Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright knows a thing or two about what it means to be free—and what it feels like when freedom gets taken away. So who better than Secretary Albright to alert us to the perils of demagogues who assault trusted democratic institutions and show contempt for the rule of law? And who better to alert us to the risks of being complacent in response? Secretary Albright was a child when her family was twice driven from their home in Czechoslovakia, first by the Nazis, then after World War II by an aggressive Communist regime. In 1948, her family came to the United States, where she finished her schooling, raised three daughters, entered public service, and became one of the leading voices shaping U.S. foreign policy. In her sixth and latest book, Fascism—A Warning (Harper, $27.99), she draws on her personal and diplomatic experiences, and examples of despots from the last century—and now—to explain why in the Trump era we shouldn’t be lulled into a false confidence that the United States is immune to a disturbing worldwide trend. If you think it can’t happen here, think again.
