The Indispensable Right Audiobook By Jonathan Turley cover art

The Indispensable Right

Free Speech in an Age of Rage

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The Indispensable Right

By: Jonathan Turley
Narrated by: Jonathan Turley
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About this listen

A timely, revelatory look at freedom of speech—our most basic right and the one that protects all the others.

Free speech is a human right, and the free expression of thought is at the very essence of being human. The United States was founded on this premise, and the First Amendment remains the single greatest constitutional commitment to the right of free expression in history. Yet there is a systemic effort to bar opposing viewpoints on subjects ranging from racial discrimination to police abuse, from climate change to gender equity. These measures are reinforced by the public’s anger and rage; flash mobs appear today with the slightest provocation. We all lash out against anyone or anything that stands against our preferred certainty.

The Indispensable Right places the current attacks on free speech in their proper historical, legal, and political context. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights were not only written for times like these, but in a time like this. This country was born in an age of rage and for 250 years we have periodically lost sight of the value of free expression. The history of the struggle for free speech is the story of extraordinary people—nonconformists who refuse to yield to abusive authority—and here is a mosaic of vivid characters and controversies.

Jonathan Turley takes you through the figures and failures that have shaped us and then shows the unique dangers of our current moment. The alliance of academic, media, and corporate interests with the government’s traditional wish to control speech has put us on an almost irresistible path toward censorship. The Indispensable Right reminds us that we remain a nation grappling with the implications of free expression and with the limits of our tolerance for the speech of others. For rather than a political crisis, this is a crisis of faith.

©2024 Jonathan Turley (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio
Censorship Civil Rights & Liberties Freedom & Security History & Theory Law Political Science Politics & Government Rage

What listeners say about The Indispensable Right

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Great teacher.

Congress should listen to him. They DO need a law school lecture on the 1st amendment.

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How quickly the victim of sedition laws became the perpetrators of them when they came into power.

I found the exploration of the battles between Free Speech and sedition laws very enlightening. I suspect that there may be many a truce but it will never be settled.9

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Great, remarkable history lesson, should you think we haven’t been through this thing before…in one form or another.

An exceptional read or listen, depending on how you prefer. It goes into a long history of human thought, speech, and how being able to express ourselves is an intrinsic part of being human.
The audio book is read by the author, which is always how I prefer, when consuming a book in the medium. There are a number of different theories presented, regarding how free speech is considered either dangerous to or required in a free society. I wholeheartedly recommend the book.
There is a lot covered, requiring considerable review and reflection, on my part. It may be one of those books, I need to hold in my hand and read myself, with highlighter and pen in hand.

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horrible narration

While I took away a good overview of the history and thesis by the end of the book, getting the details along the way was nearly impossible because the narration is atrocious. I found myself losing his point time and time again due to his bizarre placements of emphasis on words and in sentences. Best of luck

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The information

I loved the way Mr. Turley reminded me of our history. I'm in my 60's and appreciate being reminded of my civics course. It's very disturbing how our freedoms are being represented, and how divided I feel from my brother on the other side of the aisle these days. We are more divided today than in my own history and it's scary. Thank you for this book and I feel better and more informed for reading it.

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History of struggle for free speech

Appreciated the methodical, detailed, and always fascinating historical perspective that is the backdrop of our current political struggles.

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Enlightenment truly

Enlightenment is little boasting compared to the bursting of my bubble of thought about what free speech is and the onerous restrictions that continue to limit the voices of the American people. For 250 years we have been oppressed and we assumed it as normal and natural as it could be. Thank you Professor Turley for this work, it is much needed here by someone that seeks truth and understanding. You have an ability to articulate a complex matter such as a natural right clearly in an adeptness second only to Aristotle. Read no other book until you finish this one and you will thank me.

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Great read

I truly enjoyed the book and the historical details that Turley brings to life. I am constantly reminded that while many believe the framers couldn’t have known what society would look like hundreds of years later, they actually wrote the governmental guardrails with that very thing in mind.

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Hard to Get Into This at First

This book is well researched, laid out in historical order from the "Boston Tea Party" on. I started school in the mid sixties and believe I'm one of the last group of students to actually learn civics and factual American history, but I do not recall learning most of what is covered in this book.
I had no idea some of the Founding Fathers were such hypocrites! All for that pesky Free Speech, until someone says or writes something they don't like. Or hurts their feelings!
I had always believed the erosion of our 1st Amendment Rights had started during WWI and WWII, but now I've learned it started before the ink was dry on The Bill of Rights!
I am only up to chapter 13 and cannot wait to hear the remainder.

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Evan's Review

If you like history and the law Johnathan puts this book in sections from the history of free speech,court cases of free speech up to the present dealing with January 6 2022 Captial riot and how the Justice Department charged the rioters. I recommend the book.

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