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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
(Listened to audiobook). Entertaining, but I didn't really think the theme hung together all that well.
funny
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
This book was written in a pre-9/11 world and follows people at the fringes of society: conspiracy theorists, islamic fundamentalists, neo-nazis etc. Jon Ronson recounts his time with these individuals honestly and humourously. The content of this book seems all the more relevant and thought provoking in our modern world as these fringe ideologies garner more attention in the media.
I read this a few years ago and while wandering along a train platform with this book in hand, reading and walking, I got jumped on by three huge police dogs and stopped and searched "for drugs" the police said. It was all rather weird, but so is this book. Ronson is amazing. he goes right to the source of many a conspiracy theory and interviews the core people involved. Now it is of course possible that Ronson, and his books are actually part of a giant meta-conspiracy, ala the Illuminatus books, but that's patently ridiculous (or is it?)
Either way this book is partly scary and partly hilarious. His chapter on the penetration of Bohemian Grove (baby sacrifices and burning owl statues and all!) with arch conspiracy-monger Alex Jones is fascinating. Yes there is clearly more to global 'real-politik' than the papers tell us, but the book makes it plain that there is no 'there' there.
Either way this book is partly scary and partly hilarious. His chapter on the penetration of Bohemian Grove (baby sacrifices and burning owl statues and all!) with arch conspiracy-monger Alex Jones is fascinating. Yes there is clearly more to global 'real-politik' than the papers tell us, but the book makes it plain that there is no 'there' there.
a light-hearted look extremists and conspiracy theorists. My absolutely favorite comment from Jon through out the book as he's talking to people is 'Really?' I said.
Not about non-binary people.
Russell Brand wrote the introduction. Then I saw it was written in 2000 and I decided that it was no longer relevant and that I wasn’t intrigued enough to keep reading. HMU with something up-to-date, Ron Ronson.
Russell Brand wrote the introduction. Then I saw it was written in 2000 and I decided that it was no longer relevant and that I wasn’t intrigued enough to keep reading. HMU with something up-to-date, Ron Ronson.
A fun narrative nonfiction romp that sagged a bit in the 3rd quarter but came back around at the end.
I really enjoyed this book- I love how Jon Ronson chooses something completely out there and follows it to a place that seems unreachable. It's easy to think of extremists as so outside of normal society that you barely consider that they are actually people. Jon's travels with different extremists portray them as exactly that- just people. It's all very candid.
Though it was interesting, quick paced and funny, it was (obviously) quite dated. I would be interested to read a book that explored a similar theme today, where I think politics is quite different though extremism is evidently still a massive issue.
Though it was interesting, quick paced and funny, it was (obviously) quite dated. I would be interested to read a book that explored a similar theme today, where I think politics is quite different though extremism is evidently still a massive issue.
challenging
dark
funny
informative
sad
medium-paced
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced