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Black Pill: How I Witnessed the Darkest Corners of the Internet Come to Life, Poison Society, and Capture American Politics Hardcover – July 9, 2024
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Award-winning journalist and CNN correspondent Elle Reeve was not surprised by the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. With years of in-depth research and on-the-ground investigative reporting under her belt, Reeve was aware of the preoccupations of the online far right and their journey from the computer to QAnon, militias, and racist groups.
At the same time, Reeve saw a parallel growth of counterforces, with citizen vigilantes using new tools and tactics to take down the far right. This ongoing battle, long fought mainly on the internet, had arrived in the real world with greater and greater frequency.
With a sharp eye for detail and a dash of dark humor, Reeve explains the origins of this shocking sweep of political violence. Drawing on countless interviews with sources in the white nationalist movement as well as hundreds of as-yet-unseen documents, she takes us on a surreal journey from the darkest corners of the internet to the most significant and chilling scenes of real-world political violence in generations. A stranger-than-fiction odyssey into the dark heart of what American politics has become, Black Pill is necessary reading for any supporter of democracy.
- Print length304 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherAtria Books
- Publication dateJuly 9, 2024
- Dimensions6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
- ISBN-101982198885
- ISBN-13978-1982198886
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From the Publisher
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Intrepid...a feat of fearless reporting.” —The Washington Post
“A sharp exposé that does much to explain a strange, dangerous underground movement steadily emerging into daylight.” —Kirkus, starred review
“Elle is a phenomenally skilled interviewer.” —Bookpage, starred review
“A riveting debut chronicle…This immersive political history will captivate readers concerned about the future of democracy.” —Publishers Weekly
“Powerful and propulsive...Reeve fearlessly investigates some of the most insidious corners of the Internet and showcases, to horrifying effect, how these radical pockets are threatening the rest of us.” —Brian Stelter, New York Times bestselling author of Hoax and Network of Lies
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Atria Books; First Edition (July 9, 2024)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 304 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1982198885
- ISBN-13 : 978-1982198886
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #44,868 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #55 in Violence in Society (Books)
- #71 in Fascism (Books)
- #1,045 in United States History (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and thought-provoking. They appreciate the author's insights and common sense approach. The book is described as well-written and an excellent read. Readers praise the pacing as remarkable and intense, making it an excellent example for anyone interested in the topic.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book captivating, informative, and thought-provoking. They describe it as an enjoyable, quick read that explores the internet's fringe culture through memes.
"...But the book was an enjoyable, quick read. Perfect for the day I was stuck in the airport." Read more
"I found “Black Pill” an interesting, engaging and troubling dive into a world of hateful politics that I have struggled all my life to understand, I..." Read more
"...Its intense and lively and wonderful example for anyone who cares about standing for what is right...." Read more
"A fascinating study of how formerly “fringe” internet dudes making memes have influenced politics and culture in America...." Read more
Customers find the book informative and engaging. They say it's a common-sense account of how we got where we are. The book provides an excellent dive into a current issue facing America.
"...Superb overview from a non-academic viewpoint. I'd combine this book with Jesselyn Cook's "The Quiet Damage"...." Read more
"One of the most common sense accounts of how we got here. From how it started to what we are all surprised to see now, Elle makes it most clear." Read more
"...What I find most fascinating and insightful is how she maintains contact with people over the years and long after their public visiblity in a way..." Read more
"Exemplary work. You can feel and understand so much about whats happening in the world right now when you are reading this...." Read more
Customers find the book well-written and engaging. They say it's an excellent read and worth the investment.
"Excellent and well-written. This is more of a "see the forest" account rather than getting lost in the trees (or stuck in the weeds)...." Read more
"...An excellent read and well-worth the investment." Read more
"Well written as a personal journey through the alt-right world...." Read more
"This book is a must read. The authors note alone will captivate you. Astounding experience driven and thought provoking...." Read more
Customers find the pacing of the book excellent and lively. They describe it as an example for anyone interested in the subject matter.
"Excellent and well-written. This is more of a "see the forest" account rather than getting lost in the trees (or stuck in the weeds)...." Read more
"Reeve manages something remarkable. She takes us through the flow of very dark patterns in American Society...." Read more
"Exemplary work. You can feel and understand so much about whats happening in the world right now when you are reading this...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Epic Opening. What a story.
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2025Excellent and well-written. This is more of a "see the forest" account rather than getting lost in the trees (or stuck in the weeds). Superb overview from a non-academic viewpoint. I'd combine this book with Jesselyn Cook's "The Quiet Damage". Both of these books are highly recommended by...me.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2024At first I liked the book because the mini bios of people were interesting, but then I got annoyed because Reeve failed to draw connections between the bios. I couldn’t tell how it was all going to come together. When Reeve began the discussion of Charlottesville, the separate bios did begin to merge. At that point the book appealed to me more.
Reeve has a conversational, very loose style. I don’t think she fully delivered on her thesis that the outer edges of the Internet eventually infected American Society. To do that, she would need a lot more evidence and a more organized writing style. But the book was an enjoyable, quick read. Perfect for the day I was stuck in the airport.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2025In "Black Pill," author Elle Reeve takes a walk into the challenges facing in particular young males in America. Feeling marginalized for self-justifiable reasons, the media stream produced online by hard alt-right factions is appealling, driving further division and isolation at a time when unity (in the face of real issues) is required. An excellent read and well-worth the investment.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2025I found “Black Pill” an interesting, engaging and troubling dive into a world of hateful politics that I have struggled all my life to understand, I was drawn to this book by Reeve’s ability as a reporter to engage the leaders of the so-called ‘alt-right’ in conversation. Many on the left seem to dismiss the leaders of this movement as dull-witted, crude, uneducated clowns. They do so at their peril, as many of the conversations in the book demonstrate. While, at times, a bit ‘chatty’ for my taste, these are important testimonies and reflections that shed light on the jingoistic, racist, violent, misogynist and fundamentalist impulse that has haunted America since its founding. Reeve deftly intertwines the stories of both the leaders and followers of the far right in the lead up period to and aftermath of the horrible outburst of organized violent mayhem that culminated in the fascist riots in Charlottesville in August 2017.
Based on her fascinating interviews with people involved in rightwing mayhem, Reeve presents a novel conjecture, which she supports with numerous vignettes, anecdotes and documents. The curators of the poisonous fascist / racist / incel boards and ‘chans’ on the internet that undergird the movement are largely an army of disaffected, neurodivergent, socially isolated kids who initially started as trolls who finally began to believe their own ‘humor’ / filth. Autism spectrum disorder features prominently in her analysis of the movers and shakers in this malignant corner of the web. She presents a number of absorbing profiles of the leaders of fascist / racist / incel leaders, many who are self described as being “on the spectrum.” Many of these self-acknowledgments are supported by documents submitted as parts of various court proceedings subsequent to the events of August 2027. Part of me thinks this analysis glib, while another part thinks perhaps its novelty makes it hard for me to digest. In any event much more data are required.
In the end, while the publicity courting, noisy ‘alt-right’ may have spent itself, Reeve notes that something much more malignant and poisonous has emerged in its place. The darkest most racist, jingoistic, misogynistic and violent ‘memes’ of 4chan, 8chan, 8kun and their imitators have infected what used to be mainstream conservatism. Despite this grim recognition her book ends on an optimistic note - we can turn this around. I don’t share her optimism. I think we have slipped over the event horizon of a political ‘black hole.’ Antonio Gramsci said, “The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters.” I think we live in that time of monsters. I desperately hope Reeve is right and I am wrong.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2025One of the most common sense accounts of how we got here. From how it started to what we are all surprised to see now, Elle makes it most clear.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2024Watching my Republican party change these past dozen years made no sense to me. But now I see where the strange energy in the current Republican Party comes from. I also see why the “base” remains so enthusiastic and influential. I pray that the current players in today’s GOP come to realize how destructive their behavior is to our country. If the seminal characters in this strange movement can come to understand the error of their ways, maybe there is some hope that we can get through this. Thanks for the sneak peak into this weird world.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2024This book does explain about radicalizing. At times though it is hard to understand and drags on a little to long on a particular subject. I would not purchase it again.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2024Well written as a personal journey through the alt-right world. The strength of the book is from Reeves's empathy and compassion for the people trapped in the black-pill, "mano-sphere" and how it has ultimately destroyed their lives. She has empathy but she also has no remorse for calling out the toxic and violent culture that surrounds this cult/ure.
Highly recommend. Quick read - my only wish was that it was longer and went more into the Biden presidency.
Top reviews from other countries
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Cliente AmazonReviewed in Brazil on August 17, 2024
1.0 out of 5 stars mal gosto
intragável o primeiro capitulo, nada a ver