The Courage to Be Free

by Ron DeSantis

No American leader has accomplished more for his state than Governor Ron DeSantis. Now he reveals how he did it. He played baseball for Yale, graduated with honours from Harvard Law School and served in Iraq and in the halls of Congress. But in all these places, Ron DeSantis learned the same lesson: he didn't want to be part of the leftist elite. His heart was always for the people of Florida, one of the most diverse and culturally rich states in the union. Since becoming governor of the Sunshine State, he has fought - and won - battle after battle, defeating not just opposition from the political left, but a barrage of hostile media coverage proclaiming the end of the world. In 2022, the governor delivered a historic, record-setting victory, winning by nearly 20 points and more than 1.5 million votes. A first-hand account from the blue-collar boy who grew up to take on Disney and Dr Fauci, The Courage to Be Free is a rallying cry for everyone who wishes to preserve their liberties

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook, Memoir, Leadership, American History

320 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2023

About the author

Ron DeSantis is currently serving as the 46th governor of Florida.

Reviews

[Taylor.Korrin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful. Seems like he works just as hard at this as he does at being my governor, so not hard at all. The way he distorts facts and reality in this book is just more propaganda, it’s all part of his bid for the presidency. He clearly wants power and acclaim, he doesn’t care about running the state government or helping anyone but himself.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was a painful slog, but I finally made my way through the entirety of Ron DeSantis’s campaign autobiography “The Courage to Be Free”.

I should preface this review with a full disclosure of certain facts: 1) I will not be voting for DeSantis for president in 2024, assuming he wins the Republican nomination; 2) I am a dyed in the wool liberal, and I’m quite proud of it; 3) My family and I are ridiculously die-hard Disney fans (we’re going to Disney World in mid-July for two weeks); 4) I come from a family of teachers, and I’m married to an elementary school teacher, so I’m not a fan of politicians who make policies that make a teacher’s job more difficult, especially when said politician has never taught a day in their life; 5) I am a fan of facts, especially those that are well-sourced, or sourced at all.

Let me also start by saying that I don’t hate DeSantis with the vehemence of some of my fellow liberals. I am not the kind of liberal who writes off a Republican simply because they are Republican. I don’t think he’s “evil”. I think it’s that kind of rhetoric that has created the violent divisiveness between the parties in this country and made it all the more difficult to actually do anything productive within local, state, and federal governments.

I will say that much of DeSantis’s memoir is a red flag to me. The most glaring red flag is that DeSantis’s memoir does not have a sources section at all. Zero. For a book in which the author throws out a lot of “facts”, there should be some foot- or endnotes. Especially when he frequently accuses Democrats and the liberal media of not sourcing their own “facts”. This strikes me as being hypocritical, to say the least.

This review will end up being a list of more red flags, but I should say a few things that I respect about the current Florida governor.

He is far more intelligent than other members of his party. Granted, the former president set the bar pretty low for members of the GOP, but DeSantis actually went to Harvard and Yale. I’m old-school enough to still be impressed about stuff like that. Despite DeSantis’s weirdly hypocritical (there’s that word again) stance against “liberal elites” and his constant anti-intellectual criticism of “experts”, I can’t help but determine that the guy actually has some intellectual chops. Of course, it doesn’t help to explain his support for Trump, but like most if not all Republicans during the last six years, this can be explained by an inexplicable fear of angry tweets and accusations of being a “RINO”.

I also respect the guy for getting to where he is on actual hard work and not resting on his laurels or having a rich daddy to pay his way through life. He seems to have attained his position by doing things the right way and winning fair and square.

All that said, DeSantis seems to spout the same old Republican Party talking points, much of which is gibberish and/or completely false. (Again, this is where sourcing might have actually helped.)

Take, for example, his chapter on Critical Race Theory (CRT), virtually all of which he writes is a completely incorrect representation of what CRT actually is and isn’t. It’s not surprising that DeSantis is waging a partisan war against an academic theory that very few people outside of college history circles actually fully understand or even utilize. (CRT, by the way, is not “taught” in any K-12 classrooms anywhere in the country. The few “examples” that DeSantis includes are examples of overzealous curriculums confusing history with historiography.)

It’s not surprising because most Americans—-Republicans and Democrats—-couldn’t adequately define CRT even after months-long research. A quick Google search is far from adequate, but DeSantis seems to have simply typed in “What is CRT?” In the Google search bar and scanned the Wikipedia page. His muddled “definition” is a complete and utter misunderstanding of what CRT actually is.

DeSantis has also made a name for himself (in a bad way) by signing into law his Parental Rights in Education bill, dubbed (rightly or wrongly) the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Regardless of what it intended, the law ties the hands of teachers, administrators and school districts in regards to dealing with and helping young children who are questioning their sexual identities. Here are some eye-opening statistics about the subject: (https://www.thetrevorproject.org/reso...)

Then, of course, there is DeSantis’s ridiculous ongoing battle with Disney, which is based solely on the afore-mentioned bill. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, DeSantis’s stance against Disney can only be looked at as extremely petty.

Here’s a guy who, as a Republican, claims to be a fan of the free market, but hypocritically (again, that word!) rails against a corporation who is taking a political stand against a position that it feels is wrong and detrimental to the well-being—-and the ECONOMY—-of the people in the state of Florida. DeSantis’s whole tirade against the Diversity/Equity/Inclusion (DEI) policies being adopted by corporations across the country is going to bite him—-and Republicans in general—-in the ass. The free market is founded on the main principle of making a profit, and the best way to make a profit these days is to not offend consumers away from a consumer product. Pissing off black, gay, female, Latinx, Asian, Jewish, Muslim, etc. consumers isn’t “woke”, it’s bad business.

By the way, nobody running for president should use the terms “woke” and “cancel culture”. DeSantis uses the terms ad nauseam.

If you plan on voting in the next election (and I highly encourage you to do so), I recommend voters read as many books by and about the candidates as possible. I’m a firm believer in knowing exactly what the candidate you are voting for (or not voting for, for that matter) believes and/or supports.

[Ana Armstrong · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could leave 1/2 or no stars. I’m not even sure where to begin with this. If I wasn’t sure this was released as a non-fiction book, I’d almost think it’s a parody. It’s as if a series of talking points were just strung together using the most cliche descriptives they could think of. It’s so poorly done….I am truly awestruck by how awful it is.

EDIT: To address these troll commenters - yes, obviously I didn’t read the book. How could I possibly read a book the same day it was released. That’s crazy, right? Except when you realize that Goodreads has counted me reading over 1400 books since I joined in 2019. And not all of the books I read do I review and not all of the places I download or purchase books from are connected to my Goodreads account. I realize it’s very difficult for persons who want to ban tons of books to process this concept but some people really like reading and will read everything they can get their hands on, even when it’s content might be contrary to personal beliefs. This book was simply awful and very, very difficult to get through.

[Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in a single evening and didn't want to put it down. The book looks at the author's experiences as what many label a contrarian governor just prior to and during the pandemic. His take no prisoners and never give an inch perspective was part of his writing style for the book. He recounts decisions to buck the lockdown and shutdown trends that impacted much of the rest of the nation during the pandemic. He also recounts legislatively going nose to nose with Disney.

This isn't all policy wonk stuff. He describes his first encounter with the TV anchorwoman who became his wife. There's a respectfully brief but tender section here that describes her battle with breast cancer. Interestingly enough, it was a desire to be more involved in the lives of his wife and children that gave him the impetus to leave Congress and return to the state.

There are no long appendixes and indices here that drone on forever. The author doesn't waggle a finger under anyone's nose and proffer unwanted advice. He simply tells his story succinctly without lengthy obfuscations. His battles with the press made for entertaining reading regardless of your perspective on the governor or his policies.

[Alexandra Bohn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I haven't read this book but since he probably hasn't read most of the books he's banned, by that standard, I'm qualified to review this book. This book looks like trash so I will be requesting it to be banned from my local library. Censorship is a two-way street, Ron.

[Jessica Jernigan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just referred to this book, in conversation, as a “steaming turd,” but the adjective “steaming” may suggest a level of liveliness that is decidedly missing from this slight yet ponderous campaign bio. There are absolutely no surpises here for anyone who’s been paying attention to Florida politics since DeSantis took office, and that’s because he presents himself as a sort of wonky super-American rather than an actual human person. He is probably at his most vulnerable and real when he talks about his wife’s breast cancer, but even that ordeal he turns into a quick-and-easy parable about tenacity and meeting each day as a gift. Even if you’re a DeSantis stan—I am not—you might be disappointed by the lack of any analysis of how a President DeSantis might reproduce his Florida miracle at a national level.

[Bevv Beirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Florida Strong

Well written, no nonsense
Florida will miss him as governor . But as president, he will be best for our country.

[HollyLovesBooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

What an awful book. Basically a kickstarter for his upcoming campaign. Hey, Ron, Harvard called and they want your degree back.

[Percival Constantine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I never thought the concept of terrible American remakes would come for Mein Kampf but here we are.

[Brice Karickhoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time to start reading all the books by primary candidates, except four years ago, that meant reading a bunch of books by Democrats. It’ll be different this time around.

Lots of thoughts on this one (and on DeSantis in general). Given his culture-warrior, abrasive, kinda populist persona, there is sort of a ceiling on how highly I could think of DeSantis, but I will say that this book brought me closer to that ceiling. I was telling Talia that I already knew all the things I don’t like about him, but this book highlighted the things I do like about him (which was obviously the goal, as he is the author).

Two interesting lines of though emerged as I read this book:

First, I realized that a lot of my emotions related to politics are rooted in a contempt for the abuse of unearned, usually self-appointed, positions of power. I find myself riled up toward the left and right fairly often, and I’ve never really gotten to the core of why that is, but as I read about some of DeSantis’s experiences, I began to put language to the kind of self-important overreach that might just be what irks me most about certain entities on both sides of the aisle.

Second, DeSantis really explores the concept of individual states being laboratories of democracy. In other words, we can test policies at a state level to get an idea of how they might work out at a federal level. This got my wheels turning a lot, especially given my Jeffersonian sympathies. I do not agree with DeSantis full stop (or even “most-stop” if that is a word), but I think that any opponent of DeSantis has to reckon with his track record: top notch educational and economic outcomes, pretty low per capita covid deaths despite an elderly population, highest net immigration of any state in the last 4 years, and in his re-election bid, he won the vast majority of female votes, Hispanic votes, low-income votes, and carried the state by the largest gap in the last 40 years of gubernatorial elections. And before you write him off as a total ideologue, he also has fought the Florida GOP to conserve the Everglades and to overturn their gerrymandered congressional mapping (which would have actually strongly favored the advancement of his agenda). Again, I know what I dislike about DeSantis (and there is plenty), but reading this book reminded me that he has done some things quite well.

His argument is that Florida could serve as a blueprint for America. He’s obvious as biased and one-sided as can be, but having just finished his book, I’m at least convinced that he may have a point there.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far the best book released this year. 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[Ben Stein · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fascist.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the expectation of Ron DeSantis running for president in 2024, he lays out his plan for America by referencing his gubernatorial successes over the last 4 years. He talks about all key issues that plague our nation and how his Florida successes can be implemented in each state. A solid read if you want to get to know Ron DeSantis better!

[Trevor Hawthorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a lot more respect for Ron DeSantis after reading this book. He stood up for what he believes in him and always looked out for the people around them. If you want to learn more about them I highly recommend this book great read.

[Jillian Krueger · Rating 1 out of 5]

Who wants to make America Florida?!?! That's not draining the swamp, that's just spreading the swamp like putting moldy cream cheese on your bagel.

[Florida Woman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never write reviews and spend so little time online but I had to create an account to review this book. I spent the week reading it because I'm very excited about the future of my state under DeSantis' strong and smart leadership and it is sick and disgusting that there are so many hateful people who can't step out of their delusional world of lies for two minutes to admit that sometimes, it's okay to do the right thing and not be an evil, cruel, violent monster.

[A S · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried to reach the second chapter, but I had to add this one to the DNF pile. Wish he were brave enough to label this exactly what it is: propaganda riddled with dog whistles and a whole lot of whining.

[Jeffrey Plourde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging

Outstanding book on a fascinating life. The book is entertaining and interesting with an insider view on some of the most interesting issues in the last 5 years.

[Drtaxsacto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yesterday I had the pleasure of being invited to a reception at the Irish Embassy in Mexico City to celebrate St. Patrick’s. One of the people I met was an Irishman who worked for an Irish software company who is based on Washington DC. We had a good conversation about a range of topics. I mentioned that I was reading Ron DeSantis’ book the ˆThe Courage to Be Free” - which is well worth your time.

My acquaintance made a series of what I thought were absurd comments about the Florida Governor. For example, he referred to a bill passed by the Florida Legislature which prevents schools from introducing topics related to sexuality for children in grades below three, He referred to it by the epithet that the left wing media called the “don’t say gay, bill”. I told him that if he read the bill he would find out that the mainstream media had tried to distort the intent of the bill which was to establish a policy which returned control of discussion of topics in this area back to families. That is exactly the point.

DeSantis has engaged in a series of confrontations with the public health bureaucracy, the public employee unions, the “woke” and the media with some great effect. For example, when the rest of the nation was locking down under the confused notions of Anthony Fauci - DeSantis kept large parts of the state open for business. Yet in a state whose average age is six years older than California - their excess morbidity numbers were about the same as the overly oppressive regime in California - where Governor Newsome laid down draconian rules and collapsed much of the economy (yet thought he was immune from his own rules).

DeSantis makes a strong case for his confrontations with the Disney Corporation and a host of other icons of the left. His positions seem to be based on principles not politics - he claims not to watch the polls.

This is probably a prelim for a run against Donald Trump. So if for nothing else it will give you an idea about how this guy is wired. A good question to ask is whether a guy with an aggressive nature and a good set of principles can beat the discredited former President.

I worked around politicians for almost four decades and this guy looks like the real thing for real conservatives. HIs road is not easy - the legacy media has tried everything to discredit him, woke corporations like Disney have tried to defame him - but for my money he is taking the right shots.

[Elijah Lais · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was even funnier and more pathetic than I could have hoped!

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s easy to write about how great you are in hindsight after a pandemic and saying health officials have zero evidence on how to handle a pandemic. You are right, there is no evidence for them because the last one happened over 100 years ago and health care was barely in use. Ron DeSantis has zero knowledge on science or evidence based practice. But he sure has plenty of knowledge to make himself sound knowledgeable. It’s easy to point the finger at others rather than look within. That is the whole book. His whole story was how he started from the bottom and worked his way up to being the GOAT and staying true to his views. He had zero mention of supporting Trump, Jan 6th, his feud with Trump or any wrongdoings of republicans. But why would he? His whole book is about him being the greatest thing to happen in Florida. No negativity from Ron DeSanctimoniuos. I love the feud between him and Trump, please keep it coming!

[Carol Scheherazade · Rating 1 out of 5]

This man is both deluded and hysterical. He talks out both sides of his mouth. God help Florida and the US if he keeps this up. Yikes.
Oh plus he cannot write.

[Connor O'Leary · Rating 2 out of 5]

This guy's nuts. Next time the words "woke dumpster fire" crop up on the first page, I think I'll stop reading 😂 2 stars for comedic value 🤡

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I am a conservative and have been a fan of Governor DeSantis since 2020, so this review is not unbiased. However, I think all conservatives (and moderates) would find value in what DeSantis has to say regarding the state of our government and the path back to the freedom upon which our country was founded.

He did an exceptional job articulating the problems our country faces and how his policies in Florida have been incredibly successful. He brings valid criticisms against both Democrats and establishment Republicans. He communicates as a TRUE Constitutional conservative—and his actions as a congressman and governor back up his words.

This is definitely more of a political piece, but he does include a few personal stories about his childhood and family life, which I enjoyed.

[Alex Dimaio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical re-election book release. Solid story. Sets the media lie’s straight. Nothing earth shattering

[Alden · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worthless trash written by a porcine MAGAt. If you run out of toilet paper, use these pages. Thoughts n prayers to all the GOP haters, feel free to take my bait and comment below. 😘

[Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I had bought this book as a paperback instead of digitally, I would have thrown it across the room in anger. Take away all the accomplishments listed in this book, and you’ve got nothing more than your run of the mill politician who appeals to his base. Virtually no character depth, barely any backstory. The way he repeatedly described Florida’s war on “woke capitalism” is hilariously cringeworthy— for someone who hates woke, he sure seems to use the term a lot more than most liberals I know. I’ve read books from politicians on both sides of the political spectrum, including Still Standing by Larry Hogan. I gotta say, I’m quite disappointed. This book, especially compared to Still Standing, is probably one of the most politically overzealous books I’ve read in my life, not only smashing a nonexistent straw man, but also ragefully beating it to a pulp. I’ve given the book two stars only because I moved to Florida in an escape from the northeast US while DeSantis was governor, and because I genuinely agree with some of his policies and wouldn’t dream of moving back to the northeast. Still though, the accomplishments listed in this book can’t be reproduced by future governors if DeSantis doesn’t really know why his accomplishments worked. Indeed, his reasoning is extremely flawed if not foolish.

[Stuart]

Short book. The first part offers a perfunctory look at DeSantis’ pre-governor years without emotion except for lots of bragging. The second half is full scale chest beating about how great a governor he’s been. The book is robotic in style and reveals a man who thinks he’s perfect (except for his golf game), is never wrong, never once came to a compromise with someone with a different opinion, is certain he knows better than anyone else about everything, views anyone who disagrees with him as evil and an enemy, is quick to be angry, and is motivated by cruelty. The Courage To Be Free is an inadvertent look at the sociopathy of megalomania. The book’s title is ironic. The only one who has freedom in The Courage To Be Free is Ron DeSantis.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved a majority of the book. Major D handled 2020 like a boss, and was an inspiration around the globe.

Appreciate that the book was put out there for people that may not be as familiar to DeSantis before/if he decides to run for President.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is government? What are the federal and state governments supposed to do? Are there any limits to what they are to do? These questions aren't asked directly in DeSantis' book, but he definitely has a perspective on these questions that comes out loud and clear.

DeSantis clearly understands the foundational principle of freedom, starting with personal freedom. This means that whenever possible, the government should step away and allow people to make their own choices. With today's culture of expecting the government to address every problem, it takes a significant amount of energy to keep the government at bay, but DeSantis has had good success with this in Florida.

Often times, undoing the overreach of a government program will make people very upset, especially those who have either gained financially from the government program or those who want to keep the power and control that the program gave them. In either case, it takes a principled person to release that power back to the people rather than simply shifting that power to one's own ideology.

Of course, the government can't do nothing, for there are some functions that the government must perform, such as the general safety and welfare of the citizens. So, when it comes to protecting children, the government must establish boundaries of what is permissible with regards to children for their safety.

But this is where the controversy arises. There exists a delicate balance between fulfilling the proper role of government while still giving power and freedom to her citizens. Has DeSantis walked this line perfectly as governor? Assuredly not, as this would be impossible for anyone. But DeSantis articulates in his book the principles that he holds which guide these decisions, and he gives multiple examples from his own life as to how he followed these principles in his decision-making. And because of his foundation of principles, not power, he achieves this balance better than most politicians in American government today.

DeSantis' book perfectly summarizes his vision for what the government's role is in the life of citizens, what the relationship is between the federal and state governments and what our role is in taking responsibility for ourselves and our freedom. His vision is on a solid foundation, and this is why he has seen such success.