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War On Words: 10 Arguments Against Free Speech—And Why They Fail Paperback – July 22, 2025
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This concise volume is organized around 10 claims that proponents of speech restrictions regularly assert, such as: “words are violence,” “free speech is right-wing,” and “hate speech isn’t free speech.” In lively, clear, and persuasive prose, the authors examine the flaws in these pro-censorship assertions. The book also includes an insightful introduction by Jacob Mchangama, shedding additional light on the topic from historical and international perspectives.
- Print length128 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHeresy Press
- Publication dateJuly 22, 2025
- Dimensions5.25 x 0.32 x 8 inches
- ISBN-101949846822
- ISBN-13978-1949846829
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From the Publisher
Editorial Reviews
Review
— Steven Pinker, author of When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows . . .
“In a time of rising polarization, The War On Words is a vital reminder that free speech protects democracy itself. Lukianoff and Strossen make a compelling, principled, and timely case.” — Ro Khanna, Member of Congress (D-CA)
“Nadine Strossen and Greg Lukianoff are two of the fiercest defenders of free speech and the First Amendment alive today. The War On Words is a must read for anybody who cares about freedom of speech.”
— Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation
“Freedom of speech is sorely in need of special protection these days, and this book guides any reader to support it in clear, forthright, and powerful fashion.”
— Floyd Abrams, author of The Soul of the First Amendment
About the Author
Nadine Strossen is the John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School and was the national President of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 to 2008. With more than 40 years of experience in First Amendment law, Strossen is a leading expert and frequent speaker/media commentator on constitutional law and civil liberties, who has testified before Congress on multiple occasions. She is a Senior Fellow at FIRE and serves on the advisory boards of the ACLU, Academic Freedom Alliance, Heterodox Academy, and National Coalition Against Censorship. Strossen is the author of several books, including HATE: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship (2018) and Free Speech: What Everyone Needs to Know® (2023). Her many honorary degrees and awards include the American Bar Association’s Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award (2017), and in 2023, the National Coalition Against Censorship selected Strossen for its Lifetime Achievement Award for Free Speech.
Jacob Mchangama is a Senior Fellow at FIRE, the Founder and Executive Director of The Future of Free Speech, and a research professor at Vanderbilt University. He is the recipient of numerous awards for his work on free speech and human rights and has commented extensively on these topics in outlets including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed book Free Speech: A History From Socrates to Social Media.
Product details
- Publisher : Heresy Press
- Publication date : July 22, 2025
- Language : English
- Print length : 128 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1949846822
- ISBN-13 : 978-1949846829
- Item Weight : 3.21 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.25 x 0.32 x 8 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #58,231 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #17 in Philosophy of Logic & Language
- #42 in General Constitutional Law
- #96 in Censorship & Politics
About the author

Greg Lukianoff is an attorney and the president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). He is the author of "Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate" and his writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Boston Globe, in addition to dozens of other publications. He is a regular columnist for The Huffington Post and has appeared on television shows, including the "CBS Evening News," "Fox & Friends," "The Today Show," CNN's "New Day," C-SPAN's "Washington Journal," and "Stossel." He received the 2008 Playboy Foundation Freedom of Expression Award and the 2010 Ford Hall Forum's Louis P. and Evelyn Smith First Amendment Award on behalf of FIRE. He is a graduate of American University and Stanford Law School.
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2025The War On Words is a masterclass in clarity, principle, and intellectual courage. Greg Lukianoff and Nadine Strossen—two of the most respected voices in the fight for civil liberties—join forces to deliver an urgent and compelling defense of free expression at a time when it’s under siege from all sides.
What makes this book so extraordinary is its combination of legal precision and human empathy. The authors unpack complex First Amendment doctrine with ease, but more importantly, they argue persuasively that free speech is not just a legal issue—it’s a moral and cultural imperative. Lukianoff and Strossen confront popular misconceptions and dangerous trends in censorship, while showing how open dialogue is essential to democracy, social progress, and personal growth.
Their message is neither partisan nor polemic—it's principled, pragmatic, and deeply humane. In a world where both the left and right are tempted by the allure of silencing dissent, The War On Words is a timely reminder that the antidote to bad speech is more speech—not less.
Whether you're a student, educator, policymaker, or simply someone who cares about the future of free societies, this book is essential reading. It’s both a rallying cry and a roadmap—and it couldn’t have come at a more critical moment.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2025A beautifully succinct and grounding read. Perfect for when one needs reminding of the importance of one of our greatest freedoms. No better authors to depend on for this source material than Greg Lukianoff and Nadine Strossen. I highly recommend adding this to your library.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2025Wouldn't have our country without free speech.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2025An essential read for fans of free speech. Two of the area's most accomplished and thoughtful attorneys break down the legal and moral case for the First Amendment. Can't recommend enough!





