on her latest book, “Fascism: A Warning”

Whittemore House

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

6:00 Social, 6:30 Program

“Fascism: A Warning” is described by publisher Harper-Collins as,” A personal and urgent examination of Fascism in the twentieth century and how its legacy shapes today’s world…” It examines the history of dictatorships and authoritarian governments, but it is much more than a history book. The Observer, in its review, describes how Albright nudges the reader to compare the methods of the dictators of the 1930s and the methods of the Trump Presidency, e.g., “typically masters of political theater”; “feed on and inflame grievances by setting ‘the people’ against their ‘enemies’”; “tell their supporters there are simple solutions to complex problems”; “present as national saviours and conflate themselves with the state”;  and “seek to subvert, discredit and eliminate liberal institutions”. A Mussolini quote about “plucking a chicken feather by feather” so that people will not notice the loss of their freedom until it is too late” illustrates its message.

Fascism is a subject Secretary Albright knows too well, not just academically but from personal experience. In 1939, her family fled the Nazi Occupation of Czechoslovakia to London, where they withstood the nightly German blitzkrieg by sleeping in their cellar. In 1948, when she was 11 years old, her father, Josef Korbel, a Czech Diplomat, was sentenced to death by the new Communist Government of Czechoslovakia. Her family obtained political asylum in the U.S. and settled in New York that year.

Copies of “Fascism: A Warning” will be available for sale and signing.

Secretary Albright will be interviewed by Natasha Lebedeva, J' 94, Columbia University, and Director of International Affairs at NBC News.

Includes Cash bar, assorted Cheese & meat plates.

Madeleine K. Albright is a professor, author, diplomat and businesswoman who served as the 64th Secretary of State of the United States. In 1997, she was named the first female Secretary of State and became, at that time, the highest ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government. From 1993 to 1997, Dr. Albright served as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations and was a member of the President’s Cabinet. She is a Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. Dr. Albright is Chair of Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategy firm, and Chair of Albright Capital Management LLC, an investment advisory firm focused on emerging markets. She also chairs the National Democratic Institute, serves as the president of the Truman Scholarship Foundation and is a member of the U.S. Defense Department’s Defense Policy Board. In 2012, she was chosen by President Obama to receive the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in recognition of her contributions to international peace and democracy.
Dr. Albright’s latest book, Fascism: A Warning was published on April 10 and debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. She is the author of five other New York Timesbestselling books: her autobiography, Madam Secretary: A Memoir (2003); The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs (2006); Memo to the President: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership (2008); Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewel Box (2009); and Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948 (2012).

Natasha Lebedeva J ’94, Columbia University is the Director of International Affairs at NBC News. Natasha grew up in Leningrad, USSR, under communism. She trained as a mathematician (Saint Petersburg State University, Masters with Honors, in Structural and Mathematical Linguistics).

Lebedeva is responsible for special/major international news projects, coverage of international breaking news, exclusive interviews with world leaders, access to foreign countries. She serves as a liaison between NBC and foreign countries where NBC pursues news coverage (North Korea, Syria, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Lebanon, China, among others).

Prior to her NBC carrier, Lebedeva was a producer for CNN, reporter for Newsweek magazine and a producer for PBS program ‘Charlie Rose’. She was a producer for a number of documentaries that aired on PBS, Discovery channel, National Geographic, also at the Library of Congress and Stanford University.

Lebedeva is a recipient of several Emmy Awards; International Press Club Award; National Headliner Award; Alfred I. DuPont - Columbia Award