Alt-America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump

Written by David Neiwert

Narrated by Matthew Josdal

Just as Donald Trump's victorious campaign for the US presidency shocked the world, the seemingly sudden national prominence of white supremacists, xenophobes, militia leaders, and mysterious "alt-right" figures mystifies many. But the American extreme right has been growing steadily in number and influence since the 1990s with the rise of patriot militias. Following 9/11, conspiracy theorists found fresh life; and in virulent reaction to the first black US president, militant racists have come out of the woodwork. Nurtured by a powerful right-wing media sector in radio, TV, and online, the far right, Tea Party movement conservatives, and Republican activists found common ground. Figures such as Stephen Bannon, Milo Yiannopoulos, and Alex Jones, once rightly dismissed as cranks, now haunt the reports of mainstream journalism.



Investigative reporter David Neiwert has been tracking extremists for more than two decades. In Alt-America, he provides a deeply researched and authoritative report on the growth of fascism and far-right terrorism, the violence of which in the last decade has surpassed anything inspired by Islamist or other ideologies in the United States.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Oct 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781541487611

Reviews for Alt-America

[jill.mackin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am stupefied at the level of participation in the Trump campaign from across the country by militias, white nationalists, and christian identity groups! I knew it was bad, but certainly not to the extent the author has revealed. A scary but excellent read.

[kavinay-677830 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's surprising how far back Neiwert starts this book, but it makes sense. Movements built on eliminationism, misogyny and racism have been around for a long time. In this context, Neiwert is able to illustrate that extreme right-wing movements have always helped skew American political discourse and theory towards extremism even as the fringe championing it was publicly denounced.

What you have as a result is more of a historical look at the ingredients that constructed and fueled the rise of the Alt-Right and it makes Neiwert's analysis far more useful and interesting than shallower reads such as Angela Nagle's Kill all Normies. The "this" of the proverbial rant against pro-Trump/Fascist political forces is not just a sudden radicalization or disaffection of the right. Neiwert gives you two big tools: history and analysis of authoritarian psychology to explain the appeal that extermination, hatred of women and fear of minorities will always hold in a country where the right-wing traditionally absorbs such sentiment as almost normative.

[Joey · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

WOW, How can these people get published, I think I'll write a book if it's this easy to do no research, make up crap, and call someone, homphobe, and racist, if you don't agree with them. I think I'll title the book "You're a racist homophobe if you don't buy this book"

[Michael Holbrook · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Total garbage. everything is opinion based on personal preferences. What a waste of time and energy.

[Jason Brickner · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

The author is obviously retarded. Boo! Ahhhh it's Donald Trump and the alt right! Oh no. What a joke. If this was meant to be a parody of the left, its brilliant, but I have a feeling the author is serious.

[wyclif-371215 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Neiwert explores how the American far-right has been growing since the 1990's and how that growth and influence has been accelerated by the presidency of Donald J. Trump. It's useful for insights into the nature of such groups, but the analysis is marred by the shrill leftist partisanship of the author. That said, it's a good overview of "alt-right" networks, personalities, and history. As a thumbnail sketch of a social movement, I'd recommend it. I'm far less likely to recommend some of the progressive assumptions that form key vectors of Neiwert's reasoning, such as his endorsement of the notion that all forms of discrimination are equivalent.

[buttsy1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fascinating insight into the history of, and the rise of, the extreme right-wing of USA politics.

[lilyroseshadowlyn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Normally, I find political books to be dry and boring. This was an engaging read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Politics, in general, isn't my cup of tea, but the history and rise of the alt-right was very interesting.

[montzaleew · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Alt-America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump by David Neiwert is a book I requested from NetGalley and the book's publishers and the review is voluntary. I want to thank them for the chance to read this great book. This book shows the reader that although the 'Alt-Right' seems to have popped right up out of thin air, it has been around for a long time. This takes you back to the the 1990's and follows many of the extremist as the movement grows. Many I have forgotten for a reason, and some I just didn't know that much about at all.

There was one paragraph that sums up the whole book for me :
"Ladies and Gentlemen: In Amercian public life there is an alternative dimension, a mental space beyond fact or logic, where the rules of evidence are replaced by paranoia. Welcome to Alternative America---Alt-America, for short."

It goes on to list what Alt-America believes such as... Obama not an American citizen, a Muslim who is a terrorist and with Clinton is part of the New World Order to impose global government.
Global Climate Change is a hoax.
These same global elites want to gut the second amendment to take all the guns away.
Our current government is really illegal.
Prejudice and oppression against white people now is greater than ever.
Minorities, especially blacks and illegal immigrants are sucking up taxpayers dollars through welfare programs while homeless veterans go hungry.
Illegal immigrants, especially Latinos, are in with liberals and Democrats to overwhelm the country with welfare-dependent parasites to vote liberal agenda.

You have to be so stupid or so racist to believe any of this nonsense! But, Trump got elected and the weak majority in Congress are doing his bidding. What a shame for the once mighty America. Taken down by a bunch of fools! May the 2018 elections bring some sanity to the country if Mueller hasn't restored order by then! Wonderful book to remind us of what happened and why.