‘Invites us to learn from those more courageous than ourselves’ TIMOTHY SNYDER ‘Profound … feels essential in these times’ SARAH BAKEWELL ‘This book reminded me how to be brave’ RENI EDDO-LODGE An invigorating guide to fighting back – part philosophy, part history and part how-to guide for living with integrity in an age of authoritarian drift. How do we push back in a world where political leaders wield fear and where social media misinforms? We need role models to show us how, and here, acclaimed writer Gal Beckerman goes looking for them. Drawing on the stories of dissidents from around the globe and across time, from Socrates to Ai Weiwei, and Hannah Arendt to Iris Murdoch, Beckerman reveals the defining characteristics these extraordinary figures share and how they might equip anyone navigating the pressures of modern tyranny. Structured around ten qualities – among them, Be Pessimistic, Be Funny, Be Reckless and Be Immortal – this illuminating book charts a dissident’s journey