disinformation

‘A Firehose of Falsehood’ is a must read!

A Good Reed Review Book Review , , ,

By Ande Jacobson

A brilliant new book entitled A Firehose of Falsehood: The Story of Disinformation written by Teri Kanefield and illustrated by Pat Dorian is finally available to all (as of 13 February 2024). You can buy your copy at your favorite brick and mortar bookseller, order it online, or borrow it from your local library. In August 2023, I had the opportunity to review a pre-publication copy of this stunning work, and it packed a punch. I more recently received a pre-publication hardcover copy of the book which I was eager to see. Although it was the same material as the digital version I previously reviewed, it was even more gripping in hardcover. This is a must-read book for everyone. A Firehose of Falsehood is a graphic novel, and as such, the illustrations are an integral and powerful part of the story. Kanefield wrote the informative and entertaining prose, and Dorian’s breathtaking four-color illustrations make this book also a work of art. Continue reading →

Wear a raincoat!

A Good Reed Review Book Review , , , ,

By Ande Jacobson

I recently received a review copy of an upcoming book by Teri Kanefield and illustrator Pat Dorian that’s coming out in February 2024, and it’s a good one. Their new book entitled, A Firehose of Falsehood: The Story of Disinformation, is a graphic novel providing an extremely well-sourced history and use of disinformation and the damage it can do. Many of the scenes depicted are fictionalized accounts to illustrate aspects of how disinformation grew into the powerful, malevolent tool it has become. It’s not new and in fact has its origins in ancient times. The ways in which disinformation is deployed have evolved with our technology to the point where it’s become so ubiquitous, it’s often hard for people to recognize. In the end, the only real protection we have is to wear a figurative raincoat to protect ourselves from its onslaught and be ever vigilant in verifying the information we consume through reputable sources. That raincoat consists of awareness, education, and care. It takes effort, but the alternative is bleak. This upcoming book is considered a crossover YA/Adult work, and as I was reading, it sparked a bit of Rocky and Bullwinkle nostalgia in the sense that it seemed to hit on multiple levels. Continue reading →

The dangers of disinformation in a compelling novel

A Good Reed Review Book Review , , ,

By Ande Jacobson

Teri Kanefield is many things. She’s a former appellate defense lawyer who helped those who couldn’t afford representation. She’s an educator who taught at the high school and college level. She’s an author who has published informative works of nonfiction as well as compelling novels. And most recently, she’s tirelessly working to educate the public in hopes of helping people understand the political and legal minefield that has been thrust upon us by the rising authoritarian threat. She’s paraphrased Max Weber in numerous blog posts and social media commentary regarding the three types of political authority. Those include:

  1. Traditional authority: Defined by long-held cultural patterns. These vary depending on the culture and can include religious or monarchical rulers.
  2. Charismatic authority: This is the foundation for a strongman or a dictator. This authority stems from one who captures the attention of the population, often through legitimate means, then often abuses that power.
  3. Rational-legal authority: This authority is based on a system of laws which is fundamental to a democracy.

Most recently, Kanefield has given her regular readers a gift. After researching and writing her upcoming book on disinformation, she wanted to do more. Seeing the damage that disinformation has done, and following the extraordinary saga that has taken the U.S. from being a world-leading democracy to the brink of an authoritarian takeover, she’s written a short novel that chronicles the path we’ve seen unfold over the last half century. She’s framed it within a fictional construct surrounding the confessions of a true believer who is faced with the horror that he helped unleash when it comes back to threaten his freedom and his life. To date, Kanefield released the story, entitled Memoirs and True Confessions of a Disinformation Warrior, in three lengthy posts on her blog, initially linked from the end of her 18 March 2023 entry about Trump’s imminent arrest. The pieces of the novel can be found here: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Continue reading →