THE PERSUADERS At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy

The author narrates his work in a serious tone and journalistic style. His delivery comes across as practiced. He tells stories of how committed activists use persuasion in organizing to attract supporters. He introduces the Internet Research Agency--the Russian troll farm that won both liberal and conservative Americans' hearts and minds online. The audiobook could just as well have been called "The Progressive Persuaders" since there are revealing sections on Bernie Sanders and his calculated always-on-message approach as compared to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, an accomplished social-media maven, and her methods. Listeners who persevere are rewarded with exceptional sections on how QAnon evolved and a hopeful ending that focuses on "deep canvasing"--a process that encourages like- mindedness as a basis for political action. A.D.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2022]