"Modern tyranny is terror management. When the terrorist attack comes, remember that authoritarians exploit such events in order to consolidate power. The sudden disaster that requires the end of checks and balances, the dissolution of opposition parties, the suspension of freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, and so on, is the oldest trick in the Hitlerian book. Do not fall for it." 
 This short book is a guide, pocket-ready for your everyday use. Snyder is a historian and in his studies he showcases how the past is being reinvented in America and how very close we are to tipping the of balance of power. This was, without doubt, an incredible read. I've talked about this already how I feel that I need to literally drink books that prepare for what can come if we loose autonomy. You can call it 'stayin awoke', you can call it 'constant vigilance' or you can call it 'the resistance' but by whatever name you give it, the uninformed will be the surprised and I hate surprises. 
 Snyder covers 20 lessons to learn, how to apply them to your life and how they changed history and can possibly change the future. Snyder does not hold back on his presidential critique, he gives quotes and direct instances of not-so-subtle fascism. There are moments where you have to stop and think 'how the fuck did we get into this mess' - which Snyder also covers, btw. But really it is a book I suggest you do not rush through it, actually it is a book I would read a lesson a day and think over that lesson all day so that it becomes ingrained in how you see the world. We all hope that the worst does not come to pass however this is to prepare you in case the worse comes to pass and more importantly how to PREVENT the worse from happening, how you - a single individual - can help change the future. 
 I highly, highly recommend this. I shall also be gifting this to friends and family, since it's small it is not intimidating.