How to Start a War: The Rise of Extremism, the Fall of Democracy, and the Lead Up to World War II

Summary

How To Start a War is unlike any audiobook you’ve ever listened to …

This new and expanded edition includes the complete story arc of How To Start a War, unabridged and with significant new material, as the author originally intended.

Adapted from the popular podcast miniseries of the same name, Michael Trapani immerses listeners in the dramatic events that led to the crime of the century—World War II and the Holocaust—documenting the actions of the criminals who carried it out. Listeners will feel like they are in the room as some of history’s most villainous characters plot to overthrow democracy, impose tyranny, and outmaneuver those who had the power to stop them. Importantly, How To Start a War is a story from the past that can help us understand our world today, with each chapter connecting lessons from history to domestic and geopolitical events of the present day.

This presentation includes an exclusive chapter not available in the original series: entitled “Risk,” it describes Germany’s first gambles on the world stage and the resulting international fallout. It pinpoints the very moment that the world realized it could not trust Hitler.

A gripping blend of narrative storytelling and dramatized scenes and characters, How To Start A War feels like a Golden Age radio drama. Far from a dry history lesson, How To Start a War is a resonant and compelling story about what happens when good people do nothing to stop the worst evils while they still can.