Resisters
A thought-provoking and illuminating exploration of key modern figures of resistance from the 20th and 21st centuries.
Tzvetan Todorov’s new work presents a range of the most important resistance figures of our era. Although born into different regions and social classes, these historical figures all renounced a stable life and their personal demons in order to defend human rights through peaceful resistance.
Todorov explores the lives of Dutch World War II diarist Etty Hillesum and French resistance fighter Germaine Tillion, dissident writers Boris Pasternak and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, and political activists Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X, David Shulman, and even Edward Snowden. Resisters places each of their lives into a broader historical vision, emphasizing their struggles to reconcile personal ethics with human rights.
These figures’ individual quests transcend each of their personal, heroic, and at times tragic stories. Yet by drawing the reader into their diverse experiences and historical contexts, Resisters calls on us to reflect on our own values and beliefs in order to live them fully, whether in the sphere of our private lives or through civic engagement.