pickInteresting book that interviews and spends time with several different types of conspiracy theorists. The book has been around over 20 years—this is a slightly updated edition. Interesting to see how things have changed and also stayed the same. Ronson finds some humorous and interesting people to listen to and he looks into their claims as best he can. I enjoyed it.
bailedThere's an awful lot of stupid out there. I apologize for that "spoiler alert," but if you already know that Americans are stupid (and how could you not?), then this book doesn't have much value. If you're interested in reading about our impending Civil War, you should read either "The Next Civil War" by Stephen Marche, or "How Civil Wars Start" by Barbara F. Walter.
pickAn account of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that draws a straight line to the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection attempt at the U.S. Capitol. Toobin shows that in the nearly 30 years since the bombing, our country has taken a journey from nearly universal horror and condemnation of the actions of a right-wing extremist to wide embrace of a former (and running again) president who holds the same values. McVeigh —> Trump. God help us all.
#Nonfiction2023
so-soObjectively, this is thoroughly reported and sensitively written, but I experienced it as spending an uncomfortable amount of time with the most toxic and unreasonable people I went to high school with.
pickThis book is terrifying, yet engaging and weirdly funny in spots to add in much needed levity. By infiltrating and interviewing far right groups that move mainstream, Sharlet shows the trajectory from religion and movements as preached by MLK to abortion to Trump. I‘m biased as I live in CO and grew up in WI, so the chapters on those areas were spot on- which validated the rest of his story- written well and interestingly.
“Once, more than half a century ago, he was the handsomest man in the world.“
#FridayReads #FirstLineFriday
Seemed a fitting choice under the current circumstances.
pickHappy National Rescue Dog Day. I took Peri on a gorgeous walk at the Nature Park. I finished this audiobook book on our walk. The book focuses on Timothy McVeigh, his life leading up to the Oklahoma City Bombing, the bombing, and then the trial. It's a fascinating account and it's scary to think what these right wing extremists are willing to do. And how his legacy continues today.
