this:
My favorite parts include 23 pages (that's 29% of the book) of an interview with himself(!) and 6 pages of dorky book club discussion suggestions (that's 7.5% of the book).
Save yourself 30 minutes of the trite and obvious, and just read this:
Truth matters. Those who believe lies are sheep to the slaughter. Politicians lie. Rise up.Actually, kudos to A.A. for a clever in-joke. The book itself is a lie and people are sopping it up. Just because it's packaged as a transformational book, they believe it to be so. Just because he actively suggests people give copies away (p. 61), they do, creating a bestseller out of something better suited to a blog entry. Sheep.
My favorite parts include 23 pages (that's 29% of the book) of an interview with himself(!) and 6 pages of dorky book club discussion suggestions (that's 7.5% of the book).
September 30, 2025
Everyone should read this book! The book is apolitical in terms of political parties but Uber-political in terms of involvement in policy and elections. Andrews pushes us to, if not get involved, at least get educated, as to the political agendas of those running the country. He warns:
“Why did the ages of our world's civilizations average around 200 years?"
Scary? And....
"Why did these civilizations all seem to follow the same identifiable sequence–from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence, and finally from dependence back to bondage?"
Tracing our history, it would appear we are heading toward bondage unless as a people we get involved.
While Andrews may have oversimplified how 11 million people were killed by Hitler's regime, ("How do you killed 11 million people. Lie to them.”), this treatise serves as a breathtaking warning for all, and yet, I felt, the book moved me to action and is not a downer.
“Why did the ages of our world's civilizations average around 200 years?"
Scary? And....
"Why did these civilizations all seem to follow the same identifiable sequence–from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence, and finally from dependence back to bondage?"
Tracing our history, it would appear we are heading toward bondage unless as a people we get involved.
While Andrews may have oversimplified how 11 million people were killed by Hitler's regime, ("How do you killed 11 million people. Lie to them.”), this treatise serves as a breathtaking warning for all, and yet, I felt, the book moved me to action and is not a downer.
August 30, 2015
"How do you kill eleven million people?
Lie to them."
Eh... 2.5 ish. I'm a fan of a lot of Andy Andrews' popular fiction, my personal favorite being The Traveler's gift, so when I stumbled upon this short book, I picked it up without hesitation. Now I don't regret reading this, or even feel like it was a waste of time, but the question I feel I must answer is this: Do I think this book is worth buying? Personally, no.
I wouldn't classify this novel as a bad one, but I do think it's entirely too brief (I read this in about 20 mins) to go beyond anything superficial. There are a few sentences worth highlighting and ruminating upon, also some historical and political facts that I thought were pretty darn intriguing, but at its core this is purely a highly opinionated work designed to make you question your government, seek out and speak out truth, and also get more actively involved in politics (which I do agree is a brilliant, yet an oversimplified idea). But these are all ideologies that add more questions than it does answers. They are roughly mere talking points, and the content does little for personal empowerment or growth, and by no stretch would I label it as an eye opener.
Included at the end of this novel is a short (and at times vague) question and answer with the author, and also reader questions to go over. If you can obtain a free copy from your local library then it wouldn't hurt to pick this book up, but if not, trust me you're not missing out on much.
"Those are probably the most famous words ever spoken on the subject of truth. Most of us accept that particular sentence at face value. It certainly resonates with our spirit. It just feels right. But what does it mean, really? And have you ever contemplated the meaning that comes to light by inverting this principle?
If it is correct that “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free,” then is it possible that if you don’t know the truth, its absence can place you in bondage?" --pg 2
Lie to them."
Eh... 2.5 ish. I'm a fan of a lot of Andy Andrews' popular fiction, my personal favorite being The Traveler's gift, so when I stumbled upon this short book, I picked it up without hesitation. Now I don't regret reading this, or even feel like it was a waste of time, but the question I feel I must answer is this: Do I think this book is worth buying? Personally, no.
I wouldn't classify this novel as a bad one, but I do think it's entirely too brief (I read this in about 20 mins) to go beyond anything superficial. There are a few sentences worth highlighting and ruminating upon, also some historical and political facts that I thought were pretty darn intriguing, but at its core this is purely a highly opinionated work designed to make you question your government, seek out and speak out truth, and also get more actively involved in politics (which I do agree is a brilliant, yet an oversimplified idea). But these are all ideologies that add more questions than it does answers. They are roughly mere talking points, and the content does little for personal empowerment or growth, and by no stretch would I label it as an eye opener.
Included at the end of this novel is a short (and at times vague) question and answer with the author, and also reader questions to go over. If you can obtain a free copy from your local library then it wouldn't hurt to pick this book up, but if not, trust me you're not missing out on much.
"Those are probably the most famous words ever spoken on the subject of truth. Most of us accept that particular sentence at face value. It certainly resonates with our spirit. It just feels right. But what does it mean, really? And have you ever contemplated the meaning that comes to light by inverting this principle?
If it is correct that “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free,” then is it possible that if you don’t know the truth, its absence can place you in bondage?" --pg 2
August 23, 2021
Very thought-provoking, quick read. The title caught my attention but the content made it impossible to put down. The author focuses on the importance of telling the truth and how to fact check things people say to find out who is truthful and who is lying. As Adolph Hitler said: If you make the lie big enough, repeat it often enough, people will believe it.
February 27, 2012
Save your money and an hour of your life. This book is little short of a marketing scam, designed to be bought and loop you into a "personal brand" (formerly known as a cult of personality).
The point of this book? Distrust your leaders. Gee... how novel. Who should you trust? The author -- a fellow skeptic just like you -- who has the insight and life experience to guide other skeptics through the pitfalls of American life.
If I could get my money back, I would. But I can never get my time back. This book belongs in the Harlequin section... if only so the cheap tawdry novellas surrounding it can feel better about their place in society.
The point of this book? Distrust your leaders. Gee... how novel. Who should you trust? The author -- a fellow skeptic just like you -- who has the insight and life experience to guide other skeptics through the pitfalls of American life.
If I could get my money back, I would. But I can never get my time back. This book belongs in the Harlequin section... if only so the cheap tawdry novellas surrounding it can feel better about their place in society.
April 15, 2020
I have very mixed feelings about this book. I loved where Mr. Andrews was taking it in the beginning. I thought he had some amazing arguments and I felt like he backed it up with good evidence. However once we got out of part 1, it all kinda went downhill from there. Instead of inputting his own arguments and reasoning for why the truth matters and why we need to defend our freedom as American citizens, he just including a bunch of American documents, that I think was perfect evidence to build his argument around but rather we just read documents and then the book ended.
The Conservative in me wanted to rate this book higher, but the debater in me just couldn't handle the second part of this book. I am the kind of person that backs my arguments up with evidence and Mr. Andrews had the evidence but not the arguments for that second half. The WW2 history and facts was probably my favorite part about this book besides that basic arguments on how to utilize and protect our freedom.
Overall, this book is a great book to read, but the second half is just a little bit of a let down.
*FTC: I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author and/or publisher through JustRead Tours. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.*
The Conservative in me wanted to rate this book higher, but the debater in me just couldn't handle the second part of this book. I am the kind of person that backs my arguments up with evidence and Mr. Andrews had the evidence but not the arguments for that second half. The WW2 history and facts was probably my favorite part about this book besides that basic arguments on how to utilize and protect our freedom.
Overall, this book is a great book to read, but the second half is just a little bit of a let down.
*FTC: I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author and/or publisher through JustRead Tours. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.*
June 25, 2012
This book seems like a collection of statements, ranging from the common-sensical to the naive oversimplification, roughly organized around the idea that politicians lie - and that electors are too passive to held them accountable.
Yet, some oversimplifications border on the absurd. Stating that all problems (ALL problems) are due to the actions of US congressman is plainly absurd. Claiming that Hitler managed to implement the holocaust simply by misleading his own people is historically inaccurate and dangerous - we hopefully know by now that the full story is much more complex.
The saving grace of this book(let) is that it is brief - and it ends before your intelligence is fully offended.
Yet, some oversimplifications border on the absurd. Stating that all problems (ALL problems) are due to the actions of US congressman is plainly absurd. Claiming that Hitler managed to implement the holocaust simply by misleading his own people is historically inaccurate and dangerous - we hopefully know by now that the full story is much more complex.
The saving grace of this book(let) is that it is brief - and it ends before your intelligence is fully offended.
April 11, 2020
Terrifyingly relevant to what’s going on in our country today.
April 11, 2020
This was a good and informative read. I did a lot of WWII in my undergrad. (My BA is in History and Religion) I took a class that was called "Hitler and the Holocaust". The professor was amazing, and I learned so much from it. I did not know until that class that there were a lot of people who did not think that the Holocaust was real. I was floored. I have seen the pictures, the videos, the propaganda, and I have read Mein Kampf. I know that the Holocaust is real.
Anyways, this book is well researched. The book did not drag on like some historical topic books do. The author was able to accurately display his point without having it spill over.
Most importantly, I am glad I read this book during this time. COVID 19 and the taking away of civil liberties is comparable to what happened in Germany. Now before you send me hate mail - know this. The media is making things worse.... This book can align with what is happening today.
The author is well knowledge in his writing. He writes to an audience of non historians.
If you want a great informative well researched book - this book is for you.
Special thanks to the author and JustRead tours for allowing me to read this book. All thoughts are my own.
Anyways, this book is well researched. The book did not drag on like some historical topic books do. The author was able to accurately display his point without having it spill over.
Most importantly, I am glad I read this book during this time. COVID 19 and the taking away of civil liberties is comparable to what happened in Germany. Now before you send me hate mail - know this. The media is making things worse.... This book can align with what is happening today.
The author is well knowledge in his writing. He writes to an audience of non historians.
If you want a great informative well researched book - this book is for you.
Special thanks to the author and JustRead tours for allowing me to read this book. All thoughts are my own.
February 20, 2012
Short and sweet. Okay, maybe not so sweet. How can killing 11 million people be sweet? Andy Andrews doesn't sugarcoat this 112 page novella. Actually the meat of the book is all done in the first half. At the end of this short read you will come to realize that complacency is akin to murder. During the Holocaust it was the murder of 11 million people, 6 million were Jews. Today complacency is the murder of lifestyles, freedom and security and choices. Democracy is only as good as the voters and the leaders those voters put in power. Following and believing our politicians blindly can and did lead to the death of millions of people throughout our world at different times and in different countries. This timely book, albeit small, has a giant message to tell "The Truth Matters More Thank You Think".
April 7, 2020
The punishment which the wise suffer who refuse to take part in the government, is to live under the government of worse men.
1 —Plato
b͓̽lo͓̽g͓̽t͓̽o͓̽u͓̽r͓̽ b͎o͎o͎k͎t͎o͎u͎r͎
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑛.
1-𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨
I am so excited to bring in my thoughts on this aWeSoMe read in collab. with @justreadtours
Genre: Motivational/ Inspirational Political Science.
ANDY ANDREWS is an AMERICAN AUTHOR of self-help/advice books and a corporate speaker, known for his 2002 bestselling book The Traveler's Gift. He has WRITTEN OVER 20 BOOKS and SOLD MORE THAN 3.5 MILLION COPIES around the world. His books have been TRANSLATED INTO OVER 20 LANGUAGES.
Crux of the book:
Become an informed, passionate citizen who demands honesty and integrity from our leaders or suffer the consequences of our own ignorance and apathy.
#qotd Don’t we all want the best for our country and a secure and prosperous future for our children❓
In the author's voice;
I want America’s present and future leadership to embrace and live up to America’s core principles as written by our Founding Fathers and set forth in those important documents on which the soul of America was composed.
This is the author's WAKE- UP CALL for you to become an informed, passionate citizen who demands honesty and integrity from your leaders.
This is the 2nd EDITION of the book after the 1st edition quickly became #newyorktimesbestseller in 2011.
In addition to the text of the 1st edition of How Do You Kill 11 Million People?, there is a carefully assembled sampling of American history’s most formative words, written by the people who made that extraordinary history.
If it is correct that “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free,” then is it possible that if you don’t know the truth, its absence can place you in bondage?
The book is divided into two main parts: Truth Matters and Foundational Truths.
Although being of the non-fiction genre, it is nowhere even near being boring or exhausting.
It's full of illustrations, the narration is in a conversational style wherein you feel the author is having a casual/ serious discussion with you.
It's very interesting, bone chilling & definately a page turner!
The words, tickle you, probe you to ponder, think and analyze what had happened in history, what decisions were taken, what were the implications and the author then questions us..did we learn anything from historical landmark events about human nature and the effect of various steps taken to achieve certain targets..or are we still continuing with the same...??
He answers the question, which is the title of the book itself, how do you kill 11 million people ❓
Simply, by telling a big lie, again and again until it is believed to be the truth.
The author ends his book urging the reader to always seek the truth and follow its path, no matter what comes in the way.
The author's work speaks for itself, reiterating the amount of research gone into the subject and the author's vision behind the book.
#qotd Has it ever occured to you that the past is what is real and true, while history is merely what someone recorded❓
I am grateful to @netgalley & Sir Andy Andrews for providing a soft copy of the book in lieu of an honest, unbiased review.
The 224 page long amaziiiiiing book released on 17th March, 2020 & is published by W Publishing, an imprint of @thomasnelson
It's available for INR 653/- @amazonkindle & for $ 8.57/- @amazon.com ebook edition.
There's an amazing giveaway on my blog 👇 https://noorthebookworm.home.blog/aut...
w.r.t. this book, go & check it out!
#netgalley
#justreadtours
#booktours
#booktour
#howdoyoukill11millionpeople
#andyandrews
#bestseller
#authorsofinstagram
#blogtour
#giveaway
1 —Plato
b͓̽lo͓̽g͓̽t͓̽o͓̽u͓̽r͓̽ b͎o͎o͎k͎t͎o͎u͎r͎
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑛.
1-𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨
I am so excited to bring in my thoughts on this aWeSoMe read in collab. with @justreadtours
Genre: Motivational/ Inspirational Political Science.
ANDY ANDREWS is an AMERICAN AUTHOR of self-help/advice books and a corporate speaker, known for his 2002 bestselling book The Traveler's Gift. He has WRITTEN OVER 20 BOOKS and SOLD MORE THAN 3.5 MILLION COPIES around the world. His books have been TRANSLATED INTO OVER 20 LANGUAGES.
Crux of the book:
Become an informed, passionate citizen who demands honesty and integrity from our leaders or suffer the consequences of our own ignorance and apathy.
#qotd Don’t we all want the best for our country and a secure and prosperous future for our children❓
In the author's voice;
I want America’s present and future leadership to embrace and live up to America’s core principles as written by our Founding Fathers and set forth in those important documents on which the soul of America was composed.
This is the author's WAKE- UP CALL for you to become an informed, passionate citizen who demands honesty and integrity from your leaders.
This is the 2nd EDITION of the book after the 1st edition quickly became #newyorktimesbestseller in 2011.
In addition to the text of the 1st edition of How Do You Kill 11 Million People?, there is a carefully assembled sampling of American history’s most formative words, written by the people who made that extraordinary history.
If it is correct that “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free,” then is it possible that if you don’t know the truth, its absence can place you in bondage?
The book is divided into two main parts: Truth Matters and Foundational Truths.
Although being of the non-fiction genre, it is nowhere even near being boring or exhausting.
It's full of illustrations, the narration is in a conversational style wherein you feel the author is having a casual/ serious discussion with you.
It's very interesting, bone chilling & definately a page turner!
The words, tickle you, probe you to ponder, think and analyze what had happened in history, what decisions were taken, what were the implications and the author then questions us..did we learn anything from historical landmark events about human nature and the effect of various steps taken to achieve certain targets..or are we still continuing with the same...??
He answers the question, which is the title of the book itself, how do you kill 11 million people ❓
Simply, by telling a big lie, again and again until it is believed to be the truth.
The author ends his book urging the reader to always seek the truth and follow its path, no matter what comes in the way.
The author's work speaks for itself, reiterating the amount of research gone into the subject and the author's vision behind the book.
#qotd Has it ever occured to you that the past is what is real and true, while history is merely what someone recorded❓
I am grateful to @netgalley & Sir Andy Andrews for providing a soft copy of the book in lieu of an honest, unbiased review.
The 224 page long amaziiiiiing book released on 17th March, 2020 & is published by W Publishing, an imprint of @thomasnelson
It's available for INR 653/- @amazonkindle & for $ 8.57/- @amazon.com ebook edition.
There's an amazing giveaway on my blog 👇 https://noorthebookworm.home.blog/aut...
w.r.t. this book, go & check it out!
#netgalley
#justreadtours
#booktours
#booktour
#howdoyoukill11millionpeople
#andyandrews
#bestseller
#authorsofinstagram
#blogtour
#giveaway
February 17, 2012
Where lack of skepticism in our sources of information and trusted authority figures has led in the past. Throughout history, victims of lies want to believe that THIS can't happen here or now because their neighbors and their leaders are civilized. Study the writings of the past and take a hard look at the world now and you will find that the human capacity for good and evil hasn't changed in written history. Reasons for seeking power rarely excludes personal benefit, but narcissists convincing their victims otherwise is almost a proverb. The founders understood that over 2 centuries ago, and tried to limit power (including their own), but many expected the experiment to be short-lived. People want to believe that their leaders take from one and give to another to make things fair. Because perfection is impossible, retaining personal liberty has always resulted in maximum "fairness" throughout history. If (or when) enough people are willing to ignore that truth, and it is always for self centered reasons, this experiment in history will be over.
Read
July 16, 2025It’s not mind-blowing if you’ve ever read a book on the Holocaust, but there’s less of that kind of reading going around these days. I think it is a great book to read with high school students and work through the questions at the end together.
It is not a history book. It’s a discussion book. A key question is “How did 11 million people allow themselves to be killed?” Frequently they far outnumbered their captors and could have turned the tide. Bottom line: They didn’t know there was a tide that needed turning. They didn’t realize they had captors. It was a frog slowly boiling situation.
Something it did not really discuss much is racism. I’m currently seeing bizarre racism from both sides of the political aisle. Both sides seem to have groups for which they are comfortable cheering on death and tragedies. That’s not covered in this book, but it’s a scary mark of the climate we’re in.
Bottom line: it’s not Gulag Archipelago, but it’s a great start for talking with kids.
It is not a history book. It’s a discussion book. A key question is “How did 11 million people allow themselves to be killed?” Frequently they far outnumbered their captors and could have turned the tide. Bottom line: They didn’t know there was a tide that needed turning. They didn’t realize they had captors. It was a frog slowly boiling situation.
Something it did not really discuss much is racism. I’m currently seeing bizarre racism from both sides of the political aisle. Both sides seem to have groups for which they are comfortable cheering on death and tragedies. That’s not covered in this book, but it’s a scary mark of the climate we’re in.
Bottom line: it’s not Gulag Archipelago, but it’s a great start for talking with kids.
August 16, 2025
This book is so disrespectful to the victims of the holocaust. Claims like this are often made baselessly or opportunistically, but I find it ridiculous to treat the subject so lightly that the takeaway is “politicians lie” and that we need to return to the principles on which America was founded.
Besides the odd choice to make half of the book be excerpts of documents from the American Revolutionary period, he also makes a deeply odd choice in including an interview with an unidentified interviewer. In the audiobook the interviewer is played by the narrator of Part 2, presumably because this interview is a fabrication on the author’s part.
The book’s main claim, that 11 million people were killed in the holocaust because they were lied to, is supported by the flimsiest of evidence. To support this claim Andrews marshals one anecdote of Eichmann lying to Jews that they were going to board trains in order to escape the advancing Red Army and another anecdote about Hitler having different and contradicting messages for different audiences. These two stories don’t scratch the surface of the holocaust, so it seems obvious that Andrews is only using the eye-catching title to sell copies of his book and push his conservative agenda of American civic religion.
Andrews’s political ideology, though he makes a big deal of not stating it outright, is clearly conservative. In his focus on politicians and his selection of Jefferson’s writing about small government one can tell he wants to dismantle the State. And in his claim that “dependence” leads to bondage and that government is meant to protect liberties instead of securing happiness “at the expense of other citizens”, one can tell he opposes welfare. And Andrews’s appeals to return to America’s founding are never justified. Why should we do that? To him it needs no explanation to return to an undemocratic, white supremacist society.
Andrews also makes only a few references to actual policy proposals. The one he spends the most time on is simplifying the US tax code. It’s incredible that in his discussion of the tax code the only motivated parties in maintaining our system are politicians, and not say lobbyists for the tax filing companies.
His disturbing nostalgia for America’s founding and his mistreatment of the Holocaust are also belied by a statement he makes in the Author’s Note that we should talk about political differences without screaming at each other, as our parents and grandparents did. Surely this can’t apply to US or German readers because both countries have histories of massive political violence. Obviously the US has had red scares, labor repression, Jim Crow, and violence against abolitionists of the slavery the Founders codified in the Constitution. And in Germany an obvious example of political violence comes to mind; maybe Andrews could write a book about it.
Besides the odd choice to make half of the book be excerpts of documents from the American Revolutionary period, he also makes a deeply odd choice in including an interview with an unidentified interviewer. In the audiobook the interviewer is played by the narrator of Part 2, presumably because this interview is a fabrication on the author’s part.
The book’s main claim, that 11 million people were killed in the holocaust because they were lied to, is supported by the flimsiest of evidence. To support this claim Andrews marshals one anecdote of Eichmann lying to Jews that they were going to board trains in order to escape the advancing Red Army and another anecdote about Hitler having different and contradicting messages for different audiences. These two stories don’t scratch the surface of the holocaust, so it seems obvious that Andrews is only using the eye-catching title to sell copies of his book and push his conservative agenda of American civic religion.
Andrews’s political ideology, though he makes a big deal of not stating it outright, is clearly conservative. In his focus on politicians and his selection of Jefferson’s writing about small government one can tell he wants to dismantle the State. And in his claim that “dependence” leads to bondage and that government is meant to protect liberties instead of securing happiness “at the expense of other citizens”, one can tell he opposes welfare. And Andrews’s appeals to return to America’s founding are never justified. Why should we do that? To him it needs no explanation to return to an undemocratic, white supremacist society.
Andrews also makes only a few references to actual policy proposals. The one he spends the most time on is simplifying the US tax code. It’s incredible that in his discussion of the tax code the only motivated parties in maintaining our system are politicians, and not say lobbyists for the tax filing companies.
His disturbing nostalgia for America’s founding and his mistreatment of the Holocaust are also belied by a statement he makes in the Author’s Note that we should talk about political differences without screaming at each other, as our parents and grandparents did. Surely this can’t apply to US or German readers because both countries have histories of massive political violence. Obviously the US has had red scares, labor repression, Jim Crow, and violence against abolitionists of the slavery the Founders codified in the Constitution. And in Germany an obvious example of political violence comes to mind; maybe Andrews could write a book about it.
December 23, 2022
Really short, but I thought the ideas seemed pretty common sense
August 2, 2019
Two And A Half Simple Truths
The first is you lie to them. Not just any lie, you tell them lies that prey on fear, create imaginary threats and demonize people. That's what Hitler did to political opponents, gypsies (Sinta/Roma), homosexuals, Poles, Slavs and in particular - Jews. That's what the Turks did to Armenians, Greeks, Bulgarians and Assyrians, Pol Pot did to anyone who looked like they might be an intellectual and Stalin did to just about everyone by making them afraid to challenge the status quo.
The second is that political power in America is concentrated in 545 people. Americans chose them As George Carlin once noted – they are the best that America can come up with, and a sorry lot they are because they are just like us. Choose wisely and get involved. Nothing specific here in terms of which party or no party at all, or even whether this has to be political. As an aside, I personally detest a climate where Republicans and Democrats think the worst and would like to outlaw each other. The advice is to just simply take responsibility for the society we all live in.
Anyone deluded enough to think that they will be able to create a new society based on their personal preferences doesn't understand the meaning of democracy – it's about compromise, advocacy and not shooting up nightclubs, political assassinations or flying planes into buildings. Andrews doesn't make that clear. Another error Andrews makes is that he states that the Turks wanted to wipe out all the Armenians, which isn't quite true but the truth is bad enough. You can read about it in Dundar's Crime of Numbers: The Role of Statistics in the Armenian Question and Grigor Suny's They Can Live in the Desert But Nowhere Else: A History of the Armenian Genocide - the Turkish government plotted to reduce the Armenian population to between 5% and 15% of the population of each district and did so through forced labour, starvation, executions and, previewing the Nazi Holocaust, burning people alive. Between 1 million and 1.5 million Armenians were murdered, starting with the middle class leadership. A couple of readers claimed that other governments like the Romans had a longer continuous run. Recalling Brutus and Julius Caesar, not without a coup, though Iceland and Great Britain have likely got the US beaten. There may be others.
The last part of the book says you can find the truth for yourself by going out on the internet. The example sites that Andrews gives are good ones Having faith in the Internet is foolish. Microsoft recently created an AI called Tay and in a single day it turned into a racist misogynist Nazi. The Internet is an echo chamber that reflects both the worst and the best of what we are. There are no gatekeepers nor adult supervision. You and I are it. I don't think Andrews thought that through enough.
To anyone who thinks the book is too simple, short and overpriced as they already understood the message – kudos to you, you didn't need it. Think of it as a conversation starter or a paean to American political pragmatism. Leave it on the coffee table for your kids and put it in the schools, houses of worship and your library. Its a reminder that we have to get it right.
The basic message is sound. Be good, stay involved, tell the truth, don't set anyone on fire, never hate.
The first is you lie to them. Not just any lie, you tell them lies that prey on fear, create imaginary threats and demonize people. That's what Hitler did to political opponents, gypsies (Sinta/Roma), homosexuals, Poles, Slavs and in particular - Jews. That's what the Turks did to Armenians, Greeks, Bulgarians and Assyrians, Pol Pot did to anyone who looked like they might be an intellectual and Stalin did to just about everyone by making them afraid to challenge the status quo.
The second is that political power in America is concentrated in 545 people. Americans chose them As George Carlin once noted – they are the best that America can come up with, and a sorry lot they are because they are just like us. Choose wisely and get involved. Nothing specific here in terms of which party or no party at all, or even whether this has to be political. As an aside, I personally detest a climate where Republicans and Democrats think the worst and would like to outlaw each other. The advice is to just simply take responsibility for the society we all live in.
Anyone deluded enough to think that they will be able to create a new society based on their personal preferences doesn't understand the meaning of democracy – it's about compromise, advocacy and not shooting up nightclubs, political assassinations or flying planes into buildings. Andrews doesn't make that clear. Another error Andrews makes is that he states that the Turks wanted to wipe out all the Armenians, which isn't quite true but the truth is bad enough. You can read about it in Dundar's Crime of Numbers: The Role of Statistics in the Armenian Question and Grigor Suny's They Can Live in the Desert But Nowhere Else: A History of the Armenian Genocide - the Turkish government plotted to reduce the Armenian population to between 5% and 15% of the population of each district and did so through forced labour, starvation, executions and, previewing the Nazi Holocaust, burning people alive. Between 1 million and 1.5 million Armenians were murdered, starting with the middle class leadership. A couple of readers claimed that other governments like the Romans had a longer continuous run. Recalling Brutus and Julius Caesar, not without a coup, though Iceland and Great Britain have likely got the US beaten. There may be others.
The last part of the book says you can find the truth for yourself by going out on the internet. The example sites that Andrews gives are good ones Having faith in the Internet is foolish. Microsoft recently created an AI called Tay and in a single day it turned into a racist misogynist Nazi. The Internet is an echo chamber that reflects both the worst and the best of what we are. There are no gatekeepers nor adult supervision. You and I are it. I don't think Andrews thought that through enough.
To anyone who thinks the book is too simple, short and overpriced as they already understood the message – kudos to you, you didn't need it. Think of it as a conversation starter or a paean to American political pragmatism. Leave it on the coffee table for your kids and put it in the schools, houses of worship and your library. Its a reminder that we have to get it right.
The basic message is sound. Be good, stay involved, tell the truth, don't set anyone on fire, never hate.
April 26, 2020
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Check out the full review on my website. CLICK HERE
REVIEW :
DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Netgalley and JustReadTours for the ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Books surrounding WWII have always been interesting to me, however trying out a non-fiction book was not something I thought I would pick up. I recently read Wolf a historical fiction that was well researched and had more facts than fiction about Hitler and his life leading up to his rise as a leader. I wanted to see what the author had to say about the events and how he is trying to bring forward the information to shine a light on the current political situation in America. As an outsider, I have seen a variety of opinions regarding the current political climate and I wanted to know what the author had to say about it. This book asks some important questions regarding the rights of the citizens, the power they have, and also how we as humans have let our leaders lie to us without standing up for what is right. This book sheds light on a lot of scenarios and helps the readers ask themselves the questions that need to ask in order to bring about lasting changes to the government to help better people's life. I really enjoyed reading the first half of the book, but the second half was difficult for me to get through as it contained letters, speeches, and other historical documents of importance to the American society that were from founding fathers and other prominent figures in American history reiterating the value of going back to the very principles on which America was founded. The book is a must-read for Americans in my opinion that will help open up the mind of readers to achieve a broader understanding of the political situation and make informed decisions. I gave the book 3 stars. The reason I didn't give a higher rating is that I got bored and distracted during the second half and if I was American I would have cared more about the documents, but as an outsider, the historical documents provided didn't really add much value for me personally. I highly recommend Americans to check it out.
Check out the full review on my website. CLICK HERE
REVIEW :
DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Netgalley and JustReadTours for the ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Books surrounding WWII have always been interesting to me, however trying out a non-fiction book was not something I thought I would pick up. I recently read Wolf a historical fiction that was well researched and had more facts than fiction about Hitler and his life leading up to his rise as a leader. I wanted to see what the author had to say about the events and how he is trying to bring forward the information to shine a light on the current political situation in America. As an outsider, I have seen a variety of opinions regarding the current political climate and I wanted to know what the author had to say about it. This book asks some important questions regarding the rights of the citizens, the power they have, and also how we as humans have let our leaders lie to us without standing up for what is right. This book sheds light on a lot of scenarios and helps the readers ask themselves the questions that need to ask in order to bring about lasting changes to the government to help better people's life. I really enjoyed reading the first half of the book, but the second half was difficult for me to get through as it contained letters, speeches, and other historical documents of importance to the American society that were from founding fathers and other prominent figures in American history reiterating the value of going back to the very principles on which America was founded. The book is a must-read for Americans in my opinion that will help open up the mind of readers to achieve a broader understanding of the political situation and make informed decisions. I gave the book 3 stars. The reason I didn't give a higher rating is that I got bored and distracted during the second half and if I was American I would have cared more about the documents, but as an outsider, the historical documents provided didn't really add much value for me personally. I highly recommend Americans to check it out.
April 12, 2013
This book was recommended to me by my sister as a suggestion to pick for my turn to pick a book for my book club. I would classify this book more as an essay than a novel. Since I bought if for my kindle I didn't realize it was such a tiny book. Although tiny and can be read in about an hour, it would make a huge book club discussion. The underlying theme of this book is how we are lied to by our politicians especially while campaigning for election. The example the author uses is the tactics that Hitler used in killing 11 million people. We touched on this subject breifly recently in Book Club when we were discussing the book "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana de Rosney. How such a small percentage of Germans were Nazi's and how almost the entire population turned a blind eye and allowed the murder of millions of people in not just Poland and Germany but other countries as well.
Some of my favorite lines in Andrew's book are:
""How fortunate for leaders," Hitler said to his inner circle, "that men do not think. Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it and eventually they will believe it.""
"Any country can survive having chosen a fool as their leader. But history has shown time and again that a nation of fools is surely doomed."
"The most dangerous thing any nation faces is a citezenry capable of trusting a liar to lead them."
And I say if we had more honest people with strong values in our government our country would be even greater than it is. I wish I had this book in hard copy so I could share it.
Some of my favorite lines in Andrew's book are:
""How fortunate for leaders," Hitler said to his inner circle, "that men do not think. Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it and eventually they will believe it.""
"Any country can survive having chosen a fool as their leader. But history has shown time and again that a nation of fools is surely doomed."
"The most dangerous thing any nation faces is a citezenry capable of trusting a liar to lead them."
And I say if we had more honest people with strong values in our government our country would be even greater than it is. I wish I had this book in hard copy so I could share it.
August 12, 2016
[I also reviewed this title on my blog: Ishari's Bookshelf]
This book is a waste of money.
It's a glorified pamphlet in hardcover form with large type, double spaced paragraphs, and huge margins. Easy enough to breeze through it before your coffee gets cold in your mug. Oh, and every other page is either dominated by an illustration or a quote blown up to take the whole page. And to add insult to injury, almost half of the book is an interview where the author basically interviewed himself...oh, and there are book club questions for some reason.
The only thing I took away from this book is a feeling of impending doom. Not an "Americans are sheep to the slaughter" feeling of impending doom. No...rather, it's alarming that Americans (or whoever reads this book) can find the material in this book new or a revelation to them.
I mean...
Have they not paid attention in history class?
Have they not asked before now how something like the Holocaust could have even happened?
Have they not had the (not so) earthshattering revelation that politicians lie to you and that it's up to them as a conscientious voter to make an educated voting decision?
This "book" is just a glorified pamphlet of regurgitated and common sense revelations and not worth the retail value of $14.99.
This book is a waste of money.
It's a glorified pamphlet in hardcover form with large type, double spaced paragraphs, and huge margins. Easy enough to breeze through it before your coffee gets cold in your mug. Oh, and every other page is either dominated by an illustration or a quote blown up to take the whole page. And to add insult to injury, almost half of the book is an interview where the author basically interviewed himself...oh, and there are book club questions for some reason.
The only thing I took away from this book is a feeling of impending doom. Not an "Americans are sheep to the slaughter" feeling of impending doom. No...rather, it's alarming that Americans (or whoever reads this book) can find the material in this book new or a revelation to them.
I mean...
Have they not paid attention in history class?
Have they not asked before now how something like the Holocaust could have even happened?
Have they not had the (not so) earthshattering revelation that politicians lie to you and that it's up to them as a conscientious voter to make an educated voting decision?
This "book" is just a glorified pamphlet of regurgitated and common sense revelations and not worth the retail value of $14.99.
September 13, 2012
As rivers go the Jordan River has the best PR of them all. It sounds impressive when you read about in Scripture but it's anything but when you see it in person. So it is with Andy Andrews book "How Do You Kill 11 Million People." Andrews has a compelling personal story and is a New York Times bestseller, but this book disappoints. It tackles a big question -- state-sponsered lies and how destructive they can be to a nation -- but fails to offer answers beyond the trivial. He succeeds in accomplishing his goal of writing on a subject that would receive common ground for the future of America (truth telling), avoiding political labels (Democrat and Republican, liberal and conservative), and is concise enough to be read in 15 minutes. But a 15 minute read doesn't get to the root of, much less offer solutions to rooting out, an issue that has become ingrained to modern American politics -- lies, spin, and obfuscation. Besides, who needs to read a book on whether truth telling, as opposed to lying, is best for our country -- especially if that's all you're really going for. The Reader's Guide at least offers some hope that the feather weight treatment of a weighty problem might allow Andrews' words to penetrate beyond the surface, though it would have been nice to have had some heft in the argument to begin with.
May 31, 2012
This book was more a published short-essay than a book. I was slightly annoyed when I got it that it was so small and it still cost me $10 on amazon. After I got over that knee-jerk reaction though, it was a good essay and posed some thought-provoking questions. It was a quick read (20 minutes) that convinced me to be a more informed voter.
October 5, 2019
So I am not really sure which way I want to go on the rating of this book whether I didn't like it or whether it was okay. Wait there was the author suggesting to me it would take 15 minutes for me to become empowered in reading his book but looking back upon it didn't happen so let's throw it under 1 Star.
Within 15 minutes of reading this book I was told that the truth would set me free, given a life account about how not telling the truth ruined the author's fame at school and how he was lied to by an adult neighbor, which always stuck with him. Then it jumped from that to about the President having to resign from office in disgrace for lying to the American people and from there what is the difference between history and past. To explore the latter two we then ended up getting a dump into the Holocaust although from the author's view we could choose any other large massacre of people throughout the 1990s.
My last minutes of empowerment came to me ending up reading about some nameless person who mentioned that every time the death trains came behind the church they attended they would sing louder just to drown out the screams of the Jews as they passed by and then continue to dream it about years later. So not very much empowerment in my sense.
The rest of the book then became more or less a repetitive shove that everyone who doesn't vote in their government is helping to contribute to the apathy of their government and thus in the long run may lead to more slavery plus perhaps another Holocaust unless we change our leaders. Our new leaders must be held to a higher standard than they are now while it is the people's job to make sure they are honest and able to stand up to the corrupting might of being in power by thoroughly researching every candidate, judging their past performances, spreading the word about this "truth" and studying every little detail they make in their campaigns.
For those who know history and even those who have been around to watch politics this is actually everything we already know and a lot easier said than done when it comes to putting people in office. So is the book worth it? Nope not even close as there is more to the reasons leading to the Holocaust just as there is almost no chance of not finding a politician who doesn't say one thing than does another, especially if they have spent a lot of years in office. So your call in the end....
Within 15 minutes of reading this book I was told that the truth would set me free, given a life account about how not telling the truth ruined the author's fame at school and how he was lied to by an adult neighbor, which always stuck with him. Then it jumped from that to about the President having to resign from office in disgrace for lying to the American people and from there what is the difference between history and past. To explore the latter two we then ended up getting a dump into the Holocaust although from the author's view we could choose any other large massacre of people throughout the 1990s.
My last minutes of empowerment came to me ending up reading about some nameless person who mentioned that every time the death trains came behind the church they attended they would sing louder just to drown out the screams of the Jews as they passed by and then continue to dream it about years later. So not very much empowerment in my sense.
The rest of the book then became more or less a repetitive shove that everyone who doesn't vote in their government is helping to contribute to the apathy of their government and thus in the long run may lead to more slavery plus perhaps another Holocaust unless we change our leaders. Our new leaders must be held to a higher standard than they are now while it is the people's job to make sure they are honest and able to stand up to the corrupting might of being in power by thoroughly researching every candidate, judging their past performances, spreading the word about this "truth" and studying every little detail they make in their campaigns.
For those who know history and even those who have been around to watch politics this is actually everything we already know and a lot easier said than done when it comes to putting people in office. So is the book worth it? Nope not even close as there is more to the reasons leading to the Holocaust just as there is almost no chance of not finding a politician who doesn't say one thing than does another, especially if they have spent a lot of years in office. So your call in the end....
April 19, 2019
When individuals let truth slide, people die.
This is Andy Andrews’ answer to the question: what happens to a society that lives with lies?
First, he differentiates the past from history:
In just 47 pages, the reader is lead through logic, shocking facts, and sad truths. The entire book can be read in under an hour (he claims 15 minutes but if you are thinking, taking notes, and getting your mind blown, it will take longer). It is nonpartisan, direct, and sensible. He doesn’t tell you what to think or point fingers.
Good book. Everyone from high school and up should read and discuss it. Andrews could have used a wider variety of sources, but he wanted a focused, simple message. And he encourages the reader to seek information for herself. A reader guide is included.
Related points not in the book:
1) <10% of Germany’s population were directly involved in The Final Solution. This is the small portion of any group required to make change. Inspiring and Scary.
2) Prior to 1919, Germany was a small but better educated version of the modern United States, according to Benjamin Carter Hett in The Death of Democracy: Hitler's Rise to Power and the Downfall of the Weimar Republic.
It was characterized by:
* active feminist movement (women voting, abortion)
* prominent gay rights movement
* gender equity
* modern democracy
* height of art, architecture, design, movies, music, and literature
* science center (world leader in chemicals and pharmaceuticals)
* international leader in the automotive industry
My library acquired this book in 2012. I am only the third borrower in the past three years and the copy looks alarmingly pristine. Hopefully, your library’s copy will travel widely and often.
This is Andy Andrews’ answer to the question: what happens to a society that lives with lies?
First, he differentiates the past from history:
“…the past is what is real and true, while history is merely what someone recorded.”Then he throws the Nazi systemic mass murder of 11 million people at you as a case study.
In just 47 pages, the reader is lead through logic, shocking facts, and sad truths. The entire book can be read in under an hour (he claims 15 minutes but if you are thinking, taking notes, and getting your mind blown, it will take longer). It is nonpartisan, direct, and sensible. He doesn’t tell you what to think or point fingers.
Good book. Everyone from high school and up should read and discuss it. Andrews could have used a wider variety of sources, but he wanted a focused, simple message. And he encourages the reader to seek information for herself. A reader guide is included.
Related points not in the book:
1) <10% of Germany’s population were directly involved in The Final Solution. This is the small portion of any group required to make change. Inspiring and Scary.
2) Prior to 1919, Germany was a small but better educated version of the modern United States, according to Benjamin Carter Hett in The Death of Democracy: Hitler's Rise to Power and the Downfall of the Weimar Republic.
It was characterized by:
* active feminist movement (women voting, abortion)
* prominent gay rights movement
* gender equity
* modern democracy
* height of art, architecture, design, movies, music, and literature
* science center (world leader in chemicals and pharmaceuticals)
* international leader in the automotive industry
My library acquired this book in 2012. I am only the third borrower in the past three years and the copy looks alarmingly pristine. Hopefully, your library’s copy will travel widely and often.
May 6, 2025
A quick read about telling the truth, specifically about politicians not telling the truth. In the book, the author uses the Nazi Holocaust as an example of how so many people fell for a lie, largely because they hope for the best and believed what they wanted to believe. This book is a call for voters and citizens to say active with their governments, and specifically to have them pay attention to the lies that politicians often say to get elected. What I liked about the book was that it is hard to pin down the politics of the author, and the advice of the author is useful well over a decade after it was originally written. if you want to read book, drop by the little Free Library down the street from my house. That's where it will be
December 5, 2025
So I did read this in 20 minutes on the stair stepper solely for the pursuit of my reading goal for the year and maybe it’s cheating but everything is a learning opportunity! I learned that apparently you can call a sporadic anecdotal preachy smattering of sentences a book if you print it and put a cover on it! The title is basically a creative writing assignment given to 7th graders and that is exactly how it reads. Genuinely think a 12 year could have written this and probably would’ve written it better and without the use of over 20 rhetorical questions in a row excused by “we must ask the right questions!” This is actually a bipartisan political book but it reads deeply right wing in the way it speaks to its audience like toddlers, using extraordinarily simple language and buzz sentences to reach a “conclusion”. ALSO NOT TO MENTION HALF OF ITS LENGTH IS A FAKE INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR LIKE CMON. Awful, should’ve never gotten published and I’m a little scared bc I found this in my parents bookshelf and it’s signed so… (suspecting my father)
March 6, 2021
Once again Andy Andrews has distilled a complex problem into understandable terms. I highly recommend this book. Reading about how Hitler told big lies and repeated them loudly and often has an eerie echo into what is going on today. Including historical documents such as the Constitution, Declaration of independence, writings by Jefferson, Franklin and Hamilton gives great perspectives, especially where the elected leaders can easily seek more money and more power. This is a book that encourages you to think for yourself and do your own research.
December 22, 2017
This small slender book can be read in a hour. It's profound and should be read by everyone. The book is especially important now, today. It's meant to urge us to think about how we affect the world, our country, our families and more. It's a lesson and isn't to be missed or glossed over. Truth matters. History has lessons for us and, no, your little world isn't the only thing that needs attention. Teach your children well.
March 2, 2020
The purpose of this book is to simply get its readers to think, seek out truth and examine facts for themselves, and avoid the apathy that seems so prevalent in our country. It is not an "us vs them" book but rather a "we" book. Do we as Americans like the direction our country is headed? Are we willing to demand and hold our politicians and leaders to higher standards? Where do we begin to find common ground in regard to what we want (or don't want) for the future of America? Some good thoughts and questions to consider in this book.
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