How to Win an Information War

“Mr. Pomerantsev writes in a lucid, ironical style that is a pleasure to read… [I]t paints a memorable portrait of a communicator whose genius was not tied to a particular medium of communication. And the insights it contains have less to do with new-fangled technology than with old-fashioned human nature."

"A riveting, often lyrical account of the intricate and interdependent UK, German, and US propaganda efforts during wartimes hot and cold...As we survey the past for key lessons and try to learn from our contemporary journalists, historians, and social scientists, Pomerantsev’s will always be a voice worth listening to."

“[A] compelling new study.”
 

“With his understanding of propaganda and sharp eye for the unnervingly offbeat, Pomerantsev has unearthed an ideal subject in Delmer.”

“A must-read… “How to Win an Information War” succeeds wildly (if, in places, despite itself) at raising deeper philosophical questions about propaganda, its role in shaping national identities, and its use by the good and the evil alike, in politics and in war. With this addictive page-turner, Pomerantsev’s incisiveness once again sets his work above and apart from the often-crowded disinfo-hype genre.”

“A brilliantly inspired study of the power of propaganda to influence geopolitical narratives.”

“[Pomerantsev’s] prose sparkles and his delineation of Delmer’s theories of propaganda fascinates… a fleet-footed history of propaganda.”

“An excellent work of history carefully researched and beautifully written, and at once a profound study of a central problem of our time. To be read by everyone seeking perspective on all the lies of war and all the wars of lies.”
 

“This is an original work of historical research and critical analysis, written with a literary flourish. Peter Pomerantsev digs deep into the history of information warfare to help us understand how to fight charlatans and fear mongers in the present.”

“This book, brilliantly written by one of our finest writers at the top of his game, is one you will race through and then want to start all over again. Not only will it excite you and entertain you, it will profoundly unnerve you. Never again will you think about war, truth, and disinformation the same. This is history at its most urgent.”
 

“A fascinating wartime biography that is also an inquiry into one of the most urgent issues in modern politics. Highly recommended.”
 

 “How to Win an Information War bends genre boundaries, part history, part biography, and part how-to guide for deploying or countering propaganda. Pomerantsev, from Ukraine, has a particular interest in fighting back against Vladimir Putin’s lies about the country he invaded. A disturbing feature of the current U.S. right is its receptiveness to Russian propaganda about Ukraine, such as the claim that the invaded nation had a chain of bioweapons labs in collaboration with the CIA. How to Win an Information War should be of interest to anyone delving into persuasion in a time of polarization.”