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Resist: /rəˈzɪst/ To strive against, fight or act in opposition to, oppose; to contrive not to yield to; to withstand, be unaffected by the action or influence of (Oxford English Dictionary, free with your library card). There is a saying that history does not repeat itself, but it rhymes. We can prepare for a future of a variety of outcomes with the lessons of those rhyming pasts. And the library can help. Check out these books that both inform about patterns of the past and inform on how we can tackle the present and future.
Dictatorship: It’s Easier Than You Think! by Sarah Kendzior
Anthropologist Sara Kendzior breaks down the elements of typical dictatorships from the conditions of which individuals take advantage to implement such power to how dictatorships maintain their grip to their downfalls. Paired with bright and bold illustrations and explained in the context of a game show, this nonfiction comic gives its reader a foundational understanding crucial to engaging in resistance.
Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times by Azar Nafisi
DC writer and professor Azar Nafisi writes a series of letters to her politically active late fater as she examines the history of literature and its political impact, with a particular focus on environments of varying degrees of authoritarianism. Written near the start of COVID-19, Nafisi often compares the current state of her environment to those of history while exploring authors such as Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and more. Understand the power of literature and how you can use it to arm your resistance with Nafisi’s letters. Also available as an ebook and an eaudiobook.
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Author Marjane Satrapi describes her firsthand experience with the Iranian Revolution. Told in comic format, Satrapi’s story depicts her own personal moments of resistance. As a memoir of decades past, Persepolis offers hope to readers facing potentially similar scenarios, assured by Satrapi’s survival. Additional copies here and here; also available as a film.
On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
Yale professor of history Timothy Snyder draws twenty lessons from historical examples of tyrannical governments across the world. In short chapters, Snyder offers a one-line lesson which readers can implement, followed by a few explanatory pages that explores how and why these practical suggestions apply. Discover the power you already have with these actionable items. Also available as an ebook, an eaudiobook, a comic, and an economic.
Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook
Former banned book club member Kim Hyun Sook depicts her life during South Korea’s Fifth Republic era. Barred from reading certain books, Sook and her classmates form a banned book club in this comic memoir. Readers have Sook’s insight through the violence she and her classmates faced as a result of their resistance and the eventual resolution, helping to develop an understanding of what the reader might expect under similar circumstances. Also available as an ebook.
A River in Darkness: One Man’s Escape from North Korea by Masaji Ishikawa
In a powerful memoir, North Korean defector Masaji Ishikawa paints the story of his escape from his totalitarian homeland. With grueling descriptions of his daring journey across Asia, Ishikawa models the last resort of resistance: fleeing. Ishikawa’s memories linger long after the last page, haunting the reader for ages to come, but with a renewed sense of what stands to be lost in the face of inaction.
About the Author
Abby is a New-Hampshire-grown Assistant Branch Manager at Southwest Neighborhood Library. In addition to writing book lists for DC Public Library, she's written for Book Riot, School Library Journal, Library Journal, Booklist, and other professional library and bookish publications. She reads broadly, but often enjoys literary young adult fiction, contemporary young adult fiction, and young adult fantasy. She lives in Virginia with her husband and her cat, Oopsilon.