Bodhipaksa reviewed On Freedom by Timothy Snyder
Flawed, but worthwhile
4 stars
I'd hoped for something short and sweet, like "On Tyranny." But this is a long-ass book. It took 26 hours to get (according to my Kobo) 52% of the way into the book. Fortunately that is the end. A full 48% of the book it endnotes.
Sometimes this is heavy going, and grasping what Snyder is saying is like trying to grab handfuls of jello. Other times the style is more straightforward. I don't think the publisher had enough time to edit this.
There is some excellent material here. When Synder is clear, he's clear. Often his writing is eye-opening. So if you find it tough, keep going, or maybe skip parts of it. It's rewarding in the end.