A review by leifalreadyexists
The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War by Jeff Sharlet

4.0

Within the journalistic takes on the nation gone awry genre, Sharlet's The Undertow stands out for its direct investigation of how religious beliefs and affiliations play on the vulnerabilities and prejudices of the American citizenry. Sharlet is nuanced but unflinching as he explores the fearful and frightening world in which violence is an answer and civil war is an increasingly desirable provocation. The prose is thoughtful, accessible, and philosophical; the outlook is mature and deeply humanistic. One of the standout books of the genre.