A Firehose of Falsehood: The Story of Disinformation

World Citizen Comics

by Teri Kanefield, Pat Dorian (Illustrations)

Lies destroy. Disinformation tears at the fabric of democracy.

A Firehose of Falsehood: The Story of Disinformation breaks down disinformation tactics and offers tools for defending and restoring truth.

From Darius I of ancient Persia (522-486 BCE), to blood libel of the Middle Ages, to Soviet disinformation tactics and modern election deniers, Teri Kanefield and Pat Dorian show how tyrants and would-be tyrants deploy disinformation to gain power.

Democracy, which draws its authority from laws instead of the whim of a tyrant, requires truth. For a democracy to survive, its citizens must preserve and defend truth. Now that the Internet has turned what was once a trickle of lies into a firehose, the challenge of holding on to truth has never been greater. A Firehose of Falsehood offers readers these necessary tools.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Politics, History, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics

240 pages, Hardcover

First published February 13, 2024

About the author

Teri writes novels, short stories, essays, stories for children, nonfiction for both children and adults, and lots of appellate briefs.

Her stories and essays have appeared in publications as diverse as Education Week, Scope Magazine, The Iowa Review, Cricket Magazine, and The American Literary Review.

Teri's books have received the following honors and distinctions:

The Girl From The Tar Paper School:
--Jane Addams Book Award
--Carter G. Woodson Middle Level Book Award, 2015
--California Reading Association Eureka Silver Honor Book Award
--Included on the 2015 list of Notable Social Studies Trade Books for young readers compiled by the National Council for Social Studies
--Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children (National Association of Teachers of English), Recommended Book
--Included in the New York Public Library's list of 100 children's books to read in 2014.
--A Junior Library Guild selection

Praise for The Girl From The Tar Paper School:
"Beautifully and clearly written." School Library Journal, starred review
"Worthy of the highest recommendation." Midwest Book Review

Rivka's Way
--Sidney Taylor Book Awards, Notable book of 2001
-- Lilith Magazine's 5th Annual Selection of Books for Young Readers
--Included in Great Books for Girls, by Kathleen Odean
--Included in Best Jewish Books for Children and Teens, by Linda R. Silver

Praise for Rivka's Way :
"A rewarding read for the romantically inclined." School Library Journal
"A simple but daring adventure." Voice of Youth Advocates

Guilty? Crime, Punishment, and the Changing Face of Justice
--Junior Library Guild selection

Teri's law practice is limited to representing indigents on appeal from adverse rulings.

She lives in California near the beach..

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, this should be required reading in high school. And I encourage everyone to read it and reexamine how they digest and spread information today.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is jam-packed with valuable information about the history of disinformation, traced from ancient times. It is meticulously researched, with sources for all content cited by page number.
Unfortunately, the small and tightly packed text and caricaturish graphics may put some readers off. Readers may feel overwhelmed at the barrage of truth (almost its own firehose) coming at them.
Those who persevere will come away with a deeper understanding of the tactics of authoritarian leaders, the fact that these tactics are not new, and how democratic societies can combat them.
Important content for young adults and adults, packaged in a less-than-ideal way.
3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 and a half.

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This graphic novel lays out the clear bath of how disinformation and propaganda can take down a democracy. It was fascinating seeing how methods and terms from today actually have their roots in the ancient times. The idea of open wars (battlefields, guns, blood) versus concealed wars (disinformation, lies, trickery) dates back to the 300s BCE!

Kanefield does an amazing job laying out the historical milestones along the way to our current political climate. I saw myself several times, from unknowing participant (I'm sure we've ALL unintentionally passed along fake news once or twice) to the utter disbelief that logic could be cast aside in favor of a charismatic leader. I remember sitting with my colleagues in November 2016 just absolutely stunned that Trump won the election. Absolutely mind blown. Reading this book now, it makes more sense.

I was so grateful for the last chapter with solutions! So often books/media present problems, but no solutions. The state of our democracy is a HUGE problem, so I'm relieved that the book ended with clear action steps that everyone can take to better educate themselves, participate in government, and make an active, informed decision about whether you want to live in a democracy or under a Fascist leader.

I strongly urge others to read this book. Educating yourself is always a great start.

Thank you NetGalley and First Second Graphic Novels for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fantastic read for anyone that is interested in fascism. I feel that this is a must read. A really fantastic follow-up read is Lies My Teacher Told Me A Graphic Adaptation by James W. Loewen & Nate Powell.

[Michelle Scott Roark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this. It should be taught in school.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC copy of the book.
The first half of the graphic novel dove into the history of leaders who used lies and deception to gain or keep control. It was really interesting to read and start to make connections to the world today.
The second half essentially covered the past 10 years, focusing on Trump. While I agree with most of what was written, I'm afraid that anyone who is following these lies will just ignore the facts presented. It became too heavy handed and seemed more like a graphic novel to attack maga instead of giving the history and letting people come to the conclusion on their own.
Again, I agree with what was mostly written, I just wish I could have others read this without feeling attacked and rejecting the material. Which, ironically enough, shows how successful the maga lie is.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if nonfiction graphic novels are not your thing, this one is so well done, so educational, and such a quick read, with helpful suggestions at the end, and resources, that I think almost everyone will get something out of it. I would feel better about our country's prospects if everyone would pick this up and read it. I borrowed it from the best public library in America, but I will be buying a copy of this gem to revisit and perhaps tuck under my pillow at night too.

[Marissa Mansfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs to read this. If you are politically and socially conscious and are scared about what’s going on right now, this book explains how we can detect and combat disinformation and propaganda in order to protect democracy. It taught me a lot about 20th century fascist ideology and specific tactics used by fascist leaders to gain power and authority. Needless to say it was eerily familiar. But instead of feeling scared, I feel empowered with the knowledge I’ve gained.

[Dottie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I initially didn't rate this, but it's lingered with me ever since I read it. I honestly wish they wrote a sequel or an updated version with current events, as this was published in 2023 and so much has happened in only 2 years. Go read it!!

[Kenedie Hesseling · Rating 5 out of 5]

really informative read and something i would suggest to everyone especially americans. the kind of book im going to be forcing people to read.

[Paul Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well constructed, easy to understand history.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher First Second Books for an advanced copy of this graphic novel that looks at the use of disinformation and political lies throughout human history, and how one can best not be fooled. Or fooled again.

If diplomacy is war by other means, disinformation is war without having to make bullets, tanks or bombs. The use of words can be more destructive than the most powerful of nuclear weapons, able to confuse armies, disarm a populous, and cause great nations to fail. Ignoring disinformation, or thinking one is above it, well that just shows its working. I mean for everyone else, not you dear reader. You are so smart, visually attractive and wise in the ways of the world, like myself. Hit like and subscribe for more great things about yourself, and what is wrong with the others, the different and the wrong. And that's how one gets sucked in. I have been at family occasions staring at people I have known my whole life, saying the dumbest, most ignorant things. Things they get from their media. Facebook, Twitter (not X that's dumb) and more.We are a people who are lazy in many ways, doing our own research is finding someone who tells us what we want to know. That that is why things are going so odd. A Firehose of Falsehood: The Story of Disinformation is a graphic novel that tells the history of disinformation, propaganda and more written by Teri Kanefield with art by Pat Dorian.

The book begins with a history lesson about the uses of disinformation from the ancient past. Rulers hiring people, who worked in shadows and in secret. Sometimes assassinating enemies, but mostly, and more cheaply using the power of rumor. Spreading rumours about a ruler, getting people to act against him, spreading stories usually salacious about a ruler's family and companions. Or spreading rumors about great battles that never happened, causing the morale of the people to collapse when the truth came out. The book describes the different forms disinformation can take, propaganda used to make a country seem better than it is, and keep the people in line. Or attacking like I said other countries. The usual suspects are looked at Stalin, Mussolini, Putin and Trump. How these men would flood the zone with so much bull pattys one can never keep up, exhaustion making one just give up. The election interference of 2016 is looked at and explained much better than I have seen before. Also there are hints at what to look for, how to fight and how to change the system in many ways.

A graphic novel that should be read by just about everyone, as this country really has no sense of media awareness anymore. Combined with the usual American ignorance of the world, we are prime to believe anything that pops up on social media. This will probably mean the book will be banned from all school libraries in at least 21 states. The writing is very good, clear, concise full of information, incredibly useful and even more valid as the next election gets closer and closer. Kanefield is able to take complicated ideas and make it easy to understand, which is a real skill. The art too compliments the writing. Nice clear lines, nothing that gets in the way, that works well with the words and ideas. A really excellent book and one I hope that gets a lot of attention and sales.

Recommended for everyone. Completely age appropriate for anyone, filled with information that will help a lot of people. I see how easy it is to Doom Scroll on Twitter, and in my nephew believing if it is on YouTube it must be true. Complete with merch. A really well done book, and one I will be pushing on a lot of people.

[Molly Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I read and learned a lot from “Why The People: The case for Democracy,” another book in the World Citizen Comics series.

The majority of this book uses historical examples of past tyrants to explain the differences and overlap between propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation. The book’s goals include explaining to the reader why democracy requires truth and hard proven facts as it draws its authority from laws—not the whims and emotional manipulation of political leaders. The text tells us that democracies, “by nature, tend to expand and grow more inclusive…as the electorate becomes more diverse, people with authoritarian dispositions become more uncomfortable…there will always be an authoritarian push back against an expanding democracy.” The text warns that “fascism takes root when myth and lies crowd truth from the public sphere.” It’s tricky, isn’t it? Historical examples that took place in times and in countries not the United States is easier for the modern American to read because they can easily distance themselves from those examples. They weren’t at the end of the “firehose of falsehood” in Persia in 486 BCE or in Russia during the 1930s. But it gets a lot more difficult to read once you get to the last third of the book, which covers Trump before the 2016 election, Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election (The Mueller Report), extremist conspiracy theories that led to mass confusion and frustration (deep state, globalist, pizzagate, Sandy Hook hoax), Trump after the 2016 election, Trump during the 2020 election and after (stop the steal), and more. Ten of millions of Americans were/are being blasted by “firehoses of falsehood” for the last decade when it comes to politics and culture wars. And tens of millions of people (on both sides of the two party political aisle) still can’t agree on what was/is the truth and what were/are the lies. So I think an American with longstanding right-leaning politics might just think the last third of the book is a bunch of lies. That might lead them to discredit that whole part of the book, even if the book ends in a detailed Notes and Bibliography section to consider.

All that being said, I respect what the author and graphic artist set out to accomplished in this book. Given what I’ve described above, I don’t know how many bookstores or libraries will carry/sell this book, but at least it’s out there for people to consider.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
I have come to expect content from Kanefield that is measured and thoughtful. Her approach is both cautious and confident, not sensational. Here she looks at the history of disinformation and propaganda, especially as those tools have been used to obtain and hold onto political power.

While there are definitely moments that are discouraging, overall the tone is that of someone picking up a rock to see what kinds of life we might find under it. There’s an almost clinical interest in how the disinformation machine works, the reveal of which allows us all to better navigate that firehose of falsehood. The graphic novel format softens the methodical approach a bit, and the visual elements on the page force the reader to focus on one piece of information at a time.

I think what surprised me most is how repetitive and recycled fascism is. From Mussolini’s drain the swamp, to Hitler’s Lügenpresse, to Stalin’s loyalty oaths, we have seen all these moves before. She also gets into the reality that at any given moment, about 1/3 of people have an authoritarian mindset, welcoming the order and superficial control that comes with surrendering one’s power.

Interesting and accessible, and full of important information during any election year.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

All things considered, I wish I could put this book into the hands of every American at the moment. I do think this is better geared towards late middle school or early high school, but considering the sad state of education in this country, adults could benefit from giving this a flip-through as well.

As a quick and dirty foundation for how fascism gains power specifically through disinformation, A Firehose of Falsehood is a solid place to start-- it's accessible, not terribly long, and covers the broad spectrum of disinformation use in political history. At times, it flattens the nuances pretty heavily, and it largely looks away from the US's actions that gave rise to authoritarian governments in other parts of the world. I also wish it had spent some time talking about why authoritarian and populist politicians are able to gain traction in the first place. There's a brief mention of feeling like the government in place no longer represents a person, but that isn't the whole story and never has been.

I also have a pretty drastic negative opinion of one specific page about how Black people were targeted by disinformation campaigns, but I'm not entirely sure how to put that into this review.

[Matt Kantor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super interesting read on political lying with many examples, but one annoying inaccuracy. The book explores the use of lying as a political strategy in ancient empires (India and Persia) and modern ones (20th century demagogues, plus contemporary Russia and America).

The annoying bit: much is made about Trump’s use of the phrase “drain the swamp,” that he was repeating a refrain coined by WWII fascist Benito Mussolini. It gets a two-page spread with an all-caps reveal (pp. 72-73), meant to read like a “No way!” moment. It is also repeated near the end of the book (p. 179). The problem is that Mussolini did not actually coin this phrase: there are earlier uses than Mussolini’s not by fascists but by Social Democrats (Winfield R. Gaylord in 1903, Victor Berger in 1912) and earlier uses than Trump’s by both Republicans (Reagan in 1976 and 1982) and Democrats (Pelosi in 2006). This is not to dismiss the parallels between Trump’s rhetoric and that of well-known fascists, but no exaggeration is needed. Overreaching only allows his defenders another way to dismiss legitimate criticism.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes a look at the history of Disinformation and how it has shaped our political landscape throughout the years and even today. I do feel like I learned a lot, especially about the psychology behind group mentality and why some of the things that we think shouldn't have worked did. The first half of the book was put together in a way that was not only linear on the timeline, but that showed the progression of disinformation and the way it influenced politics. The second half of the book, however, felt a bit heavy handed, jumbled, and repetitive. I was disappointed that some of the big events in American history that were based on disinformation were not even mentioned - like the Red Scare. I also felt that one of the points of the book - how to find and hold onto the truth - was such a short part of the book and at a point in the book where I was so overwhelmed with today's politics that I barely noticed it.

2.5 stars rounded up based on the learning element.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truth is the antidote to fascism.

This book provides a fascinating look at propaganda and disinformation throughout history; how lies are used to manipulate public opinion, instill fear into the masses, and place dictators in positions of power. Much of it seems ripped from today's headlines.

A fascist leader knows how to tell a good story. He tells the people that he a redeemer with a mystic connection to the nation and its destiny. He promises to restore the nation to its former greatness and vanquish its enemies.

Beware of a would-be leader who declares, "Only I can fix it." It is a phrase that has been uttered by dictators throughout history.

I've already ordered a copy of this for my library's young adult section, and I would offer my thoughts and prayers that the people who NEED to read this ACTUALLY DO . . . but I think we've all seen how well thoughts and prayers work.

Thanks to NetGalley and First Second Books for sharing.

[Gabriel Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC given by NetGalley for Honest Review

A decently well researched graphic novel depiction of how propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation is used by world leaders and the public to further their political and moral agendas.

I was impressed with the work put in to the end of our most recent dealings with this problem, specifically in the USA with our elections and in Russia and Ukraine. I was mildly surprised there was not much on the Bolsheviks and the Romanov family in the earlier section of the book.

A useful tool for those looking to understand the state of fake news media in our current political climate.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent primer for both teens and adults, explaining in graphic novel form the history of political disinformation, why it works, how it works, and how to protect yourself from believing it (and/or spreading it)!

With clear examples and illustrations based on real-world propaganda across the globe, you’ll feel better equipped to recognize and handle the current media and political climate — and equally importantly, you’ll see that disinformation has always existed in some form as part of covert warfare. The internet and 24/7 cable news just made it faster and more insidious. As more and more lower grade and college campuses teach media literacy, this is an excellent place to start.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, the non-fiction graphic novel strikes again! SO much great information included in this book - I really appreciated the historic grounding and background information on the beginnings of propaganda, misinformation and disinformation. This book pulls from several different cultures to include stories and examples of how disinformation campaigns have been used throughout time to hoodwink and confuse, as well as undermine societies, cities, and specifically demographic governments in the 19th and 20th century. If you want to know how we got here, this book does a truly excellent job showcasing that story.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book has a ton of value, but I wish it was a little more stringent on its fact checking.

Disappointed to read “Mussolini coined the phrase drain the swamp” only to quickly fact check and find it existed before him, in reference to actual Italian swamps? And was used as Trump uses it originally in America as early as 1903.

I’d really hoped a book on disinformation would do better. We need solid teaching on this topic.

[Ari Hershberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Firehose of Falsehood is part of the world citizen comics series. What unites us was the first of the series I read. It was written by Dan Rather, and was phenomenal. I read Unrig after and realized the comic series is a must for anyone that cares about community, the city they live in and their country. A Firehose of Falsehood focused on the history of propaganda. The book was fantastic! I’m looking forward to reading why the people.

[Ogi Ogas · Rating 4 out of 5]

My ratings of books on Goodreads are solely a crude ranking of their utility to me, and not an evaluation of literary merit, entertainment value, social importance, humor, insightfulness, scientific accuracy, creative vigor, suspensefulness of plot, depth of characters, vitality of theme, excitement of climax, satisfaction of ending, or any other combination of dimensions of value which we are expected to boil down through some fabulous alchemy into a single digit.

[Beverly Diehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting read/look. Had never read a book about political disinformation in comic book format, but it was very well done.

There are some excellent sections of disinformation in history, all through to the modern day. Best for someone who've not a Ride or Die for the FFOTUS (First Felon Of The United States), but for those who've always seen through the dog-and-pony show, or for those on the cusp of realizing they'd been had.

[Matthias Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book describes the ways fascism uses manipulation of information to seize power throughout history. Everything has references to research reports, which shows it’s serious work.
It is jam packed with facts and at times overwhelming.
I quite enjoyed this read, and would recommend it to people who wish to learn about fascism and misinformation. It is quite depressing though, as it’s highlighting that we are surrounded by fake news and it is hard to separate truth from lies.

[Heather Walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with my kids as part of our "summer of civics." This series is excellent and this book, though it covered a lot of discouraging material, addressed it in ways that were easy to understand. I appreciated that it showed the difference in propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation. It explained how to recognize disinformation and some ways to combat it.

[Evan Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4 - I enjoyed learning from this book. It makes me want to be a more proactive citizen (though I consider myself as one already). Kanefield and Dorian outlined a complex topic in a digestible way. I will continue reading books from this series and gift this to my friends who enjoy politics, history, and advocacy.

[Pinky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Packed full of the history of disinformation from the earliest civilizations to just before the most recent presidential election. This series really gets a person thinking. I was starting to feel sad and hopeless but it all came together at the end with a reminder about what the truth means and how we, as citizens, can help promote truth and democracy in various ways.