Most Popular Books by Anne Applebaum

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • "How did our democracy go wrong? This extraordinary document ... is Applebaum''s answer." —Timothy Snyder, author of On Tyranny The Pulitzer Prize–winning historian explains, with electrifying clarity, why elites in democracies around the world are turning toward nationalism and authoritarianism. From the United States and Britain to continental Europe and beyond, liberal democracy is under siege, while authoritarianism is on the rise. In Twilight of Democracy, Anne Applebaum, an award-winning historian of Soviet atrocities who was one of the first American journalists to raise an alarm about antidemocratic trends in the West, explains the lure of nationalism and autocracy. In this captivating essay, she contends that political systems with radically simple beliefs are inherently appealing, especially when they benefit the loyal to the exclusion of everyone else. Elegantly written and urgently argued, Twilight of Democracy is a brilliant dissection of a world-shaking shift and a stirring glimpse of the road back to democratic values.

From the Pulitzer-prize winning, New York Times bestselling author, an alarming account of how autocracies work together to undermine the democratic world, and how we should organize to defeat them We think we know what an autocratic state looks like: There is an all-powerful leader at the top. He controls the police. The police threaten the people with violence. There are evil collaborators, and maybe some brave dissidents. But in the 21st century, that bears little resemblance to reality. Nowadays, autocracies are underpinned not by one dictator, but by sophisticated networks composed of kleptocratic financial structures, surveillance technologies, and professional propagandists, all of which operate across multiple regimes, from China to Russia to Iran. Corrupt companies in one country do business with corrupt companies in another. The police in one country can arm and train the police in another, and propagandists share resources and themes, pounding home the same messages about the weakness of democracy and the evil of America. International condemnation and economic sanctions cannot move the autocrats. Even popular opposition movements, from Venezuela to Hong Kong to Moscow, don''t stand a chance. The members of Autocracy, Inc, aren''t linked by a unifying ideology, like communism, but rather a common desire for power, wealth, and impunity. In this urgent treatise, which evokes George Kennan''s essay calling for "containment" of the Soviet Union, Anne Applebaum calls for the democracies to fundamentally reorient their policies to fight a new kind of threat.

In the long-awaited National Book Award—shortlisted follow-up to her Pulitzer Prize—winning Gulag, acclaimed journalist Anne Applebaum delivers a groundbreaking history of how Communism took over Central Europe after WWII and transformed in frightening fashion the individuals who came under its sway. At the end of WWII, the Soviet Union, to its surprise and delight, found itself in control of a huge swath of territory in Central Europe. It set out to convert a dozen radically different countries to a completely new political and moral system: Communism. Iron Curtain describes how the Communist regimes of Eastern Europe were created, and what daily life was like once they were completed. Applebaum draws on newly opened European archives and personal accounts translated for the first time to portray in devastating detail millions of individuals trying to adjust to a way of life that challenged their every belief, rendered worthless their every qualification, and took away everything they had accumulated. Today the Soviet Bloc is a lost civilization, one whose cruelty, paranoia, bizarre morality and strange aethestics Applebaum captures in the electrifying pages of this book.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A revelatory history of one of Stalin''s greatest crimes, the consequences of which still resonate today, as Russia has placed Ukrainian independence in its sights once more—from the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Gulag and the National Book Award finalist Iron Curtain. "With searing clarity, Red Famine demonstrates the horrific consequences of a campaign to eradicate ''backwardness'' when undertaken by a regime in a state of war with its own people." —The Economist In 1929 Stalin launched his policy of agricultural collectivization—in effect a second Russian revolution—which forced millions of peasants off their land and onto collective farms. The result was a catastrophic famine, the most lethal in European history. At least five million people died between 1931 and 1933 in the USSR. But instead of sending relief the Soviet state made use of the catastrophe to rid itself of a political problem. In Red Famine, Anne Applebaum argues that more than three million of those dead were Ukrainians who perished not because they were accidental victims of a bad policy but because the state deliberately set out to kill them. Devastating and definitive, Red Famine captures the horror of ordinary people struggling to survive extraordinary evil. Applebaum’s compulsively readable narrative recalls one of the worst crimes of the twentieth century, and shows how it may foreshadow a new threat to the political order in the twenty-first.

Chronicles the history of the Soviet concentration camp system from its start after the Russian Revolution to its collapse, discussing its creation and the way of life for those who lived there.

In 1991, Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gulag, Iron Curtain and Red Famine, took a three-month road trip through the borderlands between the fallen Soviet Union and Europe—lands that became Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Moldova. In her iconic reportage, which has become indispensable history, she captures the harrowing story of a region that is once again threatened by Russia. An extraordinary journey into the past and present of the lands east of Poland and west of Russia—an area defined throughout its history by colliding empires. Traveling from the former Soviet naval center of Kaliningrad on the Baltic to the Black Sea port of Odessa, Anne Applebaum encounters a rich range of competing cultures, religions, and national aspirations. In reasserting their heritage, the inhabitants of the borderlands attempt to build a future grounded in their fractured ancestral legacies. In the process, neighbors unearth old conflicts, devote themselves to recovering lost culture, and piece together competing legends to create a new tradition. Rich in surprising encounters and vivid characters, Between East and West brilliantly illuminates the soul of the borderlands and the shaping power of the past.

Hannah Arendt’s definitive work on totalitarianism—an essential component of any study of twentieth-century political history—now with a new introduction by Anne Applebaum. A cornerstone of modern political philosophy, The Origins of Totalitarianism has become essential reading as we grapple with the rise of autocrats and tyrannical thought across the globe. The book begins with the rise of anti-Semitism in central and western Europe in the 1800s and continues with an examination of European colonial imperialism from 1884 to the outbreak of World War I. Hannah Arendt then explores the institutions and operations of totalitarian movements, focusing on the two genuine forms of totalitarian government in our time, Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia, which she adroitly recognizes were two sides of the same coin, rather than opposing philosophies of Right and Left. From this vantage point, this work of European history discusses the evolution of classes into masses, the role of propaganda in dealing with the nontotalitarian world, the use of terror, and the nature of isolation and loneliness as preconditions for total domination. This edition includes an introduction by Anne Applebaum—a leading voice on authoritarianism and Russian history—who fears that “once again, we are living in a world that Arendt would recognize.” Ideology and Terror: Explore Arendt’s groundbreaking analysis of how totalitarian movements use propaganda and terror not merely as tools of power, but as instruments to reshape reality itself. The End of the Rights of Man: Understand the frightening process by which the nation-state’s decay leads to the creation of stateless peoples and the collapse of the legal protections that guarantee human dignity. From Classes to Masses: Examine the historical shift from a class-based society to an atomized mass, and how isolation and loneliness become the terrifying preconditions for total domination. A Seminal Work of Political Philosophy: Delve into the definitive text on the nature of totalitarianism, a masterwork of twentieth-century political history that remains essential for understanding the modern world.

How should the West deal with Putin’s Russia? For the U.S. and some European powers the answer is obvious: isolate Russia with punishing economic sanctions, remove it from global institutions such as the G8, and arm the nations directly threatened by Putin. In short, return to the Cold War doctrine that froze Soviet aggression in Europe and helped bring about the collapse of communist Russia. Others argue that such a policy is a dead end. Putin’s Russia has legitimate grievances against Western and NATO powers meddling in its sphere of influence. Instead of further antagonizing Putin and risking a dangerous escalation of the current conflict, the U.S. and Europe should seek common cause with Russia to address shared threats, from the Middle East to Asia to combatting terrorism. In the fifteenth semi-annual Munk Debate, acclaimed academic Stephen F. Cohen and veteran journalist and bestselling author Vladimir Poznar square off against internationally renowned expert on Russian history Anne Applebaum and Russian-born political dissident Garry Kasparov to debate the future of the West’s relationship with Russia.

In making her new home in Poland in 1989, Applebaum had to cook with ingredients that were local, fresh, and available. She learned how to make food that was, if not exactly traditional, in the Polish spirit. The national rebirth of Poland in the last two decades has meant the rebirth of its cuisine, and the authors have modernized many of its dishes, without losing any of the centuries-old flavors. Collects ninety Polish recipes, including roasted winter vegetables, stewed beef rolls with kasha, pork loin stuffed with prunes, and fruit pierogi.

Een kraakheldere wake-upcall: we moeten nu weerstand bieden aan wereldwijd samenwerkende autocratieën. Wie denkt dat dictators alleen op hun eigen land gericht zijn, heeft het mis. Autocratieën als Rusland en China wisselen onderling kennis en middelen uit. Corrupte bedrijven in het ene land doen zaken met corrupte bedrijven in het andere land en het ene nationale politiekorps traint en bewapent het andere. Bovendien verkondigen de autocratische regimes dezelfde boodschap over de gevaren van de westerse democratie. Deze groep landen functioneert als een concern van verschillende bedrijven: Autocratie bv. De autocratieën hangen verschillende ideologieën aan maar de leiders delen een onstilbare honger naar macht en welvaart die in veel gevallen voor het welzijn van de eigen bevolking gaat. Applebaum werpt licht op de prangendste geopolitieke kwestie van deze tijd en wijst ons op wat democratische landen te doen staat om dit wereldwijde netwerk van dictators een halt toe te roepen. ''Dictators aller landen zijn verenigd in hun nietsontziende streven naar rijkdom, laat Anne Applebaum zien in Autocratie bv.'' , ''Applebaum laat je dergelijke nieuwsberichten zien als deel van een groter verhaal.'' - Trouw ''De kracht van haar betoog, want dat is het, zit vooral in de vele voorbeelden waarmee ze laat zien hoe verregaand de samenwerking is tussen autocratische regimes.'' - NRC

On associe traditionnellement le terme de « camp de concentration » à l''Allemagne nazie ; la mémoire historique en Occident semble avoir oublié que des camps semblables, les « kontslager », apparurent en Russie dès 1918, lorsque au lendemain de la Révolution, Lénine et Trotski organisèrent la répression contre les « ennemis du peuple ». Dès lors, le phénomène du Goulag ne cessa de s''amplifier pour devenir, dès avant Staline, la première administration de l''Union soviétique, et ne disparut qu''à la chute du régime en 1989. Il fit près de 20 millions de victimes. Si Soljenitsyne, avec L''Archipel du goulag, en a donné un inoubliable témoignage littéraire, aucun historien jusqu''à présent n''avait entrepris de faire la synthèse historique de l''univers concentrationnaire propre au régime soviétique. C''est ce qu''a fait Anne Applebaum, en puisant dans une masse prodigieuse et jusqu''ici largement inexplorée d''archives, de témoignages, de mémoires et d''interviews de survivants. Goulag retrace l''origine des camps, leur essor sur tout le territoire soviétique, des Solovki à la Kolyma, puis leur déclin progressif. À cette analyse historique, géographique et économique du système s''ajoute, pour la première fois, une étude sociologique minutieuse de la vie quotidienne des millions de « zeks » emprisonnés : l''absurdité des arrestations, la cadence infernale des travaux, la terreur, les violences inouïes et la mort, omniprésentes, les effroyables conditions d''hygiène et de subsistance, mais aussi les stratégies de survie, les tentatives d''évasion, et l''espoir et la solidarité qui, en dépit de tout, subsistent... Cet ouvrage est une étude historique à la fois passionnante et d''une importance capitale, un recueil bouleversant de témoignages essentiels à la compréhension d''un phénomène trop longtemps ignoré.

L’historienne américaine Anne Applebaum n’est pas la seule à faire le constat alarmant que nos démocraties sont en danger. Mais son expérience - les années qu’elle a passées en Pologne après avoir travaillé à Londres - donne à son regard une acuité que peu d’observateurs possèdent. Son livre nous propose un voyage en Pologne, en Hongrie, au Royaume-Uni puis aux Etats-Unis qui nous conduit de l’intérieur de la droite modérée vers cette nouvelle droite flirtant avec l’illibéralisme et la tentation autoritaire. Son analyse est précise et s’appuie sur une connaissance approfondie des politiques mises en place par Droit et Justice en Pologne ou par le gouvernement Orban en Hongrie, en décrivant notamment les purges dans les administrations, institutions culturelles et médias. Applebaum examine ensuite les raisons qui ont poussé des hommes comme Boris Johnson à soutenir l’idée du Brexit et comment le mensonge assumé est devenu une arme politique d’une efficacité redoutable. L’hypocrisie, le cynisme, la soif de pouvoir d’une droite prête à tout prend des formes légèrement différentes dans ces pays, mais la tentation de gouverner de manière autoritaire est la même partout, et le trumpisme en fut l’illustration la plus spectaculaire pour Anne Applebaum. Son livre est un cri d’alarme à la fois rigoureusement argumenté et infiniment personnel. Traduit de l''anglais (États-Unis) par Aude de Saint-Loup et Pierre-Emmanuel Dauzat

Das neue Buch der Pulitzer-Preisträgerin Die Erschütterung der liberalen Demokratie überall auf der Welt wird gern mit der Schwäche der westlichen Werteordnung erklärt. Die Pulitzer-Preisträgerin Anne Applebaum geht dem Phänomen auf andere Weise auf den Grund. Sie fragt: Was macht für viele Menschen die Rückkehr zu autoritären, anti-demokratischen Herrschaftsformen so erstrebenswert? Was genau treibt all die Wähler, Unterstützer und Steigbügelhalter der Anti-Demokraten an? An vielen Beispielen – von Boris Johnson über die spanischen Nationalisten bis zur Corona-Diktatur in Ungarn – und aus persönlicher Erfahrung zeigt sie, welche Bedeutung dabei soziale Medien, Verschwörungstheorien und Nostalgie haben, welche materiellen Interessen ins Spiel kommen und wie nicht zuletzt Elitenbashing und Aufstiegsverheißungen die Energien der vermeintlich Unterprivilegierten befeuern. Ein brillanter Streifzug durch ein Europa, das sich auf erschreckende Weise nach harter Hand und starkem Staat (zurück)sehnt.

Provocativo e relevante, o novo livro da renomada jornalista e historiadora Anne Applebaum, Autocracia S.A., é uma análise urgente sobre a ascensão e consolidação das autocracias no século XXI. Um mundo no qual as autocracias trabalham juntas para permanecer no poder, promover seus sistemas e prejudicar as democracias não é uma utopia distante. É o mundo em que vivemos agora. Contrariando o modelo tradicional de regime opressor fortalecido na figura de um líder, as autocracias atuais são sustentadas por redes intrincadas de corrupção, tecnologias de vigilância e estratégias de propaganda. Colaborando uns com os outros, governantes autoritários, como os da Venezuela, da Rússia e do Irã, têm usado a cleptocracia e a violência, sem preocupação com as críticas, na busca incessante por enriquecimento pessoal. Observando estratégias em comum, nota-se que estes governos possuem narrativas semelhantes: buscam serem reeleitos; deslegitimam a oposição; exaltam o nacionalismo e pautas conservadoras; usam softwares de espionagem em prol do controle e da violação da privacidade da população; enfraquecem pautas de gênero e a favor dos direitos humanos; entre outras. Por meio de análises detalhadas, Applebaum mostra como a internet, em vez de ser uma ferramenta de liberdade e transparência, tem sido a principal arma no fortalecimento de ideias iliberais. Atenta ao desafio atual, a autora convida os leitores a refletir sobre o impacto das autocracias na democracia e na ordem internacional, e a considerar o papel que cada um pode desempenhar na luta contra a tirania e na promoção de valores mais justos. " Autocracia S.A. é um livro valioso por muitos motivos, mas o foco no acúmulo de fortunas ilícitas e nas democracias que o permitem é especialmente oportuno. Assim como a recomendação de Applebaum de que comportamentos autocráticos sejam combatidos quando acontecem." - The Washington Post