What flows through this, Ressa’s memoir, is a strong ethical sense that journalism has to be grounded in honesty and truth-telling, in evidence and incontrovertible facts ... Her chapter on the mission of journalism, in which she explodes the myth of 'objective' reporting, should be read by everyone in the trade ... Her urgent message now is that news organisations are being replaced by technology companies that have no interest in protecting facts, truth or trust ... Ressa’s book is a rallying cry to protect liberal progress, which is in danger of destruction.
[Maria Ressa] is a moral giant ... Her book is part autobiography and part manifesto ... Ressa’s inspiring book has an impassioned, frustrated and, at times, angry tone. She saw the future and knew how it didn’t work for democracy.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa’s powerful new autobiography, How to Stand Up to a Dictator, weaves together three compelling narratives ... [Ressa] does not explicitly, however, give us a silver bullet for defeating violent strongmen ... In the end, what she proffers is a very simple idea — moral inviolability. Integrity, conscience, soul. It is an old-fashioned notion, largely discredited in our fast-paced, materialistic culture. But in the end, as this inspirational book demonstrates, it is truly the only thing that can save us ... At a time when the world faces a stark choice between authoritarian leaders and those with the courage to stand up to them, Maria Ressa is an indispensable guide in showing us the path from our troubled present to a better future.
A riveting inside view of what it’s like to be a dissident fighting authoritarianism. This engrossing book is a political history of the Philippines and an intimate memoir, but it’s also a warning to democracies everywhere ... The exceptional details in this memoir are both tactile and persistent; you can almost feel and smell the blood as Ressa describes a crime scene. Her ability to recount the finer details of some of the scariest moments of her life...is nothing short of breathtaking. Highly researched yet accessible, How to Stand Up to a Dictator is a plea to the world.
Searing and electrifying memoir ... In this impassioned warning and inspirational call to arms, Ressa identifies and illuminates her core values of empathy, honesty, and faith in humanity to illustrate how a strong commitment to such foundational beliefs can provide the key to democracy’s survival.
Engaging ... [Ressa's] courageous work has garnered well-deserved international attention, and her book serves as a readable, urgent plea for journalistic integrity, vigilance, and transparency.
Outstanding memoir-cum-action plan ... Elegantly written yet stuffed with research data and technical details, this is an essential update on the battle against disinformation.
