After the Fall: Being American in the World We've Made by Ben Rhodes is a intriguing and timely book that is a perfect fit for readers who are interested in politics, international affairs, and the current state of the world, and are looking for a reflective and informative exploration of the challenges facing liberal democracy and the ways in which individuals can work towards a more hopeful future.

AFTER THE FALL showcases Ben Rhodes' skills as a deft writer and communicator. I started reading this book as I'm a fan of Bed Rhodes on his podcast, Pod Save the World. But, to be truthful, I had to put this book down for a time after the January 6th insurrection, as the topics discussed in the book hit just a little too close to home. After the trials, I decided to pick it up again to help me regain some insight into just how far off the rails we've come as a nation - and how it happened.

At over 300 pages, the book is a lot to digest, but despite presenting a lot of heavy information, doesn't read like a tome. I appreciated the balance of personal narratives with societal analysis. This book is digestible and offers nibbles of hope for what it means to be an American in the 21st century.

This was a very eerie time to be reading this book. Ben gives very interesting insights on his time spent traveling and working in international affairs. He spoke to countless folks all over the world in the writing of this book, and I very much enjoyed hearing their perspective. It was a little long, but overall very interesting and insightful.

Rhodes covers decades of history that have shaped our place on the world stage without zooming out too far to be a history book and without zooming in too much to fit into "biography" territory. I loved his behind the scenes insights into foreign policy and the occasional Obama cameo, but what drove most of my interest were the interviews. I'll definitely be reading everything else he's written.

Ben Rhodes offers a unique perspective that I deeply appreciate and anticipate. His role in the Obama White House offers a point of view that starts from a place of hope and gives insight into the a direction of despair.

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.

I have read Ben Rhodes previous work, and am consistently impressed with his insight and thoughtful way of presenting facts. He is a voice of reason, and that is much needed these days. Recommended!

Such an interesting, depressing and frankly frightening book. Rhodes can definitely write, and the book is told through vignettes of his recent interactions with people from all over the world (leaders and strongmen, activists and citizens) contrasted with scenes from his life growing up during the Cold War and post-Cold War American Empire, and the narratives really pull the reader in. Very thought-provoking.

I received a reviewer copy of After the Fall by Ben Rhodes from the publisher Random House from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

CW: Autocratic Regimes, Abuse of Citizens by autocratic regimes (disappearing, poisoning, murder, etc.), abuses of privacy, discussions of 9/11.

What It’s About: Ben Rhodes, a former Obama staffer, was shocked and horrified by the election of Donald J. Trump and wanted to understand what happened. As a foreign affairs guy, he turned to other countries that had experienced a shift from democracy to autocracy, specifically Hungary, China, and Russia and studied the history, spoke to activists, and learned what was going on.

What I Loved: I loved Ben Rhodes’s White House memoir and was so excited for this new book. This book I think is the one Ben Rhodes truly wanted to write it is rich in political history, theory, and activism. It highlights his foreign policy experience and you can tell. This book is well written and provides important interviews and discussions with activists to highlight how to deal with the increasingly right wing authoritarianism. This book is useful to understand what is going on around the world right now and how we got there. I particularly loved the insight about the role of the patriot act and it’s connection to the turn to authoritarianism. Interesting and important information.

What I Didn't Like So Much: Honestly, I felt this book was a bit dense, this book feels like a book for foreign policy nerds and people who are deep into the political landscape. I think that this book is much more academic and if this topic doesn’t sound really interesting you, I would pass. This book is certainly important but you need to have some of the political background for it to work, I think. Maybe I’m biased, but I definitely enjoyed the memoir more.

Who Should Read This: People who are interested in foreign policy. People who want to better understand how the Trump administration fits in with global trends without having to read about Trump.

Quick Summary: A thorough discussion of the tilt of our world away from democracy towards authoritarianism.

AFTER THE FALL by Ben Rhodes is subtitled "Being American in the World We've Made." Rhodes, former Deputy National Security Advisor and co-host of Pod Save the World, writes "to be American in 2020 was to live in a country diminished in the world, unwilling to control the spread of disease or face up to our racism, and looking over the precipice of abandoning the very democracy that was supposed to be the solid core of our national identity. Understanding how that happened is the starting point to figuring out how to move forward." He then writes hopefully about being "joined together to do big things." The text itself is divided into four parts: The Authoritarian Playbook; the Counterrevolution; the Chinese Dream; and Who We Are: Being American. To write this book, Rhodes travelled the world and he describes multiple conversations and observations, particularly in regards to growing nationalist appeals and leadership in Hungary, Russia, and China. Rhodes seems to see the 2008 financial crisis as an inflection point where the average person felt left behind by the elites. In some ways, it explains the views of US voters who struggled to decide between Bernie and Trump, but Rhodes goes farther, pointing out a "more disturbing reality that the world was basically a reflection of America's post-Cold War identity, our prioritization of money, post-9/11 militarism, and technology." This book is certainly partisan and disturbing at times; AFTER THE FALL raises issues and will make readers think.

Ben Rhodes is a beautiful writer and has such wonderful insight into world politics from his experience in the Obama administration. This book really is ambitious and is a great read about the rise of authoritarianism around the world. A must-read for Worldos. IYKYK.

I loved The World As It Is and I am regular listener to Pod Save the World so this one was highly anticipated for me. Overall, I think it is a solid non-fiction book that is a strong companion to Pod Save the World and serves as an interesting follow up to The World As It Is and also Obama's first presidential memoir. Rhodes does a good job of explaining the current state of world affairs and I think provides a good thesis of how we got here. I felt that the final chapters that seemed meant to provide a path forward were a bit less satisfying. I really liked the hope that The World As It Is provided, but didn't get that as much from this one. That may just be an accurate depiction of where things are in the world.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy of this book.

Seeing hope fade and watching disillusionment set in is a common theme to drop on your character in fiction. Crush the protagonist down to the ground, ruin all the noble works the protagonist has strived for, make the protagonist doubt everything that made the protagonist what they are, and yet they still go on and persevere . And write books. Applause from the audience maybe a few tears.

In nonfiction it's really a bummer, because we don't all get up, the bad guys win, and your dreams and the dreams of billions or others are crushed for a few bucks, or because regulation stifles growth. Or whatever greed uses to defend itself.

Ben Rhodes' new book After the Fall: Being American in the World We've Made is a lot of soul crushing, a few hopeful ideas, but not enough to get excited about. Going from "Yes We Can" to "No He Can't" was a shock to Mr. Rhodes, one that set him off traveling the world, trying to see this frightened new world that Trump was remaking.

And it is not good. Three countries in particular earn his attention and comments, Hungary, China and Russia. Sure they are authoritarian, but how much have they learned by watching us is a good question he raises. He also discusses the current generation effected so much by 9/11 fears and wasted opportunities, in an attempt at answers. But there doesn't seem to really be any. No one wants to admit they are wrong, no one wants to admit the other side might be right. Why pay attention to experts when your phone will find the truth you want to hear most. The truth that agrees with you.

Still this is a good, book, with a lot of insider stories, an insights. But it doesn't help that the race for the bottom is already going way to fast to stop. Hopefully when we hit something will bounce back.

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.

This book is amazing! It's Rhodes'' memoir about the Trump Years but it's so much more than that! It's an exploration of the negative effects of globalization, unchecked nationalism, authoritarianism and the struggle between authoritarianism and democracy. and how thin that line is

DISCLAIMER: I am a Worldo ( a fan of Pod Save The World) but that does not affect this review. All opinions are my unbiased opinion

I just love the way Ben Rhodes thinks and writes. He is truly a pleasure to read. He writes in a very passionate way that pulls you in. I would literally read anything this guy publishes. I enjoyed this one and his previous work. Highly, highly recommend. This guy can write. I hope he has MANY books in him. Cannot recommend his work enough.

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.

"After the Fall" by Ben Rhodes, most known for his position as one of Obama's security advisors, is a memoir and historical analysis about the move toward autocracy by many governments around the world and America's influence on this shift. I like how Rhodes described the political and social climate that that led to Trump's election, but at the same time, thankfully, did not make it the focus of this book. "After the Fall" provided me with a thorough education on current events in Hungary, the history of Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union, and the rise of Xi Jingping. He makes a strong connection between these autocratic governments and the shift occurring in the United States. Rhodes also details how the actions of the American government, military, and now big tech, are all contributing factors to how America has been demoted as the world's democratic leader. On this point, it is hard to pinpoint what country is actually living up to democratic ideals, and this is part of the problem. This was a really great book.

Ben Rhodes does it again. Much like his famous former boss, Rhodes is thoughtful and precise with his words - but that doesn't mean he's concise! Rhodes lifts the veil to help us truly understand what "being American" means to those who may not identify in that way, and in doing so makes the reader feel invested in shifting that narrative and getting involved to ensure America never returns to the place we are today.

"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.