Giving Up Is Unforgivable

A Manual for Keeping a Democracy

De: Joyce Vance

Narrado por: Joyce Vance

Instant New York Times bestseller

A political manifesto for our present moment—part history lesson, part call to save the Republic

"Brilliant, galvanizing, and inspirational. A road map to help us find our way out of the darkness." —Mary L. Trump

We’re in this together.

For the past several years, Joyce Vance has signed off posts on her chart-topping Substack, "Civil Discourse", with these four words. In that time, she has guided readers through a continued erosion of democratic norms, the unprecedented felony conviction of an ex-president, and the constitutionally calamitous beginning to the second Trump administration. Here, Vance offers a blueprint for avoiding burnout and despair, and for strengthening our democratic muscle.

Giving Up Is Unforgivable is a clarion call to action, putting our current crisis in historical context and sketching out a vision for where we go next. Vance’s message is hopeful at its heart, even as it acknowledges the daunting challenges that lie ahead. She is the constitutional law professor you never knew you needed, explaining the legal context and the political history— and why the rule of the law still matters. At the same time, she empowers the reader to do something, both as individuals and collectively.

Consider this the birth of a countermovement to Project 2025, a rallying cry for citizen engagement to combat the second Trump administration and save American democracy.

Clear and concise

Joyce Vance has made the persuasive case that no knight in shining armor is coming to save us. WE must save ourselves. This book provides a way forward with practical ideas that we can all practice to help get our democracy back on the right path. I’m on it, Joyce! Thank you for all your hard work and clarity. Sincerely, Tammy

In listening to the audio book of Vance’s voice, you will be restored!

I was delighted by the wonderful trip through Democracy: it’s foundation and its face today! She’s written a thoughtfully stark contrast between what our Constitution means and how it’s been mistreated! For me, someone who lives in a blue state and mostly gets to claim of their congressmen, “they get it,” I was greatly inspired by Vance’s call to action and the specifics of her road map to responsibility. This book is for you and for everyone you know who is a proud American! FYI: No chickens!

Uplifting and Actionable

Really well written and read. Lots of examples to clarify points. Very informative. Highly recommend! A+++

Power of the People

Joyce Vance has inspired

Kryptonite to Kings

We were never meant to kneel,
No thrones built on borrowed will.
They rise on whispers, fall to truth —
The people’s pulse, electric proof.

You can crown yourself with gold and lies,
But power bends where courage flies.
For every crown that pride begins,
The people are kryptonite to kings.

Important Information

Non-partisan information about how ALL of us can unite to protect democracy. Context from the past with hope for the future. Equal parts inspiring and practical.

Excellent in every way

This is an excellent book for all Americans to have in their library. Engaging, authentic, with meaningful historical references, it is a straightforward, no nonsense journey and guide on what must be known, remembered, valued and addressed right now for democracy in the US to survive. It is hopeful and clear on what steps individuals and communites can do and must do to keep the promise of democracy alive and for democracy to flourish in our communities and in the country. The author, Joyce Vance, reads her work and has a wonderful voice and cadence. I could listen to her all day.

Good history lesson, but not much else

Vance clearly has a reverence for the American system of government, and the Constitutional foundations upon which it rests. This book is a good high-level summary of the structure and history of our democracy.

But it falls pretty far short if you’re hoping for much more than that. The section about what to do in the face of the current threats to our democracy is essentially a list of ways in which you can be a good citizen. Vote! Host a book club and pick books about our history / democracy. Push back on efforts to make voting harder.

A “manual” suggests a step-by-step guide to how to get something done. And when that thing is as audacious as “keeping our democracy” (not a given in the current political climate). Actually, perhaps it comes down to “keeping” our democracy (a generally passive thing - more like maintenance or tending a garden), vs “saving”… from those who wish it harm it. This book would be appropriate for a time when maintenance would be called for - but it’s insufficient for the current time.

In many ways, this insufficiency reflects the general approach of the old guard of the Democratic Party. It assumes that the forces that threaten our democracy are playing by the old rules, and it recommends classic and virtuous means for counteracting them. I fear that this mindset isn’t going to get the job done.

For a more tactical/pragmatic approach to this challenge, I’d recommend David Pepper’s book on this topic.