Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past

(Paperback)

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Instant New York Times Bestseller

A searing, vital investigation of the Republican Partys dangerous campaign to rewrite recent history in real time, from the Emmy Award-winningRachel Maddow Showproducer and bestselling author ofThe Impostors.

There is nobody who is writing in an episodic way who has more influence on the way I think about politics than Steve Benen.Rachel Maddow

For as long as historical records have existed, authoritarian regimes have tried to rewrite history to suit their purposes, using their dictatorial powers to create myths, spread propaganda, justify decisions, erase opponents, and even dispose of crimes.

As the Republican Party becomes increasingly radicalized, the GOP is putting their own twist on a similarly despotic script. Indeed, the party is taking dangerous, aggressive steps to rewrite historyand not just from generations past.

Unable to put a positive spin on Trump-era scandals and fiascos, GOP voices and their allies have grown determined to rewrite the stories of the last few yearsfrom the 2020 election results and the horror of January 6^thto their own legislative recordtreating the recent past as an enemy to be overpowered, crushed, and conquered. The consequences for our future, in turn, are dramatic.

Extraordinarily timely and undeniably important, Steve Benens new book tells the staggering chronicle of the Republican partys unsettling attempts at historical revisionism. It reveals not only how dependent they have grown on the tactic, but also how dangerous the consequences are if we allow the party to continue. The stakes, Benen argues, couldnt be higher: the future of democracy hinges on both our accurate understanding of events and the end of alternative narratives that challenge reality.

Reviews

There is nobody who is writing in an episodic, daily way, in any medium, anywhere in the world, who has more influence on the way I think about politics than Steve Benen. Rachel Maddow A fierce takedown of right-wing mendacity committed in the service of a bigger lie. Kirkus Reviews Illuminating well sourced and covers a lot of ground. This cogent survey of the Trumpist lie factory is worth checking out for more than just fans ofMaddow. Publishers Weekly

Author Bio

Steve Benen is a producer on The Rachel Maddow Show and the author of The MaddowBlog. Benens articles and op-eds have appeared in theNew York Times,Washington Monthly,The American Prospect, Salon.com, and other publications. For his work on TRMS, he has received two Emmy Awards, and has been nominated for four more. He is the author of The Impostors: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics, a national bestseller. He lives in Vermont.