The Midnight Kingdom
A History of Power, Paranoia, and the Coming Crisis
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Narrated by:
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Jared Yates Sexton
About this listen
From the author of American Rule and the host of The Muckrake Podcast, an ambitious account of how white supremacist lies, religious mythologies, and poisonous conspiracy theories built the modern world and threaten to plunge us into an authoritarian nightmare.
To fully understand these strange and dangerous times, Jared Yates Sexton takes a hard look at our nation’s history: namely, the abuses committed by those in power and the comforting stories that shaped the way the West has viewed itself up to the present. As reactionaries and authoritarians cling to myths about “Western civilization,” The Midnight Kingdom exposes how political power, religious indoctrination, and economic dominance have been repeatedly weaponized to oppress and exploit, sounding an alarm for what lies ahead as the current order frays.
Beginning with the Roman Empire and racing through centuries of colonization, war, genocide, and the recurring clashes of progress and regression, Sexton finds our modern world at a crossroads. In an echo of past crises, we have arrived at a time of historic inequality and a fading trust in our institutions. Meanwhile, authoritarianism is gaining momentum and the progress of the twentieth century is being rolled back at dizzying speed. This catastrophic moment holds terrible potential for a return to a totalitarian past or, potentially, a better, realer, more human future. The difference depends on a true reckoning with our history and the larger forces at play or hiding behind this disastrous fantasy of Western superiority.
Bracing and compelling, The Midnight Kingdom takes a critical look at the forces that have shaped human civilization for centuries—and invites us to seek a radically different future.
©2023 Jared Yates Sexton (P)2023 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
"An episodic jeremiad in the best tradition of that word, The Midnight Kingdom is warning and lament, a people’s history of apocalypse in the mind and actions of Western empire from the Great Fire of Rome to the Trumpocene. In print and by podcast, Jared Yates Sexton has been steadily expanding his deep inquiry into the ideas that informed his own fundamentalist roots and now shape today’s Christian nationalist attack on the democratic dream. This book is Sexton’s most ambitious yet, powered by cool anger but girded with the hope that even at this late hour gives his work its beautiful strength.”—Jeff Sharlet, bestselling author of The Family and The Undertow
“The Midnight Kingdom is a gripping read that flirts with but never gives in to cynicism. Solid writing that dives into generous detail without ever over-explaining bolsters Sexton’s well-researched appeal.”—New York Journal of Books
“The Midnight Kingdom is a gripping read that flirts with but never gives in to cynicism. Solid writing that dives into generous detail without ever over-explaining bolsters Sexton’s well-researched appeal.”—New York Journal of Books
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Story
In The Case for Nationalism, Lowry explains how nationalism was central to the American Project. It fueled the American Revolution and the ratification of the Constitution. It preserved the country during the Civil War. It led to the expansion of the American nation’s territory and power, and eventually to our invaluable contribution to creating an international system of self-governing nations.
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Truth does matter !
- By CFC on 11-06-19
By: Rich Lowry
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Age of Anger
- A History of the Present
- By: Pankaj Mishra
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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How can we explain the origins of the great wave of paranoid hatreds that seem inescapable in our close-knit world - from American shooters and ISIS to Donald Trump, from a rise in vengeful nationalism to racism and misogyny on social media? In Age of Anger, Pankaj Mishra answers our bewilderment by casting his gaze back to the 18th century before leading us to the present.
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Disappointing
- By AR on 04-28-17
By: Pankaj Mishra
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Central Asia
- A New History from the Imperial Conquests to the Present
- By: Adeeb Khalid
- Narrated by: Aaqil Ahmed
- Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Central Asia is often seen as a remote and inaccessible land on the peripheries of modern history. Encompassing Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and the Xinjiang province of China, it in fact stands at the crossroads of world events. Adeeb Khalid provides the first comprehensive history of Central Asia from the mid-18th century to today, shedding light on the historical forces that have shaped the region under imperial and Communist rule.
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Great History of a Forgotten Region
- By Than on 07-07-21
By: Adeeb Khalid
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The Light That Failed
- Why the West Is Losing the Fight for Democracy
- By: Ivan Krastev, Stephen Holmes
- Narrated by: David de Vries
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Why did the West, after winning the Cold War, lose its political balance? In the early 1990s, hopes for the eastward spread of liberal democracy were high. And yet the transformation of Eastern European countries gave rise to a bitter repudiation of liberalism itself, not only there but also back in the heartland of the West. In this brilliant work of political history, Ivan Krastev and Stephen Holmes argue that the supposed end of Communism turned out to be only the beginning of the age of the autocrat.
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Great text
- By Safronov on 05-03-21
By: Ivan Krastev, and others
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Communism [Modern Library Chronicles]
- By: Richard Pipes
- Narrated by: George Wilson
- Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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From the acclaimed Modern Library Chronicles comes an exploration of a promising theory that when put to practice wreaked havoc on the world. An expert on communism, Richard Pipes follows the history of the Soviet Union from the 1917 revolution to the Cold War, and finally, to its deterioration and collapse.
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Interesting but lacks objectivity
- By Mazen on 07-06-06
By: Richard Pipes
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Islam
- A Short History [Modern Library Chronicles]
- By: Karen Armstrong
- Narrated by: Richard M. Davidson
- Length: 6 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Best-selling author and renowned religious scholar Karen Armstrong presents a concise and articulate history of Islam, the world's fastest-growing faith. Beginning with the Prophet Muhammad's flight from Medina and concluding with an examination of modern Islamic practices and concerns, Armstrong delivers an unbiased overview. She contends that no religion is more feared and misunderstood by the Western world as Islam, and firmly challenges the notion that these two civilizations are on a collision course.
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Read the Book, pass on the audible!
- By J********** on 08-21-06
By: Karen Armstrong
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ISIS
- A History
- By: Fawaz A. Gerges
- Narrated by: Bradley Hayes
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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The Islamic State has stunned the world with its savagery, destructiveness, and military and recruiting successes. What explains the rise of ISIS, and what does it portend for the future of the Middle East? In this book, one of the world's leading authorities on political Islam and jihadism sheds new light on these questions as he provides a unique history of the rise and growth of ISIS. Moving beyond journalistic accounts, Fawaz Gerges provides a clear and compelling account of the deeper conditions that fuel ISIS.
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Great information and understanding
- By Anon on 12-02-16
By: Fawaz A. Gerges
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American Exceptionalism and American Innocence
- A People's History of Fake News - From The Revolutionary War to The War on Terror
- By: Roberto Sirvent, Danny Haiphong, Ajamu Baraka - foreword, and others
- Narrated by: Timothy Andrés Pabon
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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American Exceptionalism and American Innocence examines the stories we’re told that lead us to think that the U.S. is a force for good in the world, regardless of slavery, the genocide of indigenous people, and the more than a century’s worth of imperialist war that the U.S. has wrought on the planet. Roberto Sirvent and Danny Haiphong detail just what Captain America’s shield tells us about the pretensions of U.S. foreign policy, how Angelina Jolie and Bill Gates engage in humanitarian imperialism, and more.
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Still processing
- By D'Juan Eastman on 07-03-19
By: Roberto Sirvent, and others
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A Short History of Russia
- How the World's Largest Country Invented Itself, from the Pagans to Putin
- By: Mark Galeotti
- Narrated by: Mark Galeotti
- Length: 4 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Russia is a country with no natural borders, no single ethnic group, no true central identity. At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, it has been subject to invasion by outsiders, from Vikings to Mongols, from Napoleon’s French to Hitler’s Germans. In order to forge an identity, it has mythologized its past to unite its people and to signal strength to outsiders. In A Short History of Russia, Mark Galeotti explores the history of this fascinating, glorious, desperate, and exasperating country.
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Wonderful short history
- By Tad Davis on 01-19-21
By: Mark Galeotti
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The Shia Revival
- How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future
- By: Vali Nasr
- Narrated by: Fleet Cooper
- Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Profiled on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, Iranian-born scholar Vali Nasr has become one of America's leading commentators on current events in the Middle East, admired and welcomed by both media and government for his "concise and coherent" analysis (Wall Street Journal). In this "smart, clear and timely" book (Washington Post), Nasr brilliantly dissects the political and theological antagonisms within Islam. He provides a unique and objective understanding of the 1,400-year bitter struggle between Shias and Sunnis, and sheds crucial light on its modern-day consequences—from the nuclear posturing of Iran's President Ahmadinejad to the recent U.S.-enabled shift toward Shia power in Iraq and Hezbollah's continued dominance in Lebanon.
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The Narrator Needs Language Lessons
- By Pari Golha on 11-28-13
By: Vali Nasr
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Lost Islamic History
- Reclaiming Muslim Civilisation from the Past
- By: Firas Alkhateeb
- Narrated by: Neil Shah
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Islam has been one of the most powerful religious, social, and political forces in history. Over the last 1,400 years, from origins in Arabia, a succession of Muslim polities, and later empires expanded to control territories and peoples that ultimately stretched from southern France to East Africa and South East Asia. Yet many of the contributions of Muslim thinkers, scientists, and theologians, not to mention rulers, statesmen, and soldiers, have been occluded. This book rescues from oblivion and neglect some of these personalities and institutions.
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Excellent narration
- By Jamal on 06-19-22
By: Firas Alkhateeb
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The Crisis of Islam
- Holy War and Unholy Terror
- By: Bernard Lewis
- Narrated by: Bernard Lewis
- Length: 4 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Bernard Lewis examines the historical roots of the frustrations and resentments that dominate the Islamic world today and that are increasingly being expressed in acts of terrorism. He looks at the theological origins of political Islam and tells us what the Islamic doctrine of jihad has meant at different times in history.
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Absolutely Worth It, HIghly Recommended!
- By Frank on 04-17-03
By: Bernard Lewis
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Fascism: The Career of a Concept
- By: Paul Gottfried
- Narrated by: Kevin Moriarty
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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What does it mean to label someone a fascist? Today, it is equated with denouncing him or her as a Nazi. But as intellectual historian Paul E. Gottfried writes in this provocative yet even-handed study, the term's meaning has evolved over the years. Gottfried examines the semantic twists and turns the term has endured since the 1930s and traces the word's polemical function within the context of present ideological struggles.
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Refreshing scholarly treatment of a widely misused concept
- By Minister of the Posterior on 01-15-24
By: Paul Gottfried
What listeners say about The Midnight Kingdom
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- P C
- 01-25-23
A Must Read
This important work needs to be read and spread by all serious people wishing to understand the brutal truth of western civilization. While many will no doubt ridicule this charting of our history, it will be because this book tells the truth. It is the truth many of us have suspected all along and, thankfully, it is finally being stated right out loud.
Jared Yates Sexton also signals ways for us - we the people - to create a new and healthier human civilization. May it be so.
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- Patricia Everett
- 05-27-24
A must read
A look at History not available in most books. Gave me a new way of seeing the world not from the view of the “winners” but a look at consequences and the unintended results of actions, behaviors, and beliefs. I believe everyone should read this book but not everyone will like it
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- Jessica Janda
- 03-06-23
Important read to prevent history from repeating itself
Important read when it comes to understanding set how we got here. History is most definitely repeating itself. Jared has an incredible way of breaking down and connecting the dots across historical periods.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Michael Hicks
- 09-01-23
Those Who Do Not Know The Past...
Jared Yates Sexton provides a compelling historical overview of the insanity that is Christian conservatism, further reinforcing Christopher Hitchens' conclusion that religion poisons everything. From ancient Rome to the modern-day Trump circus, Sexton illustrates how religious nuttery, racism, and Republicanism have become so deeply enmeshed that it is now utterly impossible to have one without the other.
He also shows that not only are modern-day Republican values utterly reprehensible but entirely unoriginal, with their apocalyptic world views intertwined with their skewed views of patriotism virtually unchanged and unchallenged for centuries. Fitting, I suppose, for such a backwards political party that strives to do little more than usurp power at all costs and turn the clock back to the Dark Ages.
The Midnight Kingdom is, ultimately, Exhibit A for why Republicans so badly want to ban books and endlessly work to undermine and attempt to eradicate science, history, and education.
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- Shannon Tarrant
- 02-06-23
Too fast
Great book, but the writer reads way too fast.. had to play it at 0.8 speed most of the way through. Great voice, detailed writing, but spoken way too fast.
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- Kerry Bastow
- 02-08-23
This is a FANTASTIC book
I was deeply immersed in this material and enjoyed the author’s narration. I’ve been studying a number of topics covered here separately: Roman history, WWI & WWII. The American Revolution. Christian mythicism. Trumpism. Sexton brought all of this together, along with the influence of philosophers. I need to study more philosophy, but until reading this book I was unaware of their strong influences. I listened on Audible, my husband bought on Kindle and I sent the hardcover to my son. It’s that important a book.
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- JLHRVA
- 01-26-24
Perspective
Absolutely essential context and perspective for understanding the present American political moment. Highly recommend all of the author’s work.
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- Susan Marshall
- 05-04-24
enthralling
the patterns that start to emerge become so obvious by the end and .... amazing listen, glad to hear it from the author
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- Jackson Polyp
- 03-31-23
Fear and Loathing
This a sweeping history of religion, power and paranoia and how these forces are intertwined in our culture and politics. Sexton relates the story of his grandmother, a fundamentalist obsessed with the apocalypse, and sends us on a journey back in time to see how this worldview has shaped the American spirit. Some readers might find the book lacking deep analysis or big solutions, which is fair, but I enjoyed the historical tour from this angle. As someone whose own grandmother was a Christian Nationalist and white supremacist, this book helped me understand how she got that way and why. I definitely recommend the book if you like to get freaked out about impending societal collapse. I’m going with a Fear Porn rating of 7/10.
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- private
- 04-28-23
Everyone needs to hear this! Left and Right.
Give this as a gift to everyone you can think of.
Jared Yates Sexton deserves better recognition as a great mind and historian. This is NOT a boring history book. It is accessible and dynamic background information which can help us understand how the country got into this polarized state of being and then, hopefully, inspire readers and listeners to understand we need to take action RIGHT NOW. We do that by getting and staying engaged.
This information should not only be for academics and politicians but for ALL OF US. Especially those who "don't want to talk about politics" This book and especially the audible version makes it accessible. That is the essence of democracy.
It gives comprehensive background about authoritarian and fascist movements going back over time. Anyone who thinks this recent behavior will end with Trump is missing crucial background information.
If you are doing a paper on the Burning Times- or the Witch Burnings of the middle ages, you will find reference material here.
I am hopeful humanity can turn a corner and "be excellent to each other" in the words of Bill and Ted and paraphrasing "Jesus". The more of us who understand the tendency for authoritarians to do whatever it takes to dominate and control others to grab power, and how prevalent that has been throughout world history, and how decent people get misled, the more likely we are to circumvent those attempts together in solidarity.
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