Preview
  • Information Wars

  • How We Lost the Global Battle Against Disinformation and What We Can Do About It
  • By: Richard Stengel
  • Narrated by: Christopher Grove
  • Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (178 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

Information Wars

By: Richard Stengel
Narrated by: Christopher Grove
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.49

Buy for $21.49

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

During the final three years of the Obama administration, Richard Stengel, the former editor of Time magazine and an Under Secretary of State, was on the front lines of the new global information war. At the time, he was the single person in government tasked with unpacking, disproving, and combating both ISIS's messaging and Russian disinformation. Then, in 2016, as the presidential election unfolded, Stengel watched as Donald Trump used disinformation himself, weaponizing the grievances of Americans who felt overlooked. In fact, Stengel quickly came to see how all three players had used the same playbook: ISIS sought to make Islam great again; Putin tried to make Russia great again; and we all know about Trump.

In a narrative that is by turns dramatic and eye-opening, Information Wars walks listeners through this often frustrating battle. Stengel moves through Russia and Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, and introduces characters from Putin to Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, and Mohamed bin Salman to show how disinformation is impacting our global society. He illustrates how ISIS terrorized the world using social media, and how the Russians launched a tsunami of disinformation around the annexation of Crimea - a scheme that became the model for their interference with the 2016 presidential election.

©2019 Richard Stengel (P)2019 Kalorama
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Information Wars

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    109
  • 4 Stars
    42
  • 3 Stars
    13
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    87
  • 4 Stars
    50
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    91
  • 4 Stars
    37
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    10
  • 1 Stars
    4

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

defining disinformation and how to fight it

thoughtful view of information, disinformation and US government role, describing success against ISIS, and Russia's continuing dominance.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Great Dissection of Misinformtion

This book was great look at the real world consequences of misinformation. It explores the evolution of misinformation, going back as far as the fall USSR and explains in great detail how the U.S. lost the information wars. Toward the end, the author provides ideas on how we can move forward and dull the effects misinformation can have on us. It is an idea worth fighting for.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good info but stilted narrator

The narrator spoke in a halting manner making it a less enjoyable listening experience. This is my view.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

a real eye-opener

I will recommend to this to all of my friends and colleagues. good clear simple writing, and an excellent reading.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

understand the information generation, good luck!

maybe can know better the complexity of information in this age of fast data. After reading, I believe I have a better idea of how to group data or information by categories. My categories are of my own understanding and use and so are good only for me. thus is the world today.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Disinformation or a story about his position?

I downloaded this book assuming it’s main focus was fighting disinformation. Instead, I think 60% of the book is a story about his position in government and what those positions are like in government. Pretty disappointed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Insightful and revealing

This is an excellent account of how foreign powers attempt to conquer the information space, and the US Government’s successes and failures to counter those efforts.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

chapter 13 and beyond are the good stuff

chapters 1 through 12 are a nice historical narrative with insights into the operation of the state department, but starting with 13, it covers the methods of disinformation, and methods and philosophies of how to fight it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely a Must-Read for all Americans!!!

This book gets more critical and important as it goes on… I loved the stories about State Dept and the people he was dealing with having been in those places myself, but if you don’t have time to read the whole thing please read the last two chapters. Absolutely mandatory reading for all patriots

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

very good read

Great look at the information war going on around us. End is scary w/trump incharge

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful