Free Speech and Why It Matters

Why It Matters

By: Andrew Doyle

Narrated by: Andrew Doyle

Free speech is the bedrock of all our liberties, and yet in recent years, it has come to be mistrusted. A new form of social justice activism, which perceives language as potentially violent, has prompted a national debate on where the limitations of acceptable speech should be drawn. Governments throughout Europe have enacted 'hate speech' legislation to curb the dissemination of objectionable ideas, Silicon Valley tech giants are collaborating to ensure that they control the limitations of public discourse, and campaigners in the US are calling for revisions to the First Amendment.

However well-intentioned, these trends represent a threat to the freedoms that our ancestors fought and died to secure. In this incisive and fascinating book, Andrew Doyle addresses head-on the most common concerns of free speech sceptics, and offers a timely and robust defence of this most foundational of principles.

©2021 Andrew Doyle (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

"A fantastically timely book written by one of the smartest thinkers in Britain." (Piers Morgan)

"Impassioned, scholarly and succinct." (The Times)

Easy read

This book is very surface-level in the debate about free speech. A very easy book to follow and understand — virtually no jargon and only pop-culture examples (so they are widely known). Do not read if you’re looking to win an argument, but very useful for an understanding of the issue.

The content is sad but true.

I hope we get truly free speech again some day. We need to end woke censorship.

Fight for Free Speech

This short book will provide you with some good ammunition when faced with the opportunity to defend free speech.

McGrath is gonna be angry....

I mostly know Doyle from his alter ego, Titiana McGrath. In this book, Doyle shows his philosophical and rhetorical chops to be quite impressive. I'm actually prepared to sit down and listen again soon, although I will say the only sad part is those that should listen/read this book probably will not.

must read

perfect.....this book should be mandatory reading in all schools. Thank you for writing it.
Keep up the good fight.