What Is Free Speech? The History of a Dangerous Idea
By Fara Dabhoiwala
Bellknap Press, 2025

Every premodern society, from Sumeria to China to 17th century Europe, knew that some words had the capacity to destroy lives, undermine social order, and create political unrest. Given those dangers, regulating speech was accepted as a necessary and proper activity until the early 1700s when freedom of speech began to be seen as a social good. Since then, free speech has taken surprising paths across the globe, being used not only in the pursuit of the ideals of democracy and self-expression but also to further less savory interests.

This event is presented in partnership with the ACLU of Delaware. 

About the Author
Fara Dabhoiwala teaches at Princeton and writes about social, cultural, and intellectual history. Formerly on faculty at Oxford, he is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and of All Souls and Exeter Colleges. He lives with his partner, astrophysicist Jo Dunkley, and their kids.

Purchase the book
Please help support local independent bookstores by purchasing this book at Browseabout Books, official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Online sources and digital versions are tempting; however, supporting local brick and mortar shops helps to preserve our vibrant main streets. Drop by Browseabout, order books online, or call the store at 302-226-2665. You also may purchase a copy at biblion in Lewes.

About the Festival
The History Book Festival is the first and only book festival in the United States devoted exclusively to history. With the help of our presenting funding partners — Delaware Humanities and The Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices | PenFed Realty — as well as our program and community partners, volunteers, and donors, the 2025 History Book Festival will be full of great discussions with authors of newly published narrative nonfiction and historical fiction. 

Thanks to all of our donors, especially our education and outreach funding partners: Ronald Collins & Susan Cohen, Carolyn & Aaron Nayer, Jen Mason & Clare Hancock, and Browseabout Books. HBF authors visit classrooms in Delaware, and HBF provides their books to schools, libraries, and community organizations.

Our Keynote event is presented by Griswold Home Care for Sussex and Kent Counties and Sally Mott Freeman & John K. Freeman; our Closing event is presented by the Delaware Community Foundation. Saturday’s Spirited Discussion, our gathering for attendees and presenters to celebrate and discuss their day, is presented by Dogfish Head Beer & Benevolence.

Special thanks to our Founding Program Partners for their continuing support: the Lewes Public Library, for event promotion and production, and Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Thanks also to the  Lewes Chamber of Commerce for event promotion, and the Cape Gazette and Delmarva Public Media, our media partners.