An Interview with Rachel Meisner
Rachel Meisner holds a Master of Arts in History, a Master of Arts in Education specializing in Curriculum and Instruction, and an Ed.S. specializing in Learning, Instruction, and Innovation. She has taught college-level history since 2019, and specializes in twentieth-century world history, Vietnamese history (specifically the development of Vietnamese communism), women in world history, modern American history, and Colorado history.
Rachel lives in Colorado with her husband, Steven, three dogs, and a cat. She works in higher education and teaches history part-time at the community college level. Outside of teaching, she enjoys visiting museums, going on road trips, hiking, and crocheting.
What inspired you to start writing this book?
I teach twentieth-century world history and found my students were often confused about governmental structures, particularly socialism, communism, and fascism. I tried to find a quick read to recommend to them, but nothing was out there, so I figured I would write the book myself!
Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
Since history and politics are not always subjects people want to read about, I wanted the title to be catchy for all audiences, as the book was written for everyone, not just students and academics. I knew I wanted the book to be about structures and authority, but creating the title did take some time!
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
I have worked in teaching, sales, and television advertising. I work full-time in higher education and also teach history part-time at the community college level. Something my readers wouldn’t know is that I am a huge Trekkie!
Where is your favorite place to write?
I love to write in my office surrounded by my dogs and cat.
What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?
Focus, focus, focus! I found myself getting off track often in my research, and had to edit quite a bit out of the book to make it easy to read and understandable.
What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?
That governmental structures are fluid and complex, and not as simple as they seem.
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