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1 book donated to global literacy projects
How To Be A Liberal :The Story of Freedom and its Fight for Survival
How To Be A Liberal :The Story of Freedom and its Fight for Survival
hardback
Published:
17 September, 2020
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Description
'Required reading for anyone interested in politics and philosophy' – Prospect magazine
How To Be A Liberal is a bracing, beautifully written history of liberalism — and a practical defence of liberal democracy in an era of nationalism, culture wars, and post‑truth politics.
Political journalist Ian Dunt (author of How Westminster Works and co‑presenter of the Origin Stories podcast) takes you from the scientific revolution to the present day, tracing how the idea of individual freedom became the most radical programme in modern politics. Along the way you’ll meet rebels, philosophers, campaigners, and iconoclasts — and see why liberalism still matters to anyone who cares about human rights, reason, and a plural society.
Dunt begins where our current crisis starts: the rise of nationalism and its seductive simplifications — attacks on institutions, diversity, and even the possibility of objective truth. He shows how liberalism answers those pressures: by insisting that people are individuals before they are tribes, by defending free enquiry and evidence, and by protecting the space each person needs to live, love, and think as they choose.
Inside you’ll find:
- A compelling narrative history of liberal thought—from Descartes and the birth of modern reason, through revolutionary arguments about rights and consent, to the debates that shaped the modern world.
- A clear explanation of liberalism’s core principles: individual liberty, equal rights, democratic restraint, and the institutions that keep power accountable.
- A modern guide to today’s conflicts—identity politics, anti‑truth, and the new nationalism—and what a renewed, radical liberalism could look like.
Whether you’re a student of political philosophy, a reader of the history of ideas, or simply looking for a sharper way to understand liberalism and liberal democracy, How To Be A Liberal is an essential, hopeful book: a reminder that freedom is not a slogan, but a practice—and that it begins with the individual.
Reviews
‘A tour de force; a mighty trumpet blast for the forces of liberalism and enlightenment in the face of a global tide of ignorance and populism.’ – The Secret Barrister
‘This is a history of ideas as it should be written – brilliant, vivid storytelling about the people who shaped liberalism, the challenges it has faced over the centuries, its commitment to the truth and why it’s now more important than ever to defend it.’ – Caroline Lucas MP
‘How To Be A Liberal is required reading for today’s political debates.’ – Anne Applebaum, Twilight of Democracy
'I'm loving How to be a Liberal. It's really great. I mean breathtakingly good. Bravo.' – Dr Ben Goldacre
About the Author
Ian Dunt is a journalist, newspaper columnist and co-presents the Origin Story podcast.
His first book, Brexit: What the Hell Happens Now? (Canbury Press, 2017), about Britain's challenge in leaving the European Union, was a bestseller.
In How To Be A Liberal (Canbury, 2020), he tells the epic story of personal freedom, with panache and a panoramic sweep. Ranging across history, politics and economics, he makes a powerful case for a radical brand of egalitarian liberalism that can safeguard individuals while looking after everyone.
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More Details
| Type | Book |
|---|---|
| ISBN13 | 9781912454419 |
| ISBN10 | 1912454416 |
| Number Of Pages | 496 |
| Item Weight | 796 g |
| Product Dimensions | 153 x 234 x 40 mm |
| Publisher / Reseller | Canbury Press |
| Format | hardback |
Media Reviews
‘A tour de force; a mighty trumpet blast for the forces of liberalism and enlightenment in the face of a global tide of ignorance and populism.’
– THE SECRET BARRISTER
‘This is a history of ideas as it should be written – brilliant, vivid story-telling about the people who shaped liberalism, the challenges it has faced over the centuries, its commitment to the truth and why it’s now more important than ever to defend it.’
– CAROLINE LUCAS MP
‘Dunt’s gift for making complicated issues comprehensible is second to none. Courageous.’
– JAMES O’BRIEN, LBC
‘How To Be A Liberal is required reading for today’s political debates.’
– ANNE APPLEBAUM, TWILIGHT OF DEMOCRACY
‘Clear-eyed and hard-headed. His defence of liberalism is political writing at its most urgent and engaging.’
– NICK COHEN, OBSERVER COLUMNIST
‘A phenomenal history from a truly big mind.’
– DAVID SCHNEIDER, THE DEATH OF STALIN
'When in the course of human events it falls on us to resist, this makes a welcome guidebook.'
– KIRKUS
'He describes liberalism as “an enormous, boisterous, confounding bloody thing,” and writes passionately in its favour, as a counterweight to ignorance and populism. This book is required reading for anyone interested in politics and philosophy.'
– PROSPECT
'All of Ian Dunt’s How to be a Liberal is essential reading, but the chapter on Harriet Taylor and John Stuart Mill is blistering, eye-opening stuff.'
– Shakespeare & Company bookstore, https://twitter.com/Shakespeare_Co/status/1332266783303151617
GoodReads Reviews
Author's Bio
Ian Dunt is editor of politics.co.uk. He specialises in issues around immigration, civil liberties and social justice and appears as a pundit on BBC TV, Sky News and Al-Jazeera. Brexit: What the Hell Happens Now? is his first book. He said: 'I wanted to write a book which could be read in a few hours, but allow someone to win arguments about Brexit for the next decade.' Unlike other books about Brexit which look back at the EU referendum campaign, What the Hell Happens Now? looks ahead to the impact of leaving the EU on the EU.