A Firehose of Falsehood: The Story of Disinformation (World Citizen Comics)

Teri Kanefield, Pat Dorian (Illustrator)

$29.99

Publication Date: February 13th, 2024

Publisher:

First Second

ISBN:

9781250790439

Pages:

240

Usually Ships in 1 to 5 Days

Description

Lies destroy. Disinformation tears at the fabric of democracy.

A Firehose of Falsehood: The Story of Disinformation breaks down disinformation tactics and offers tools for defending and restoring truth.

From Darius I of ancient Persia (522-486 BCE), to blood libel of the Middle Ages, to Soviet disinformation tactics and modern election deniers, Teri Kanefield and Pat Dorian show how tyrants and would-be tyrants deploy disinformation to gain power.

Democracy, which draws its authority from laws instead of the whim of a tyrant, requires truth. For a democracy to survive, its citizens must preserve and defend truth. Now that the Internet has turned what was once a trickle of lies into a firehose, the challenge of holding on to truth has never been greater. A Firehose of Falsehood offers readers these necessary tools.

About the Author

Teri Kanefield is a lawyer and the author of more than ten books. Her book awards include the Jane Addams Peace Association Book Award and California Reading Association Silver Honor Book Award. She has published more than 50 articles, essays, and stories in mainstream publications. Her legal analysis has appeared in The Washington Post, USA Today, and other major outlets. Her private law practice was dedicated to representing indigents on appeal from adverse rulings. She lives in San Luis Obispo, California.

Pat Dorian grew up fascinated with weird pulp stories, classic horror monsters, 50’s animation, suspenseful radio dramas, and cheesy B-movies. He came into comics from working in theater, animation, and gaming. His first graphic novel, Lon Chaney Speaks, was published by Pantheon. He lives and works in Queens.

Praise for A Firehose of Falsehood: The Story of Disinformation (World Citizen Comics)

"A well-executed, accessible primer on a difficult, timely subject." —Booklist

"A Firehood of Falsehood breaks down the mechanisms of the attack on democracy into its component parts with fierce clarity and narrative power. A Firehood of Falsehood is so lucidly written and analytically acute, that it will be treasured by readers from young adults to scholars in the field."
—Jason Stanley, Professor of Philosophy, Yale University

"A Firehose of Falsehood is an excellent primer on the history of 'the big lie.' This wonderfully told, alluringly illustrated 'story of disinformation' is a most relevant overview of the often sinister art of sowing alternative facts."
—Hans Wiersma, Professor, Augsburg University, Minneapolis, Minnesota

"A Firehose of Falsehood is an important, must read book for anyone who values democracy, free will, and the consent of the governed. It's a highly engaging graphic world tour through the history and practices of propaganda that pulls back the curtain to show how authoritarians have used anti-democratic communication strategies to prop themselves up as 'strongmen,' in order to gain and retain power. Highly recommend!"
—Jennifer Mercieca, Professor, Department of Communication and Journalism, Texas A&M University