A collection of entertaining and cautionary tales of political missteps in American history, from the birth of the nation through the present day.

In previous books, Holocaust historian Timothy Snyder dissected the events and values that enabled the rise of Hitler and Stalin and the execution of their catastrophic policies. With Twenty Lessons, Snyder draws from the darkest hours of the twentieth century to provide hope for the twenty-first. As he writes, "Americans are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to fascism, Nazism and communism. Our one advantage is that we might learn...

Lewis describes the ways in which he sees that "truth can be manipulated and distorted by governments, corporations, even [lone] individuals. He [posits that] truth is often distorted or diminished by delay: truth in time can save terrible erroneous choices. In part a history of communication in America, a cri de couer for the principles and practice of objective reporting, and a journey into several notably labyrinths of deception, [this book is...