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After the Fall: Being American in the World We've Made
Why is democracy so threatened in America and around the world? And what can we do about it? A former White House aide and close confidante to President Barack Obama -- and New York Times bestselling author of The World as It Is -- travels the globe in a deeply personal, beautifully observed quest for answers.
In 2017, as Ben Rhodes was helping Barack Obama begin his next chapter, the legacy they worked to build for eight years was being taken apart. To understand what was happening in America, Rhodes decided to look outward. Over the next three years, he traveled to dozens of countries, meeting with politicians, activists, and dissidents confronting the same nationalism and authoritarianism that was tearing America apart. Along the way, a Russian opposition leader he spends time with is poisoned, the Hong Kong protesters he comes to know see their movement snuffed out, and America itself reaches the precipice of losing democracy before giving itself a second chance.
Equal parts memoir and reporting, After the Fall is a hugely ambitious and essential work of discovery. Throughout, Rhodes comes to realize how much America’s fingerprints are on a world we helped to shape: through the excesses of our post-Cold War embrace of unbridled capitalism, post-9/11 nationalism and militarism, mania for technology and social media, and the racism that shaped the backlash to the Obama presidency. At the same time, he learns from a diverse set of characters - from Obama to rebels to a rising generation of leaders - how looking squarely at where America has gone wrong only makes it more essential to fight for what America is supposed to be at home - for our own country, and the entire world.
In 2017, as Ben Rhodes was helping Barack Obama begin his next chapter, the legacy they worked to build for eight years was being taken apart. To understand what was happening in America, Rhodes decided to look outward. Over the next three years, he traveled to dozens of countries, meeting with politicians, activists, and dissidents confronting the same nationalism and authoritarianism that was tearing America apart. Along the way, a Russian opposition leader he spends time with is poisoned, the Hong Kong protesters he comes to know see their movement snuffed out, and America itself reaches the precipice of losing democracy before giving itself a second chance.
Equal parts memoir and reporting, After the Fall is a hugely ambitious and essential work of discovery. Throughout, Rhodes comes to realize how much America’s fingerprints are on a world we helped to shape: through the excesses of our post-Cold War embrace of unbridled capitalism, post-9/11 nationalism and militarism, mania for technology and social media, and the racism that shaped the backlash to the Obama presidency. At the same time, he learns from a diverse set of characters - from Obama to rebels to a rising generation of leaders - how looking squarely at where America has gone wrong only makes it more essential to fight for what America is supposed to be at home - for our own country, and the entire world.
339 pages, ebook
First published June 1, 2021
About the author
Ben Rhodes
4 books434 followersFrom 2009 to 2017, Ben Rhodes served as deputy national security advisor to President Barack Obama, overseeing the administration’s national security communications, speechwriting, public diplomacy, and global engagement programming. Prior to joining the Obama administration, from 2007 to 2008 Rhodes was a senior speechwriter and foreign policy advisor to the Obama campaign. Before joining then–Senator Obama’s campaign, he worked for former congressman Lee Hamilton from 2002 to 2007. He was the co-author, with Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton, of Without Precedent: The Inside Story of the 9/11 Commission. A native New Yorker, Rhodes has a BA from Rice University and an MFA from New York University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 484 reviews
September 6, 2021
Lazy morning review:
This is brilliant and one of my favourite non-fiction books this year. If you're interested in the alarming rise of nationalism and authoritarianism around the world, read it.
This is brilliant and one of my favourite non-fiction books this year. If you're interested in the alarming rise of nationalism and authoritarianism around the world, read it.
October 24, 2022
Really interesting analysis. Rhodes posits that we are living in the world that we made and provides stories and view points around the world to support his hypothesis. The book is US centric and thus possesses a narcissism(?) idealization of how America views its potential etc. But on the whole fascinating. I listened to this and after I finished it, I am going back and reading a few chapters before a full review. Suffice it to say, for me lots of new perspective on where we are in the world and how we got here... rtf
4.5 Stars
Listened to the audiobook. Ben Rhodes read his own work and did an excellent job.
4.5 Stars
Listened to the audiobook. Ben Rhodes read his own work and did an excellent job.
March 28, 2021
"America has an opportunity to step back into history as a nation with a new understanding of how to improve upon the world we made. After the fall, we must determine what it means to be American again."
At the core of this complex, ambitious book is a simple truth: we are living at a historical inflection point. The currents of history are sweeping us all in the wrong direction – toward autocracy, toward technological dystopia, toward collapse – as a direct consequence of the past three decades of American hegemony, but it's not yet too late to reverse course. To do so, Americans invested in the victory of democracy over autocracy must forge solidarity with (and learn from) others struggling against authoritarianism, corruption, and injustice around the world.
Ben speaks to a wide array of activists, thinkers, leaders, and ordinary citizens swept up in extraordinary times over the course of this book, sharing frank and fascinating conversations with everyone from Alexey Navalny to Barack Obama. Each of them, from the young Hungarians challenging Orbán's illiberal nationalism to the young residents of Hong Kong facing down China's dystopian police state, is a source of valuable insight or inspiration as well as a dark mirror.
And of course, Ben's own experiences both inside and outside of the White House are masterfully interwoven into the narrative, making it equal parts reporting and memoir: I was reminded, at times, of the similarly skillful blend of personal storytelling and broader global commentary found in Notes from an Apocalypse or Notes on a Foreign Country. By frequently zooming in to the personal before zooming back out to look at the big picture, he offers not just a dispassionate thesis on sociopolitical trends but an intimate, compelling portrait of a person who worked at the heart of American political power coming to terms with its unraveling throughout the Trump presidency and beyond.
There are plenty of lessons and warnings here, but there is also a rallying cry – a call for Americans to understand how we have shaped the world and how we might still reshape it; to grapple with our own national and international identity; to strive to make our better story a reality; to decide what it means to be American in the 21st century. Anyone who possesses, as Ben puts it, "the desire to step into the currents of history and swim, rather than avoid them or be carried along by them," must read this book.
At the core of this complex, ambitious book is a simple truth: we are living at a historical inflection point. The currents of history are sweeping us all in the wrong direction – toward autocracy, toward technological dystopia, toward collapse – as a direct consequence of the past three decades of American hegemony, but it's not yet too late to reverse course. To do so, Americans invested in the victory of democracy over autocracy must forge solidarity with (and learn from) others struggling against authoritarianism, corruption, and injustice around the world.
Ben speaks to a wide array of activists, thinkers, leaders, and ordinary citizens swept up in extraordinary times over the course of this book, sharing frank and fascinating conversations with everyone from Alexey Navalny to Barack Obama. Each of them, from the young Hungarians challenging Orbán's illiberal nationalism to the young residents of Hong Kong facing down China's dystopian police state, is a source of valuable insight or inspiration as well as a dark mirror.
And of course, Ben's own experiences both inside and outside of the White House are masterfully interwoven into the narrative, making it equal parts reporting and memoir: I was reminded, at times, of the similarly skillful blend of personal storytelling and broader global commentary found in Notes from an Apocalypse or Notes on a Foreign Country. By frequently zooming in to the personal before zooming back out to look at the big picture, he offers not just a dispassionate thesis on sociopolitical trends but an intimate, compelling portrait of a person who worked at the heart of American political power coming to terms with its unraveling throughout the Trump presidency and beyond.
There are plenty of lessons and warnings here, but there is also a rallying cry – a call for Americans to understand how we have shaped the world and how we might still reshape it; to grapple with our own national and international identity; to strive to make our better story a reality; to decide what it means to be American in the 21st century. Anyone who possesses, as Ben puts it, "the desire to step into the currents of history and swim, rather than avoid them or be carried along by them," must read this book.
October 31, 2022
Thoughtful and thought-provoking, After the Fall is another success for this talented writer. I first became aware of Ben Rhodes on the podcast, Pod Save America, and he always struck me as very eloquent and measured, which comes across in his writing. I like that he isn't given to hysterics, tying to understand what went wrong instead of merely airing his grievances. His reflections in this book cover a wide range of topics, and I would go so far as to call it a must read for fans of political nonfiction. There is a bit of despair in his words, sure, but there is hope, too, something we can all surely use more of these days.
February 10, 2022
In an address to a joint session of Congress in 1990 President George H. W. Bush described his objectives for a New World Order. With the fall of the Soviet Union and the seeming victory of Democracy over Communism the cold war and its threat of a global war was now a thing of the past. Bush outlined a world where the strong would protect the weak, and freedom and respect for human rights would prevail.
This book describes the utter failure of that idea, and the major role the United States played in that failure.
The author, following the presidential election of 2016, left the country to tour the world looking for an explanation. He had worked in the Obama White House as a speech writer and in other capacities. He was now watching the dismantling of many of the programs he had helped build.
I had some difficulty with this book as it relied on personal stories of many of his acquaintances in the various countries he visited. I found these stories bogged down the hypothesis he was trying to describe. To use a phrase he uses a few times “It failed to connect the dots.”
The author’s thesis here is that “After The Fall” of the Berlin Wall there was a trend towards nationalistic and right-wing authoritarian governments in several countries, including eventually as we all know, the United States. When the wall came down it symbolized the victory of democracy. It also unleashed a worldwide torrent of profit-seeking capitalism that increased income inequality and encouraged corruption.
Before the fall of the Berlin Wall politics had been a fight over ideology. The Them vs. Us was between Communism and Democracy. After the fall of the Soviet Union that fight had been seemingly won. Totalitarian leaders then turned to the politics of identity. The Them were now people who didn’t look like Us, or thought like Us, or believed like Us. These leaders began appealing to the nationalistic populism of their countrymen. The author points out the similar tactics in these leaders of blaming current problems on the Them, packing the courts with judges who would support the government, restricting voting to benefit the government in power, and perverting the news media to become a voice of the government.
The fall of the Berlin Wall is one of three events the author uses to support his thesis. The second event is the invasion of Iraq in 2003 by the United States under the presidency of George W. Bush. The justification for that war was the presence of weapons of mass destruction, the need to defend our country from another terrorist attack, and a desire by the people of Iraq for a democratic government. It soon became apparent that there were no weapons of mass destruction, there was no presence of al-Qaeda in Iraq and that the people of Iraq did not want us there. In addition, the “images of dehumanizing torture at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison”, and “a violent disregard for human rights or fidelity to the rule of law” gave the rest of the world a very negative picture of the United States and their democracy. (Page 88) This would make it extremely difficult to object to Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine or any other country’s military action against a neighboring country.
The third event was the financial collapse of 2008. A collapse largely the result of American-made financial schemes, for instance, the Clinton-era repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act which allowed banks to now diversify, and the Bush tax cuts. Tax cuts which transferred a trillion dollars to the already wealthy while “creating deficits that Republican politicians could use to justify efforts to slash government spending.” (Page 295) Along with the Reagan-era deregulation that allowed subprime mortgage lending which put the global economy into a recession.
In 1980 the Republican demigod Ronald Reagan described the United States as “a shining city on a hill.” In 2009, after the election of a black president, the Tea Party movement rebranded the Republican Party. “The Tea Party was built on the wreckage of American Capitalism, American leadership, and the Republican Party— making possible everything the came next, including Trump.” (Page 32) The author finished this book before things turned even uglier for the once proud Republican Party following the election of 2020.
I wish there was some encouraging news from this book that I could report. The history Rhodes has written here and recent events represent a very dark state of affairs. The United States “the shining city” has fallen off the hill.
This book describes the utter failure of that idea, and the major role the United States played in that failure.
The author, following the presidential election of 2016, left the country to tour the world looking for an explanation. He had worked in the Obama White House as a speech writer and in other capacities. He was now watching the dismantling of many of the programs he had helped build.
I had some difficulty with this book as it relied on personal stories of many of his acquaintances in the various countries he visited. I found these stories bogged down the hypothesis he was trying to describe. To use a phrase he uses a few times “It failed to connect the dots.”
The author’s thesis here is that “After The Fall” of the Berlin Wall there was a trend towards nationalistic and right-wing authoritarian governments in several countries, including eventually as we all know, the United States. When the wall came down it symbolized the victory of democracy. It also unleashed a worldwide torrent of profit-seeking capitalism that increased income inequality and encouraged corruption.
Before the fall of the Berlin Wall politics had been a fight over ideology. The Them vs. Us was between Communism and Democracy. After the fall of the Soviet Union that fight had been seemingly won. Totalitarian leaders then turned to the politics of identity. The Them were now people who didn’t look like Us, or thought like Us, or believed like Us. These leaders began appealing to the nationalistic populism of their countrymen. The author points out the similar tactics in these leaders of blaming current problems on the Them, packing the courts with judges who would support the government, restricting voting to benefit the government in power, and perverting the news media to become a voice of the government.
The fall of the Berlin Wall is one of three events the author uses to support his thesis. The second event is the invasion of Iraq in 2003 by the United States under the presidency of George W. Bush. The justification for that war was the presence of weapons of mass destruction, the need to defend our country from another terrorist attack, and a desire by the people of Iraq for a democratic government. It soon became apparent that there were no weapons of mass destruction, there was no presence of al-Qaeda in Iraq and that the people of Iraq did not want us there. In addition, the “images of dehumanizing torture at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison”, and “a violent disregard for human rights or fidelity to the rule of law” gave the rest of the world a very negative picture of the United States and their democracy. (Page 88) This would make it extremely difficult to object to Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine or any other country’s military action against a neighboring country.
The third event was the financial collapse of 2008. A collapse largely the result of American-made financial schemes, for instance, the Clinton-era repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act which allowed banks to now diversify, and the Bush tax cuts. Tax cuts which transferred a trillion dollars to the already wealthy while “creating deficits that Republican politicians could use to justify efforts to slash government spending.” (Page 295) Along with the Reagan-era deregulation that allowed subprime mortgage lending which put the global economy into a recession.
In 1980 the Republican demigod Ronald Reagan described the United States as “a shining city on a hill.” In 2009, after the election of a black president, the Tea Party movement rebranded the Republican Party. “The Tea Party was built on the wreckage of American Capitalism, American leadership, and the Republican Party— making possible everything the came next, including Trump.” (Page 32) The author finished this book before things turned even uglier for the once proud Republican Party following the election of 2020.
I wish there was some encouraging news from this book that I could report. The history Rhodes has written here and recent events represent a very dark state of affairs. The United States “the shining city” has fallen off the hill.
June 2, 2021
Ben Rhodes has had much experience in the political world of today, most notably as a confidant and security advisor to Barack Obama both during Obama's tenure and after. He also can count as friends a number of familiar international names. This book will require another reading since I read the audio version, since there was so much to absorb from his thoughts on what it means to be an american, how America is regarded throughout the world, and how this country came to elect the aberration known as DJT to the presidency, a move in which the latter sought to take a hatchet to all the work done during the Obama years. Infuriating. What was notable was Rhodes's modesty in his own accomplishments, how it plays out during the time of covid confinement. Also an insider view of Barack, the person, from someone he trusted and counted as a friend.
September 6, 2021
Now, this is a book I approached in a manner similar to which I would approach a movie written by Murali Gopy. You know Gopy is bound to push a pro-right wing message, but would be careful to wrap it in a wrapper that would appeal to the liberals. Here is Obama's speechwriter Ben Rhodes, who is so enamoured of America, but is concerned at the path it is taking currently in the post-Obama era, under Trump.
As much as he is concerned about the rise of the right in America, he is also expressing his disappointment at its fall from pre-eminence and the rise of China. It has to be said that he makes some right noises in pointing out America's past misdemeanors, including interventions in multiple countries, as well as the structural inequality of the capitalist system, but these seem to be mentioned just for the sake of balance, because balance is not something one can find in this, especially when he talks about Communism, for which he always sets aside the choicest of adjectives.
This is evident right from the beginning, in page 5, where he talks about the time he spent in Havana in Cuba in 2017, when there were theories floating around of "sonic attacks" at the American embassy, which Rhodes writes, "felt like something the Russians would do". The fact that he writes this while sitting in Cuba adds to the shameful irony of his words. The man doesn't even spare Communist-era architecture, while describing the buildings he saw at a former Soviet state, which he writes "were built in the drab style of the 1960s Communist architecture".
Then there are lines like - "The carnage of World War II had morphed into the competition between capitalist democracy and Communist autocracy", and mentions of the "Evil of Communism". About Soviet Union, he writes - "an ideal that triumphed in war but proved incapable of meeting the basic needs of human beings". Oh well! But he does lavish praise on Russian leaders who privatised industry and have had cordial relations with the kinds of Margaret Thatcher. If that Thatcher-love did not make you puke, you will certainly do at this line - "when I came into the White House as a speechwriter, I resolved to echo Reagan's tone in my first war speech. It came in Obama's second month in office."
The entire book is him trying hard to prove that "we are still the good guys", despite all the military invasions and covert operations across the world, destroying one socialist democracy after another. At one place in the book, he shamelessly credits America for the rising living standards in China, of all places. "Hundreds of millions were lifted out of poverty, one of the great leaps forward for humanity in recent history. This was made possible by the melding of American capitalism with Chinese governance: the global economy WE had built, the trade economy that WE welcomed China into, the top-down system that enabled massive changes and compulsory work to satiate the consumer demand in the West", he writes quite shamelessly. In another place, he writes "Just as the United States helped create the prosperity that enabled the Party's control". Rhodes won't mention also uncomfortable facts such as how the majority of China's top companies are in the public sector.
He proudly writes about how America took the lead in building the international order of laws, rules, norms and institutions since the end of World War II to curb excesses - to serve as a check on flagrant abuses of human rights, to impose penalties for the theft of other nations' territory". Do we know of any instance of the US getting penalised for any of these?
The more interesting parts of the book though are the ones where he chalks out the rise of Orban in Hungary and that of Putin in Russia, and his own close interaction with a Trump supporter, who talked to him without realising he is someone she hated. He does manage to effectively analyse the scenario in the US in the past two decades that might have contributed to the rise of someone like Trump, but his dishonest analyses elsewhere, especially concerning US foreign policy and the many silences regarding the Obama administration's foreign interventions, takes away a lot from the book.
On the Obama whitewash part, sample this. While talking about the US support for Saudi interventions in Yemen, he writes, "Obama was ambivalent but he was ultimately persuaded that by participating, we could be a moderating force on the Saudis". How innocent! He attributes all that Obama failed to do to the Republican control of Congress.
Rhodes has to be commended for making passing mentions of everything from the US support for the mujahideens (in the pre-taliban era) in Afghanistan to their other many interventions, but he takes care not to stress on them much. These are like the liberal/secular wrappers in Murali Gopy films. In the end, he is still full of that Hollywood image of America being the world saviour and world leader. One can sense in this book the same dishonesty as in Obama's speeches, which Rhodes wrote, and which fetched him a Nobel Peace Price, despite all the foreign interventions.
As much as he is concerned about the rise of the right in America, he is also expressing his disappointment at its fall from pre-eminence and the rise of China. It has to be said that he makes some right noises in pointing out America's past misdemeanors, including interventions in multiple countries, as well as the structural inequality of the capitalist system, but these seem to be mentioned just for the sake of balance, because balance is not something one can find in this, especially when he talks about Communism, for which he always sets aside the choicest of adjectives.
This is evident right from the beginning, in page 5, where he talks about the time he spent in Havana in Cuba in 2017, when there were theories floating around of "sonic attacks" at the American embassy, which Rhodes writes, "felt like something the Russians would do". The fact that he writes this while sitting in Cuba adds to the shameful irony of his words. The man doesn't even spare Communist-era architecture, while describing the buildings he saw at a former Soviet state, which he writes "were built in the drab style of the 1960s Communist architecture".
Then there are lines like - "The carnage of World War II had morphed into the competition between capitalist democracy and Communist autocracy", and mentions of the "Evil of Communism". About Soviet Union, he writes - "an ideal that triumphed in war but proved incapable of meeting the basic needs of human beings". Oh well! But he does lavish praise on Russian leaders who privatised industry and have had cordial relations with the kinds of Margaret Thatcher. If that Thatcher-love did not make you puke, you will certainly do at this line - "when I came into the White House as a speechwriter, I resolved to echo Reagan's tone in my first war speech. It came in Obama's second month in office."
The entire book is him trying hard to prove that "we are still the good guys", despite all the military invasions and covert operations across the world, destroying one socialist democracy after another. At one place in the book, he shamelessly credits America for the rising living standards in China, of all places. "Hundreds of millions were lifted out of poverty, one of the great leaps forward for humanity in recent history. This was made possible by the melding of American capitalism with Chinese governance: the global economy WE had built, the trade economy that WE welcomed China into, the top-down system that enabled massive changes and compulsory work to satiate the consumer demand in the West", he writes quite shamelessly. In another place, he writes "Just as the United States helped create the prosperity that enabled the Party's control". Rhodes won't mention also uncomfortable facts such as how the majority of China's top companies are in the public sector.
He proudly writes about how America took the lead in building the international order of laws, rules, norms and institutions since the end of World War II to curb excesses - to serve as a check on flagrant abuses of human rights, to impose penalties for the theft of other nations' territory". Do we know of any instance of the US getting penalised for any of these?
The more interesting parts of the book though are the ones where he chalks out the rise of Orban in Hungary and that of Putin in Russia, and his own close interaction with a Trump supporter, who talked to him without realising he is someone she hated. He does manage to effectively analyse the scenario in the US in the past two decades that might have contributed to the rise of someone like Trump, but his dishonest analyses elsewhere, especially concerning US foreign policy and the many silences regarding the Obama administration's foreign interventions, takes away a lot from the book.
On the Obama whitewash part, sample this. While talking about the US support for Saudi interventions in Yemen, he writes, "Obama was ambivalent but he was ultimately persuaded that by participating, we could be a moderating force on the Saudis". How innocent! He attributes all that Obama failed to do to the Republican control of Congress.
Rhodes has to be commended for making passing mentions of everything from the US support for the mujahideens (in the pre-taliban era) in Afghanistan to their other many interventions, but he takes care not to stress on them much. These are like the liberal/secular wrappers in Murali Gopy films. In the end, he is still full of that Hollywood image of America being the world saviour and world leader. One can sense in this book the same dishonesty as in Obama's speeches, which Rhodes wrote, and which fetched him a Nobel Peace Price, despite all the foreign interventions.
July 20, 2021
Like all human beings, we are fallen, able to do both good and evil. ~from After the Fall by Ben Rhodes
Ben Rhodes calls After the Fall a book of stories, the story of his journey from idealist patriot to questioning the myths we share, from working with President Obama to seeing their legacy dismantled.
Endeavoring to understand the rise of authoritarianism and nationalism across the world, he tells the stories of people who fight for democratic rights in increasingly authoritarian countries and how they are imprisoned, tortured, poisoned, and silenced.
And he tells the story of how America has veered from its ideals and helped to create the world we live in today: how unconstrained capitalism destroyed the global economy in 2008, eroding faith in democracy and capitalism; how 'forever wars' eroded individual rights and created ethnic hate: how love of money trumped concern for human rights.: how technology impacted us for better and for worse; how a pandemic revealed "our most profound failings."
...Values like equality are no longer the business of governments around the world, they have been left to individuals to defend.~ from After the Fall by Ben Rhodes
Rhodes sees the cycle "between autocracy and democracy, the powerful and the oppressed, corrupted system and the uncorrupted masses," but holds onto the hope that, overall, the world arcs toward justice.
We have the opportunity, he writes, to "make capitalism about something more than money, to make national security about something other than subjugation, to make technology work better as a tool for human enlightenment. To learn from others around the world instead of thinking that is is always we who have something to teach them."
I have read other books about these subjects. What sets this one apart is Rhodes' heart and passion, his openness about his journey, and his empathy for the resistance leaders he meets.
I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
Ben Rhodes calls After the Fall a book of stories, the story of his journey from idealist patriot to questioning the myths we share, from working with President Obama to seeing their legacy dismantled.
Endeavoring to understand the rise of authoritarianism and nationalism across the world, he tells the stories of people who fight for democratic rights in increasingly authoritarian countries and how they are imprisoned, tortured, poisoned, and silenced.
And he tells the story of how America has veered from its ideals and helped to create the world we live in today: how unconstrained capitalism destroyed the global economy in 2008, eroding faith in democracy and capitalism; how 'forever wars' eroded individual rights and created ethnic hate: how love of money trumped concern for human rights.: how technology impacted us for better and for worse; how a pandemic revealed "our most profound failings."
...Values like equality are no longer the business of governments around the world, they have been left to individuals to defend.~ from After the Fall by Ben Rhodes
Rhodes sees the cycle "between autocracy and democracy, the powerful and the oppressed, corrupted system and the uncorrupted masses," but holds onto the hope that, overall, the world arcs toward justice.
We have the opportunity, he writes, to "make capitalism about something more than money, to make national security about something other than subjugation, to make technology work better as a tool for human enlightenment. To learn from others around the world instead of thinking that is is always we who have something to teach them."
I have read other books about these subjects. What sets this one apart is Rhodes' heart and passion, his openness about his journey, and his empathy for the resistance leaders he meets.
I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
June 16, 2021
After the Fall: Being American in the World We've Made (2021) provides a sobering look at the realities of the world as it is today, impacted by the fallout of international policymaking and COVID-19 alike. I think it will probably be one of many books to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic that obliges each one of us to rethink the ways in which we live as we try to remake a new "normal," whether it's at an individual level or national level.
Ben Rhodes is a former Obama administration official and now podcaster (see Pod Save The World) who often accompanied President Obama around the world and bore witness to the consequences of American policymaking on the international stage. He is not afraid to critique the mistakes we've made as a country even as he celebrates the good we've done in the world. "The fall" references American's status in the world on the decline from the hegemonic status we had before as a whole, that, in his opinion, was accelerated in the last four years as the world witnessed a worrying slide towards authoritarianism.
He does some soul-searching in his post-Obama presidency tour of the world, speaking with dissidents trying to make democratic changes in more authoritarian nations such as China (e.g. Hong Kong), Russia, and Ukraine. To Rhodes, the good America has done is reflected in these activists fighting to make their countries better, the legacy of America's worldwide promotion of democracy that has been a double-edged sword (think Iraq or Afghanistan). I valued both the outsider perspectives of these activists as well as Rhodes' knowledge of the innerworkings of American foreign policy.
It was refreshing to have the focus not so much on the perspective of an insider (albeit former), but those of the outsiders, i.e. regular people doing their best in a world that has stacked the odds against them.
Whether or not you're a foreign policy nerd (guilty!), I think this a book everyone would benefit from reading. It's both a memoir and a closer look at current events that may just change your view of the world.
-Cora
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
See also:
The World As It Is: A Memoir Of The Obama White House (2018) by Ben Rhodes
Ben Rhodes is a former Obama administration official and now podcaster (see Pod Save The World) who often accompanied President Obama around the world and bore witness to the consequences of American policymaking on the international stage. He is not afraid to critique the mistakes we've made as a country even as he celebrates the good we've done in the world. "The fall" references American's status in the world on the decline from the hegemonic status we had before as a whole, that, in his opinion, was accelerated in the last four years as the world witnessed a worrying slide towards authoritarianism.
He does some soul-searching in his post-Obama presidency tour of the world, speaking with dissidents trying to make democratic changes in more authoritarian nations such as China (e.g. Hong Kong), Russia, and Ukraine. To Rhodes, the good America has done is reflected in these activists fighting to make their countries better, the legacy of America's worldwide promotion of democracy that has been a double-edged sword (think Iraq or Afghanistan). I valued both the outsider perspectives of these activists as well as Rhodes' knowledge of the innerworkings of American foreign policy.
It was refreshing to have the focus not so much on the perspective of an insider (albeit former), but those of the outsiders, i.e. regular people doing their best in a world that has stacked the odds against them.
Whether or not you're a foreign policy nerd (guilty!), I think this a book everyone would benefit from reading. It's both a memoir and a closer look at current events that may just change your view of the world.
-Cora
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
See also:
The World As It Is: A Memoir Of The Obama White House (2018) by Ben Rhodes
September 29, 2021
I'm well aware of the worldview chasm between Trumpism and Rhodes admirable deep respect for Pres. Obama, but I thought he could have been A LITTLE more gracious to the difficulty of the options faced in the Oval Office. A whole book of shaking the head and rolling the eyes from the sidelines got a little tiresome.
July 30, 2021
An exceptional record of the post-cold war years from the Obama administration to the Trump years.
Part memoir and part reporting; Ben Rhodes looks at the world around us and explains how we helped shape it, in both positive and negative ways.
Part memoir and part reporting; Ben Rhodes looks at the world around us and explains how we helped shape it, in both positive and negative ways.
October 8, 2021
Ben Rhodes does an extraordinary job explaining how America shifted from a Hegemonous Democracy to a much more Authoritarian Country. How did we get here? What does it mean to be an American? What do we need to change in order to accept that we are not the world leader anymore, but part of a global system? We need to listen to other countries, too, not just tell them how they should behave and how we are always right. We need to question the type of authority that pushes us backward to a time that never even existed. We need to basically look at things and really evaluate what we hear. That is going to take some restraint and maturity to get there, but we can do this.
The author started off so idealistic, and like most Americans it is so much easier to have a narrative laid out for us that says we are always the good guys and other countries are the bad guys. This is highly unlikely. We have the ability to change and adjust to a sifting America. We need to identify our core values and things that make us American. People all over the world are searching for something beyond politics, but for a sense of contentment and connection that is slipping away. It is ultimately a very hopeful book. We are up to the task.
Ben Rhodes has a strong foreign policy background and it shines through on every page of this book. He has met and spoken to all different types of people with different ideologies. He explains how Russia came to be a corrupt Totalitarian Country led by Vladimir Putin. Putin is a fierce Nationalist that wants the Soviet Union to return to it’s former glory. Yet, he is relying on a false narrative. He spreads disinformation and if you say anything against Russia, you can be at best banished from the culture or at worst killed. So, Putin sees the world through the eyes of the theory that if you demonstrate any weakness, you are weak and the weak are beaten. The ends justify the means. What matters in politics is who is speaking and can that person convince others that their viewpoint is correct and to follow along. If so, the point is to demoralize your opponent. So, why do certain people listen, it often comes down to money. If keeping quiet and going along enriches yourself, you are complicit for personal gain. We had President Donald Trump parroting Putin’s goals. Putin waited for the weakness, saw it and grabbed hold. That many Americans listened is the issue. So, much false information was being circulated and presented as fact, but it is essential to listen closely to the message being spoken.
The explanation of a new China is also very well researched and explained. The leader, Xi Jinping does want a more capitalist China and to benefit from making a lot of money. However, they also must hold onto the Chinese Communist Party. That these are really at odds with each other is not the point. China has already taken power and has risen to the point where it may become the new world leader. For those living in China, for most living conditions have improved, but that means self-censorship occurs. You can not attack the Chinese Government. The papers do not talk of past human rights violations or question those in authority. Why does America and other First World Countries tolerate this? Money is the answer. We need China to supply goods to us, to help bail us out of the housing crisis, and to cooperate with global environmental change. So, the US does know what is going on and choses not to become involved. Our major financial institutions do not want us to look too closely at how China often operates.
So, to read about other countries Authoritarian Ways was useful and worth understanding. It was much harder when the author starts explaining our policies in the Middle East. There was such an enormous impact that happened as a result of 9-11. Yet, we decided to enter a war with Iraq that appears to have no way to end. We do business with Saudi Arabia because they are a wealthy country and it benefits our interests. The author does question after 9-11 what was driving our impulses to make The War of Terror out #1 Goal. This also allowed The Patriot Act which gives the government extreme latitude to look into others and shut down dissent. There is not a court or due process occurring here. This is decided and the end result is the same as other countries such as Russia and China doing the exact same thing. Yet, Ben Rhodes says it is hard to swallow, but this did occur. So, was 9-11 a horrible event brought about by radical extremists? Yes, he says and we certainly think they are evil people. However, were there ways to avoid some of this and once it occurred, was the threat as great as it was made out to be? These are questions the author has asked himself and he thinks we have over reached and are behaving in an unjust matter. Certainly, other arguments could be made.
Ben Rhodes worked for Barrack Obama and has remained loyal to him. There is a point where leaders, reformers, activists, fighters, strivers, and underdogs walk across a bridge. This is a big symbol to the author. This is America. This is who we are. We are all different, but we share common ground. We can and will strive to do better. Otherwise, we can devolve into a totalitarian mess where infighting is the new normal. That is up to us.
This book just was excellent. It made me understand so many foreign policy issues and goals of different countries as well as think of the United States’ role. There are other opinions to the conclusions the author comes to, but I think this is definitely worth reading. It certainly is the best book on foreign policy and US relations I have read.
History tells a story. If we look at the foot prints left behind, we can often walk our way toward a new future with a better outcome. We need to be brave enough to take that walk though.
Thank you NetGalley, Ben Rhodes, and Random House for an copy of this book. I learned a tremendous amount.
The author started off so idealistic, and like most Americans it is so much easier to have a narrative laid out for us that says we are always the good guys and other countries are the bad guys. This is highly unlikely. We have the ability to change and adjust to a sifting America. We need to identify our core values and things that make us American. People all over the world are searching for something beyond politics, but for a sense of contentment and connection that is slipping away. It is ultimately a very hopeful book. We are up to the task.
Ben Rhodes has a strong foreign policy background and it shines through on every page of this book. He has met and spoken to all different types of people with different ideologies. He explains how Russia came to be a corrupt Totalitarian Country led by Vladimir Putin. Putin is a fierce Nationalist that wants the Soviet Union to return to it’s former glory. Yet, he is relying on a false narrative. He spreads disinformation and if you say anything against Russia, you can be at best banished from the culture or at worst killed. So, Putin sees the world through the eyes of the theory that if you demonstrate any weakness, you are weak and the weak are beaten. The ends justify the means. What matters in politics is who is speaking and can that person convince others that their viewpoint is correct and to follow along. If so, the point is to demoralize your opponent. So, why do certain people listen, it often comes down to money. If keeping quiet and going along enriches yourself, you are complicit for personal gain. We had President Donald Trump parroting Putin’s goals. Putin waited for the weakness, saw it and grabbed hold. That many Americans listened is the issue. So, much false information was being circulated and presented as fact, but it is essential to listen closely to the message being spoken.
The explanation of a new China is also very well researched and explained. The leader, Xi Jinping does want a more capitalist China and to benefit from making a lot of money. However, they also must hold onto the Chinese Communist Party. That these are really at odds with each other is not the point. China has already taken power and has risen to the point where it may become the new world leader. For those living in China, for most living conditions have improved, but that means self-censorship occurs. You can not attack the Chinese Government. The papers do not talk of past human rights violations or question those in authority. Why does America and other First World Countries tolerate this? Money is the answer. We need China to supply goods to us, to help bail us out of the housing crisis, and to cooperate with global environmental change. So, the US does know what is going on and choses not to become involved. Our major financial institutions do not want us to look too closely at how China often operates.
So, to read about other countries Authoritarian Ways was useful and worth understanding. It was much harder when the author starts explaining our policies in the Middle East. There was such an enormous impact that happened as a result of 9-11. Yet, we decided to enter a war with Iraq that appears to have no way to end. We do business with Saudi Arabia because they are a wealthy country and it benefits our interests. The author does question after 9-11 what was driving our impulses to make The War of Terror out #1 Goal. This also allowed The Patriot Act which gives the government extreme latitude to look into others and shut down dissent. There is not a court or due process occurring here. This is decided and the end result is the same as other countries such as Russia and China doing the exact same thing. Yet, Ben Rhodes says it is hard to swallow, but this did occur. So, was 9-11 a horrible event brought about by radical extremists? Yes, he says and we certainly think they are evil people. However, were there ways to avoid some of this and once it occurred, was the threat as great as it was made out to be? These are questions the author has asked himself and he thinks we have over reached and are behaving in an unjust matter. Certainly, other arguments could be made.
Ben Rhodes worked for Barrack Obama and has remained loyal to him. There is a point where leaders, reformers, activists, fighters, strivers, and underdogs walk across a bridge. This is a big symbol to the author. This is America. This is who we are. We are all different, but we share common ground. We can and will strive to do better. Otherwise, we can devolve into a totalitarian mess where infighting is the new normal. That is up to us.
This book just was excellent. It made me understand so many foreign policy issues and goals of different countries as well as think of the United States’ role. There are other opinions to the conclusions the author comes to, but I think this is definitely worth reading. It certainly is the best book on foreign policy and US relations I have read.
History tells a story. If we look at the foot prints left behind, we can often walk our way toward a new future with a better outcome. We need to be brave enough to take that walk though.
Thank you NetGalley, Ben Rhodes, and Random House for an copy of this book. I learned a tremendous amount.
June 18, 2021
I have developed a healthy skepticism. Not about absolutely everything - but when it comes to just about everything that comes out of our government. Including WH press conferences. Granted, they now seem more like actual press conferences (as opposed to the polar-opposite of what we recently had four years of). But I still listen for transparency. I don't take to getting the bare essentials that are deemed enough for public needs. It's just not enough that the WH Press Secretary that we now have is pleasant and non-threatening.
Which brings me to Ben Rhodes - former National Security Adviser to Obama and the author of this follow-up to his WH memoir, 'The World As It Is' (which I have now ordered).
From listening to him in interviews and panel discussions, Rhodes seems not only pleasant and non-threatening but he also seems to share my skepticism. He's progressive in the sense that many would find more palatable than, say, the moderators for The Young Turks (who can be viewed, not at all legitimately, as "strident").
Rhodes admits to a current anger:
This observation by the former speechwriter served to echo the sentiment that DC is "Hollywood for ugly people." Like insecure actors who are never sure of where their next (perhaps significant) role may be coming from, Washington politicians (in particular) have to use diplomacy with each other in a bullshit way that masks their true feelings. ~even though it doesn't, really.
When Rhodes no longer had a job in the White House, he put some serious thought into how his next move would best serve not only himself but his fellow Americans. The result is this book.
Rhodes decided to tap into international voices (specifically certain ones in Hungary, Russia and China) to gain insight into attacks on Democracy similar to the constant onslaught of the T---p (ahem) 'administration'. I wouldn't say that what he discovered gave him hope, necessarily, but it bolstered him with the conviction that, no matter where you are, the struggle for real democracy will never be over. It's never "a done thing". As we're told in Levitsky and Ziblatt's 'How Democracies Die', things just shift - authoritarians who rise up the world over borrow from and expand on each other's playbooks - and citizens can never really rest.
Here in America, even though we're experiencing a sort-of respite from T---p's shitshow, that's all it sort-of is: a respite. It's certainly not over. How long, for example, will we be reeling from the 2010 Citizens United decision, which keeps dark money in politics very much alive and kicking, determining just about every other governmental decision to date?
Rhodes doesn't spend much time on dark money, other than recognizing it. (One needs to also read things like 'Dark Money' by Jane Mayer and 'Kochland' by Christopher Leonard.) His skill is in negotiations; working on what's actually brought to the table, not what lurks behind closed doors. But, in discussing table issues with activists in other parts of the world, Rhodes is able to shed light on the similarity of tactics:
Roughly the last third of Rhodes' book deals with China - mapping out why it currently remains the world's largest threat. It seems that the Chinese government took a hard look at America (with a scalpel), concluding that democracy and liberalism simply didn't work (or at least that's what they tell its citizens). Rhodes concludes:
Asked about Biden in a recent interview promoting this book, Rhodes stated that he believes Biden needs to exhibit a fierce stand on protecting our democracy. His book tells us why. Since Biden took office, the [R]s have apparently hardly slept. They're determined to make Biden a one-term (if not a "2-year") President.
In his earnest, heartfelt and wonderfully written work, Rhodes reminds us of just how delicate and brutal a process it is to maintain Democracy. I hope the White House is paying attention. Now that we... seem to... have things back on-track... it could all too quickly slip away in 2022. In that sense, 'After The Fall' is a cautionary tale.
Which brings me to Ben Rhodes - former National Security Adviser to Obama and the author of this follow-up to his WH memoir, 'The World As It Is' (which I have now ordered).
From listening to him in interviews and panel discussions, Rhodes seems not only pleasant and non-threatening but he also seems to share my skepticism. He's progressive in the sense that many would find more palatable than, say, the moderators for The Young Turks (who can be viewed, not at all legitimately, as "strident").
Rhodes admits to a current anger:
From the moment I left the White House, I was often told by others with ambitions for future government service that I should be less angry, more circumspect in my comments. To assume a public role as an angry person was, in American politics, to define yourself as a less serious person, an identity that has become more dangerous for a Democrat to assume than a Republican: a partisan. To attack prominent people, even Republicans who had more than earned the attacks, was to deal yourself out of future positions that require the confirmation votes of Senate Republicans or the acceptance of a Washington society that wants people to pretend to like each other, even--perhaps especially--when they don't. But I kept returning to rage, for reasons that I didn't really consider.
This observation by the former speechwriter served to echo the sentiment that DC is "Hollywood for ugly people." Like insecure actors who are never sure of where their next (perhaps significant) role may be coming from, Washington politicians (in particular) have to use diplomacy with each other in a bullshit way that masks their true feelings. ~even though it doesn't, really.
When Rhodes no longer had a job in the White House, he put some serious thought into how his next move would best serve not only himself but his fellow Americans. The result is this book.
Rhodes decided to tap into international voices (specifically certain ones in Hungary, Russia and China) to gain insight into attacks on Democracy similar to the constant onslaught of the T---p (ahem) 'administration'. I wouldn't say that what he discovered gave him hope, necessarily, but it bolstered him with the conviction that, no matter where you are, the struggle for real democracy will never be over. It's never "a done thing". As we're told in Levitsky and Ziblatt's 'How Democracies Die', things just shift - authoritarians who rise up the world over borrow from and expand on each other's playbooks - and citizens can never really rest.
Here in America, even though we're experiencing a sort-of respite from T---p's shitshow, that's all it sort-of is: a respite. It's certainly not over. How long, for example, will we be reeling from the 2010 Citizens United decision, which keeps dark money in politics very much alive and kicking, determining just about every other governmental decision to date?
Rhodes doesn't spend much time on dark money, other than recognizing it. (One needs to also read things like 'Dark Money' by Jane Mayer and 'Kochland' by Christopher Leonard.) His skill is in negotiations; working on what's actually brought to the table, not what lurks behind closed doors. But, in discussing table issues with activists in other parts of the world, Rhodes is able to shed light on the similarity of tactics:
I asked Maria [Stepanova, Russian writer / journalist] how she felt things had changed since the 1990s, that time of humiliation and hopefulness. "The nineties were about the future," she said. "Now everything is about the past. But not the actual, historical past." Instead, she said, leaders like Putin, Orban [in Hungary] and Trump invented a past to suit their needs. "There is an enchantment and obsession with the past, but it is a fictional reality that doesn't have anything real."
Roughly the last third of Rhodes' book deals with China - mapping out why it currently remains the world's largest threat. It seems that the Chinese government took a hard look at America (with a scalpel), concluding that democracy and liberalism simply didn't work (or at least that's what they tell its citizens). Rhodes concludes:
Think of American capitalism and culture devoid of liberal values and democratic policies, and you'll get something approximating the Chinese Communist Party.
Asked about Biden in a recent interview promoting this book, Rhodes stated that he believes Biden needs to exhibit a fierce stand on protecting our democracy. His book tells us why. Since Biden took office, the [R]s have apparently hardly slept. They're determined to make Biden a one-term (if not a "2-year") President.
In his earnest, heartfelt and wonderfully written work, Rhodes reminds us of just how delicate and brutal a process it is to maintain Democracy. I hope the White House is paying attention. Now that we... seem to... have things back on-track... it could all too quickly slip away in 2022. In that sense, 'After The Fall' is a cautionary tale.
August 31, 2024
This book was written by the national security advisor for President Obama. It’s a great book to learn about American politics. If you’re interested, you can read my review in the following link to my column. It was written in Chinese, but I find machine translation has performed very well now. It can translate pretty well!
https://www.thenewslens.com/article/1...
https://www.thenewslens.com/article/1...
March 31, 2021
Ben Rhodes provides a voice and narrative to the angst, anger, and disorientation of the past 4 years. Through his eyes we benefit from a unique perspective of going outside ourselves and outside our country. What is America actually fighting for? Where does all this radicalization lead? Do we have a national identity outside of what we aren't? Who is truly American? Has the last 4 years shown who America truly is?
There is an oscillation throughout this book of hope and reality of our current state. There is hope, but it will continue to require many MANY people to believe in it, find it, and stand up for it. There is a sad reality of those who live in non-reality and those who seek to exploit these individuals. We must stay vigilant, aware, and not fall prey to cynicism.
Ben Rhodes speaks a lot about the 9/11 generation who went to Washington. I hope this book finds its way into the hearts of a new generation headed to Washington, perhaps the 2020 generation. Perhaps we will reckon with racial inequality and historic injustice. Building on what the 9/11 generation has created perhaps we will not only fight against what we believe America isn't and actually decide what America is.
I sincerely hope all who find this book in their hands will read with rapt attention to what is possible and find ways to implement a more optimistic tomorrow. Thank you Mr. Rhodes for taking me (and others) on this journey, in such a dark time, and for using the word "hegemony" so much that it is permanently engrained in my vocabulary.
There is an oscillation throughout this book of hope and reality of our current state. There is hope, but it will continue to require many MANY people to believe in it, find it, and stand up for it. There is a sad reality of those who live in non-reality and those who seek to exploit these individuals. We must stay vigilant, aware, and not fall prey to cynicism.
Ben Rhodes speaks a lot about the 9/11 generation who went to Washington. I hope this book finds its way into the hearts of a new generation headed to Washington, perhaps the 2020 generation. Perhaps we will reckon with racial inequality and historic injustice. Building on what the 9/11 generation has created perhaps we will not only fight against what we believe America isn't and actually decide what America is.
I sincerely hope all who find this book in their hands will read with rapt attention to what is possible and find ways to implement a more optimistic tomorrow. Thank you Mr. Rhodes for taking me (and others) on this journey, in such a dark time, and for using the word "hegemony" so much that it is permanently engrained in my vocabulary.
July 27, 2021
Fell a bit flat. Essentially I think the high-quality parts of this book is that it demystifies the lifestyle Rhodes talks about, and it’s occasional summaries of global politics. It’s easy to glamorize being in a position power or influence, I think it’s less common to understand the banality that can accompany those in those positions.
This book was sadly kind of boring. It’s a blow-by-blow the authors life after he was national security advisor, with some grousing about the state of the world. Full of him musing about the differences between power and money. Fascism, history in the modern day, and various conversations reconstructed to suit some overarching point he wants to make. I found myself nodding off.
The surprise Ben expresses in first few chapters that he would be a target for digital espionage rings hollow. As the former National Security Advisor, If you are naive enough to think every major intelligence agency doesn’t already have root access to all of your devices, I have some bridges to sell you.
It continues into some discussions of his travels and while passingly interesting I don’t think they deserve to carry-on for the pages and pages like they did. This could’ve been tightened up to make a much stronger point about America‘s place in the world.
This all results in a meh book. Read his first book instead.
This book was sadly kind of boring. It’s a blow-by-blow the authors life after he was national security advisor, with some grousing about the state of the world. Full of him musing about the differences between power and money. Fascism, history in the modern day, and various conversations reconstructed to suit some overarching point he wants to make. I found myself nodding off.
The surprise Ben expresses in first few chapters that he would be a target for digital espionage rings hollow. As the former National Security Advisor, If you are naive enough to think every major intelligence agency doesn’t already have root access to all of your devices, I have some bridges to sell you.
It continues into some discussions of his travels and while passingly interesting I don’t think they deserve to carry-on for the pages and pages like they did. This could’ve been tightened up to make a much stronger point about America‘s place in the world.
This all results in a meh book. Read his first book instead.
June 9, 2021
If you are a worldo, this book is for you. It is easily my favorite work in international affairs and American foreign policy within recent years. Ben Rhodes does an incredible job tying together the smaller examples that make for an unfortunate larger picture, yet oddly inspirational conclusion. With global trends of authoritarianism and movement away from democracy, it is hard to elaborate on what it means to be American as the U.S. not only bears a large responsibility for these patterns but seemingly looks to be headed in that direction as well. However, Rhodes offers an intellectual insight not to be taken for granted and helps the reader understand that even after the fall, there is hope that America will get back up again.
May 12, 2022
i just really love listening to and learning from Ben Rhodes. his books and essays have led me to view different countries (and our relationships with them) in a new light. and he also somehow, really poignantly, makes me simultaneously so proud to be an American and so starkly aware of our errors and shortcomings.
January 3, 2023
2023, i've committed, means starting to write reviews for my books.
Ben Rhodes is a favorite of mine, someone I've followed for a while and spent a lot of time listening to. His podcast "Pod Save the World" I very much recommend (and anything Crooked Media, for that matter).
As for this book, I was a little disappointed. I listened to the first 20% on audible starting back in august, then restarted listening to it in around october. His reading of his own book was, or at least I found it to be, incredibly bland and uninspiring. This surprised me because I am so familiar with the way he speaks so fluidly on his podcasts, so maybe a recording studio is just not his medium? Unsure.
Anyway, I gave up on listening to it and read the rest of the 80% on my kindle over winter break. I found a lot of the section regarding Hungary interesting, but I really feel like this was an autobiography disguised as a policy book. A lot of the information came through his perspective- this meant a lot of insight into his life and his understanding of events, but not necessarily the policy that I was interested in when I went to read the book. I see how someone could read this and appreciate it more for those reasons, but I found it to be nothing exemplary in terms of the wide range of "Hey, look at me, I used to work at the White House and I'm besties with President xyz".
Rhodes is an intelligent writer and speaker, for sure, but as a listener of his podcast, I was disappointed with it.
Ben Rhodes is a favorite of mine, someone I've followed for a while and spent a lot of time listening to. His podcast "Pod Save the World" I very much recommend (and anything Crooked Media, for that matter).
As for this book, I was a little disappointed. I listened to the first 20% on audible starting back in august, then restarted listening to it in around october. His reading of his own book was, or at least I found it to be, incredibly bland and uninspiring. This surprised me because I am so familiar with the way he speaks so fluidly on his podcasts, so maybe a recording studio is just not his medium? Unsure.
Anyway, I gave up on listening to it and read the rest of the 80% on my kindle over winter break. I found a lot of the section regarding Hungary interesting, but I really feel like this was an autobiography disguised as a policy book. A lot of the information came through his perspective- this meant a lot of insight into his life and his understanding of events, but not necessarily the policy that I was interested in when I went to read the book. I see how someone could read this and appreciate it more for those reasons, but I found it to be nothing exemplary in terms of the wide range of "Hey, look at me, I used to work at the White House and I'm besties with President xyz".
Rhodes is an intelligent writer and speaker, for sure, but as a listener of his podcast, I was disappointed with it.
December 3, 2021
What do the persona of Nemtsov, Skripal, Navalny, Khashoggi, Snowden, Assange, or even the Dalai Lama have in common? They were all prosecuted, shunned, banished, injured, or even killed with the more or less obvious involvement of the respective government that they were criticizing. Rhodes, himself a victim of relentless right-wing propaganda media and conspiracy theorists in the USA, travels the world and talks to the family members of dissidents (Hungary, Russia) and to anonymous protesters (Hong Kong) who are fighting to be heard. The author tries to put the new and evolving authoritarianism throughout the world into perspective and sheds a critical light on how the USA played a leading role in creating this hostile environment ever since the fall of the Iron Curtain. The arming of Muslim factions in the 90s, the overreaction to 9/11, the dangerous wars it created, the unregulated investment banking crash of 2008, the idleness concerning Syria, social media, Trump; all these issues helped break the Pax Americana, leaving strongmen around the planet with new choices. An excellent read, all stars from me.
The plain fact that oil interests did motivate our concern over the tiny desert kingdom of Kuwait, and would blind our nation to the looming danger of climate change. Or the fact that the liberated Kuwaitis lived not under a democratic government but under a king. Or the fact that after the quick war, Saddam slaughtered the Iraqi Shias and Kurds whom we had encouraged to rise up against his rule, hardening tensions among Iraq's sectarian groups in ways that would shape my own time in the White House. Or the fact that the stationing of troops in Saudi Arabia, the heart of the Islamic world that I knew nothing about, would trigger Osama bin Laden - a man who had received CIA support during the 1980s - to start a terrorist organization named al-Qaeda that would bring the war to my hometown, creating a peculiar set of circumstances that would lead America back into war in Iraq under the leadership of George H. W. Bush's own son. Those were the shadows of things unseen.
The plain fact that oil interests did motivate our concern over the tiny desert kingdom of Kuwait, and would blind our nation to the looming danger of climate change. Or the fact that the liberated Kuwaitis lived not under a democratic government but under a king. Or the fact that after the quick war, Saddam slaughtered the Iraqi Shias and Kurds whom we had encouraged to rise up against his rule, hardening tensions among Iraq's sectarian groups in ways that would shape my own time in the White House. Or the fact that the stationing of troops in Saudi Arabia, the heart of the Islamic world that I knew nothing about, would trigger Osama bin Laden - a man who had received CIA support during the 1980s - to start a terrorist organization named al-Qaeda that would bring the war to my hometown, creating a peculiar set of circumstances that would lead America back into war in Iraq under the leadership of George H. W. Bush's own son. Those were the shadows of things unseen.
June 6, 2021
"After the Fall" is an excellently written book that is equally alarming and comforting in its diagnosis regarding the nationalist and right wing direction that both America and the world at large has taken in recent years. It's alarming in the sense that when you compare what Republicans are doing at home now - via propaganda media machines, decrying "fake news", denying facts and truth, and instituting increasingly authoritarian voter suppression laws - to the creations of other strongmen type regimes around the globe, like Russia, China, and Hungary, you realize it's not that different at all. But at the same time, the book allows the reader to take comfort in the fact that each generation has had their own struggle against fascism; has had the same debate regarding Democracy vs. Autocracy, and this is the newest iteration. Dare I say this book is also inspiring in the sense that it demonstrates that all around the world there are people in every single country, no matter how oppressive the government under which they live, who are willing to risk it all for Democracy and better lives for the majority; people who realize that what unites us in the end is our common human experience and our desire for dignity and decency.
Rhodes' book gets to the core of America's downward trajectory since the fall of the Berlin Wall, through 9/11 which changed the course of our History and goals as a nation for decades to come, through its acceleration during the 2008 financial crisis, which finally led us to its natural conclusion - the election of Donald J. Trump. Once the world's most respected superpower, we are no longer the envy of the world or the moral beacon we used to proclaim to be - largely due to our own doing, both at home and abroad, where we tried to shape things in our image. Is that a bad thing? Sure, in a sense. But in another sense, it allows us an opportunity to have the debate and turn inward to reflect on who we truly are and what we want to be; how we want to be seen by the rest of the world; our new global standing allows us to build ourselves up again into that fabled shining city on the hill that's a beacon of light for other nations to aspire to (assuming we are willing to fight back the rise of domestic authoritarianism and get more Americans engaged in politics), and - in the meantime - learn from our mistakes at home and abroad, while learning from the successes and failures of other countries.
All of this is fascinating enough, but the real hook in this novel for me was Rhodes' struggle to define what it means to be American in today's day and age; how to reconcile what we learned about our country growing up, with the reality of what our country actually was and is, and what our country has become in recent years. Are we a nation made up of a majority of inherently bad people - white supremacists and racists? Are we a nation made up of a majority of compassionate people who feel left behind and downtrodden, who have become so desperate for change they were (and many, still are) willing to burn it all to the ground? Are we a multiethnic and cultural nation of immigrants, who have blended together into a diverse melting pot made up of different ideologies, religions, and politics? Are we all of these things together, and if so, how we do move forward as one nation - one "United States"? These are all questions I've grappled with myself in recent years, since truly becoming more politically and historically aware, and I appreciated seeing them tackled head on in this novel.
Ben Rhodes' is a master writer and storyteller, and it's no wonder President Obama entrusted him to write so many of his speeches and to be one of his most senior and trusted advisors. I'm envious of people like him - and people like Stacey Abrams - who are clearly so talented in the political arena, yet their talents are so multi-faceted, they can make the jump so easily to writing full blown novels. Rhodes' previous book, "The World as We Know It" was so good, I didn't think there was any way he'd be able to top it with this one. However, he somehow managed it, and I can't recommend enough picking up this book and giving it a read - especially if you're an American, struggling to make sense of what's happened to the country you call home nowadays. Five out of Five stars, this is absolutely a must read. This book is definitely going to stay with me for a long, long time.
Rhodes' book gets to the core of America's downward trajectory since the fall of the Berlin Wall, through 9/11 which changed the course of our History and goals as a nation for decades to come, through its acceleration during the 2008 financial crisis, which finally led us to its natural conclusion - the election of Donald J. Trump. Once the world's most respected superpower, we are no longer the envy of the world or the moral beacon we used to proclaim to be - largely due to our own doing, both at home and abroad, where we tried to shape things in our image. Is that a bad thing? Sure, in a sense. But in another sense, it allows us an opportunity to have the debate and turn inward to reflect on who we truly are and what we want to be; how we want to be seen by the rest of the world; our new global standing allows us to build ourselves up again into that fabled shining city on the hill that's a beacon of light for other nations to aspire to (assuming we are willing to fight back the rise of domestic authoritarianism and get more Americans engaged in politics), and - in the meantime - learn from our mistakes at home and abroad, while learning from the successes and failures of other countries.
All of this is fascinating enough, but the real hook in this novel for me was Rhodes' struggle to define what it means to be American in today's day and age; how to reconcile what we learned about our country growing up, with the reality of what our country actually was and is, and what our country has become in recent years. Are we a nation made up of a majority of inherently bad people - white supremacists and racists? Are we a nation made up of a majority of compassionate people who feel left behind and downtrodden, who have become so desperate for change they were (and many, still are) willing to burn it all to the ground? Are we a multiethnic and cultural nation of immigrants, who have blended together into a diverse melting pot made up of different ideologies, religions, and politics? Are we all of these things together, and if so, how we do move forward as one nation - one "United States"? These are all questions I've grappled with myself in recent years, since truly becoming more politically and historically aware, and I appreciated seeing them tackled head on in this novel.
Ben Rhodes' is a master writer and storyteller, and it's no wonder President Obama entrusted him to write so many of his speeches and to be one of his most senior and trusted advisors. I'm envious of people like him - and people like Stacey Abrams - who are clearly so talented in the political arena, yet their talents are so multi-faceted, they can make the jump so easily to writing full blown novels. Rhodes' previous book, "The World as We Know It" was so good, I didn't think there was any way he'd be able to top it with this one. However, he somehow managed it, and I can't recommend enough picking up this book and giving it a read - especially if you're an American, struggling to make sense of what's happened to the country you call home nowadays. Five out of Five stars, this is absolutely a must read. This book is definitely going to stay with me for a long, long time.
May 17, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed Ben Rhodes's memoir about his time in the Obama administration The World As It Is which was a nice mix of personal memoir and information about what was going on during the Obama years with an emphasis on foreign policy. Most of the other memoirs I've read from that era focused more on domestic issues. Ben's newest book After the Fall: Being American in the World We've Made focuses on how the world has changed in the years since the 2016 election, as well as earlier factors that now can clearly be seen as earlier signs. We have taken American exceptionalism for granted, and now America and the world are being polarized. American inventions, such as popular social media networks now can be used for propaganda and are echo chambers. There is a rise of authoritarianism and nationalism in the world. Rhodes highlights these changes in three countries: Hungary, Russia, and China.
Hungary is a country that was an open democracy that turns to a largely authoritarian one in a short time period. They were greatly affected by the 2008 financial crisis (thanks America). He spends a lot of his section on Russia highlighting conversations with Alex Navalny who has continued to be in the news post-poisoning. Now is the case with many leaders that there is an enchantment/obsession with the past, but it is a fictional reality. He then pivots in the last section about the rise of China in the world. He quotes Adam Schiff who compares Putin's Russia as a threat of a wounded animal, while China is a threat of a growing, strengthening, burgeoning power. There is a huge emphasis on the importance of technology, and the power and influence of Chinese money around the world. With Trump abandoning international influence, it left a vacuum for China to fill.
This book clearly describes the world at a crucial pivot point. I appreciated the mix of interviews, more global takes, and personal experiences having lived through much leading up to the world we're currently in. I do not know how much hope there is, but certainly I can see it as a call for action.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.
Hungary is a country that was an open democracy that turns to a largely authoritarian one in a short time period. They were greatly affected by the 2008 financial crisis (thanks America). He spends a lot of his section on Russia highlighting conversations with Alex Navalny who has continued to be in the news post-poisoning. Now is the case with many leaders that there is an enchantment/obsession with the past, but it is a fictional reality. He then pivots in the last section about the rise of China in the world. He quotes Adam Schiff who compares Putin's Russia as a threat of a wounded animal, while China is a threat of a growing, strengthening, burgeoning power. There is a huge emphasis on the importance of technology, and the power and influence of Chinese money around the world. With Trump abandoning international influence, it left a vacuum for China to fill.
This book clearly describes the world at a crucial pivot point. I appreciated the mix of interviews, more global takes, and personal experiences having lived through much leading up to the world we're currently in. I do not know how much hope there is, but certainly I can see it as a call for action.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.
June 18, 2021
Ben Rhodes started his political career working for Lee Hamilton, a former IN politician who led the 9/11 Commission. He worked for 8 years in the Obama White House, and now he's on the 'outside', looking at the ruins of not only our country with the election of 2016, but to a growing toxic populism popping up all over the world.
The US leads the nation...in economic growth, unleased capitalism, in a free social media, and in injecting the military into our foreign policies. And we are exporting them...the world is not better for that.
Rhodes travels the world, focusing on Hong Kong, Hungary, and Russia. He finds dissidents in each country who speak to their struggles...and Rhodes draws the connections to our own country...All three of these countries have watched and taken lessons from our free-wheeling behavior. They have been turned over to heartless despots who worship power. And these leaders have weaponized their economies, social media, and militaries.
Trump was not a cause of any of this world-wide horror...but he was another would-be despot and he is still a threat.
So, we got ourselves into this mess...how do we get out?
The US leads the nation...in economic growth, unleased capitalism, in a free social media, and in injecting the military into our foreign policies. And we are exporting them...the world is not better for that.
Rhodes travels the world, focusing on Hong Kong, Hungary, and Russia. He finds dissidents in each country who speak to their struggles...and Rhodes draws the connections to our own country...All three of these countries have watched and taken lessons from our free-wheeling behavior. They have been turned over to heartless despots who worship power. And these leaders have weaponized their economies, social media, and militaries.
Trump was not a cause of any of this world-wide horror...but he was another would-be despot and he is still a threat.
So, we got ourselves into this mess...how do we get out?
August 8, 2022
“American democracy doesn’t offer us immunity from human fallibility, but it does offer second chances”
Teetering to a 4.5. Just so well written. attributing foreign policy and history to actual figures and people who are part of ongoing struggles worldwide. Also it feels like I’m unintentionally on the pursuit to read a book by most people who worked in the Obama admin woops.
Teetering to a 4.5. Just so well written. attributing foreign policy and history to actual figures and people who are part of ongoing struggles worldwide. Also it feels like I’m unintentionally on the pursuit to read a book by most people who worked in the Obama admin woops.
July 28, 2021
Interesting/scary stuff, but I thought it was structured in kind of a weird way and I think it could've been shorter.
August 16, 2021
I didn't know what to expect of this book, it seemed pessimistic and indeed it was but also hopeful. Ben Rhodes writes like a speech writer, it's pithy short thoughts that cycle back to themselves and end on a memorable phrase. It's good. And he's thoughtful and keen to listen to people of various cultures and from different countries. He wants to portray America through the international lens because perhaps that will bring clarity to this crisis of national identity. I find his critique and perspectives gained from his international network and his time in government greatly needed in the current discourse. I think that many people will tune him out because he is not shy about his political leanings and his loyalty to the Democratic party. But I urge those people to read and consider. He's not unbiased but he did earn his knowledge and experience. And some way I don't think there's any way to be unbiased when everything framed as binary when it's not. To stand for Truth in an era of no truth is to be biased.
His main thesis is that we are living in the world America made. And everything that has transpired in the last decades since the Cold War is molded American action or inaction, by our aspirations and our hypocrisy, by our economic impact and cultural domination. However, we have been on a path of self imposed war on itself and continued self destruction. And in the places that we fall, political and economic forces surge to fill our place. China, Russia and Hungary are specifically given an analysis. I gained the most from his analysis of China. The reason I have always been interested in the relationship between the US and China and the immense power being wielded by these two countries. China is rapidly overtaking the US in influence, economic and cultural power in the world. The era that we are entering is one that China will bring. Take this as you will, but it can't be denied.
There is a wave of authoritarian right wing governments taking power globally and there's a vulnerability to strong men with nationalist messages. Ask yourself why. There's also the effects of late stage capitalism and corruption on the highest levels of the economic stage. Ask yourself how this continues to happen. Ben Rhodes does the good work of bringing these issues to light for the readers of his book. People who want to know what's happening in the US and how it connects to the world.
Writing: A
Premise A+
Research: A
His main thesis is that we are living in the world America made. And everything that has transpired in the last decades since the Cold War is molded American action or inaction, by our aspirations and our hypocrisy, by our economic impact and cultural domination. However, we have been on a path of self imposed war on itself and continued self destruction. And in the places that we fall, political and economic forces surge to fill our place. China, Russia and Hungary are specifically given an analysis. I gained the most from his analysis of China. The reason I have always been interested in the relationship between the US and China and the immense power being wielded by these two countries. China is rapidly overtaking the US in influence, economic and cultural power in the world. The era that we are entering is one that China will bring. Take this as you will, but it can't be denied.
There is a wave of authoritarian right wing governments taking power globally and there's a vulnerability to strong men with nationalist messages. Ask yourself why. There's also the effects of late stage capitalism and corruption on the highest levels of the economic stage. Ask yourself how this continues to happen. Ben Rhodes does the good work of bringing these issues to light for the readers of his book. People who want to know what's happening in the US and how it connects to the world.
Writing: A
Premise A+
Research: A
December 23, 2023
3.5 stars.
The book is at its best when Rhodes takes different countries as individual case studies for the global rise of authoritarianism and discusses America’s history with that region. The underlying thesis of the book—that the conflicts of the 20th century were about ideology and the conflicts of the 21st century are about identity—is deeply insightful. His observation that the United States rose to power as a country in opposition—first to the Nazis and then to the USSR—has struggled with unified identity without a diametrically opposed ideology and the resulting creation of the War on Terror is also fascinating.
The last quarter of the book is a bit squishy and it loses its strong structure as Rhodes dives into the American view of the world abroad. There are some great passages here—his interaction with the West Virginia Obama-Trump voter, for example—but it works less well overall. The book also took a dip for me as it became increasingly clear that he was not going to cover countries like Brazil or Argentina or Israel.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It is not a starter text and does require some basic knowledge of Rhodes and his career and some basic world history/political knowledge to enjoy, I think.
The book is at its best when Rhodes takes different countries as individual case studies for the global rise of authoritarianism and discusses America’s history with that region. The underlying thesis of the book—that the conflicts of the 20th century were about ideology and the conflicts of the 21st century are about identity—is deeply insightful. His observation that the United States rose to power as a country in opposition—first to the Nazis and then to the USSR—has struggled with unified identity without a diametrically opposed ideology and the resulting creation of the War on Terror is also fascinating.
The last quarter of the book is a bit squishy and it loses its strong structure as Rhodes dives into the American view of the world abroad. There are some great passages here—his interaction with the West Virginia Obama-Trump voter, for example—but it works less well overall. The book also took a dip for me as it became increasingly clear that he was not going to cover countries like Brazil or Argentina or Israel.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It is not a starter text and does require some basic knowledge of Rhodes and his career and some basic world history/political knowledge to enjoy, I think.
June 8, 2021
This is an excellent, though quite sober, analysis of the state of the world we now find ourselves in. Rhodes addresses the rise of autocratic governments around the world, specifically exploring the countries of Hungary, Russia, and China. His analysis is done in light of how American power, used and misused, since the end of the Cold War has shaped this world. He also explores how the American abandonment of democratic principles during the Trump administration has exacerbated the lurch to the right in many countries and scared those nations who depend upon us the most. Rhodes also clearly lays out the risks before us as a nation and as the preeminent super power. These risks we confront include the rise of China as a global superpower, as well as the rise of racist nationalism within. Highly recommend this book.
January 22, 2023
This was possibly the most open and realistic appraisal of American democracy and foreign policy I've ever read from an American. Rhodes draws on his experience in government - including accepting his mistakes - and offers a unique insight into the rise of autocracy at home and abroad.
Rhodes' analysis of the post-9/11 moment and the wasted years of American hegemony is arguably even more striking than that of the decline of American democracy. Looking at America's failure to stick to their own core principles when given untrammelled power in the world, and how this failure ultimately emboldened authoritarians everywhere and created the security environment in which we now live, Rhodes' discussion is raw and authoritative.
Pleasantly surprised by this, which while it does have its flaws, is an honest discussion of what it means to be American, and the extent to which this involves taking responsibility for today's issues.
Rhodes' analysis of the post-9/11 moment and the wasted years of American hegemony is arguably even more striking than that of the decline of American democracy. Looking at America's failure to stick to their own core principles when given untrammelled power in the world, and how this failure ultimately emboldened authoritarians everywhere and created the security environment in which we now live, Rhodes' discussion is raw and authoritative.
Pleasantly surprised by this, which while it does have its flaws, is an honest discussion of what it means to be American, and the extent to which this involves taking responsibility for today's issues.
August 6, 2021
I have a hard time with Rhodes bc our opinions tend to align and so it's hard for me to say if this is actually good or just reflected opinions we share. I do like that time he spends reckoning with the Obama administration.
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