Prequel Prequel

Prequel

An American Fight Against Fascism

    • 4.4 • 290 Ratings
    • $14.99
    • $14.99

Publisher Description

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Rachel Maddow traces the fight to preserve American democracy back to World War II, when a handful of committed public servants and brave private citizens thwarted far-right plotters trying to steer our nation toward an alliance with the Nazis.
 
“A ripping read—well rendered, fast-paced and delivered with the same punch and assurance that she brings to a broadcast. . . . The parallels to the present day are strong, even startling.”—The New York Times (Editors’ Choice)

Inspired by her research for the hit podcast Ultra, Rachel Maddow charts the rise of a wild American strain of authoritarianism that has been alive on the far-right edge of our politics for the better part of a century. Before and even after our troops had begun fighting abroad in World War II, a clandestine network flooded the country with disinformation aimed at sapping the strength of the U.S. war effort and persuading Americans that our natural alliance was with the Axis, not against it. It was a sophisticated and shockingly well-funded campaign to undermine democratic institutions, promote antisemitism, and destroy citizens’ confidence in their elected leaders, with the ultimate goal of overthrowing the U.S. government and installing authoritarian rule.
 
That effort worked—tongue and groove—alongside an ultra-right paramilitary movement that stockpiled bombs and weapons and trained for mass murder and violent insurrection.
 
At the same time, a handful of extraordinary activists and journalists were tracking the scheme, exposing it even as it was unfolding. In 1941 the U.S. Department of Justice finally made a frontal attack, identifying the key plotters, finding their backers, and prosecuting dozens in federal court.
 
None of it went as planned.
 
While the scheme has been remembered in history—if at all—as the work of fringe players, in reality it involved a large number of some of the country’s most influential elected officials. Their interference in law enforcement efforts against the plot is a dark story of the rule of law bending and then breaking under the weight of political intimidation.
 
That failure of the legal system had consequences. The tentacles of that unslain beast have reached forward into our history for decades. But the heroic efforts of the activists, journalists, prosecutors, and regular citizens who sought to expose the insurrectionists also make for a deeply resonant, deeply relevant tale in our own disquieting times.

GENRE
Politics & Current Events
RELEASED
2023
October 17
LANGUAGE
EN
English
LENGTH
416
Pages
PUBLISHER
Crown
SELLER
Penguin Random House LLC
SIZE
15.5
MB

Customer Reviews

kalambity ,

Important Read

Not a huge fan of long and detailed non-fiction, but this was very educational and makes me skeptical of humans and their nature while also thankful for those who act seemingly selflessly.

Blueslover57 ,

Outstanding!

I’m 68 years old and cannot remember in any level of schooling, any mention of this story. I first caught wind of it on Rachel’s show and decided to buy the book. I literally could not put it down. It’s an important lesson to remember now that we’re pretty much going through the same process with the GOP and Trump. Remember our history folks. Our country isn’t perfect but it’s the best democracy on the planet.

Welder Forman ,

She’s got to have a good investigation team.

A very good look at the past in reference to today’s events. Like a case study to understand something that might happen in the near future.
I found it to be credible.

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