Ever wonder how one journalist takes on a dictator and lives to tell the tale? Maria Ressa's How to Stand Up to a Dictator isn't just a memoir—it's a frontline report from someone who's stared down fascism and disinformation head-on. As the co-founder of Rappler, she turned social media into a tool for crowdsourced news, climate action, and voter education in the Philippines. But when Duterte's regime targeted her, labeling her an enemy of the state, Ressa didn't back down. Facing cyberlibel charges, prison threats, and relentless attacks, she kept exposing government lies and the hate networks they spawned.
Ressa pulls back the curtain on how platforms like Facebook have supercharged authoritarianism. She maps the global web of lies—from Duterte's brutal drug wars to the U.S. Capitol riot, Brexit chaos, and cyber ops from Russia and China. It's eye-opening: our clicks and shares unwittingly fuel division, anger, and fear. But she doesn't stop at diagnosis; she shares practical ways she and her team fought back, verifying facts, building alliances, and holding power accountable even under siege.
With an introduction by Amal Clooney, this paperback dives into Ressa's core values—empathy, honesty, faith in humanity—that kept her going. You'll read about the daily grind of journalism in a hostile environment, the thrill of breaking stories via social media, and the gut-wrenching choices between safety and truth. It's inspiring for reporters, activists, or anyone scrolling news feeds wondering if democracy's worth the fight.
Grab this book if you've ever felt powerless against fake news or strongmen. Ressa makes you ask: What would you sacrifice for the truth? In a world of spin, her voice cuts through like a beacon, reminding us democracy thrives when we stand firm. Around 300 pages of raw, urgent reading that sticks with you long after the last page.
