Reviews with content warning for Sexism - Culture Warlords: My Journey Into the Dark Web of White Supremacy

There was a lot I really liked about this book. The scary look into far-right infiltrative journalism really put me on edge. Lavin is incredibly brave and principled. However, much of this book read like a collection of well-written journal articles. The overall story lacked cohesiveness. I enjoyed each section independently ("We Keep Us Safe" was a standout), but don't go into this expecting a deep dive into the path of online radicalism. It's good as a more intro-level text of vignettes. Lavin's writing is strong, personal, and emotional, though I found it repetitive (and I spent a fair amount of time looking up words). 3.5 stars.

"To those who find themselves uncomfortable with the operation of antifascists outside the comfortable bounds of institutions and, at times, the law, I remind you that the French partisans of World War II were acting illegally, while the Einsatzgruppen had the full support of German law. We tend to like our noble lawbreakers to be comfortably in the past, where time and death have sanitized them into heroes, and to suffer those who struggle against injustice in the present only grudgingly, if at all."

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colorlessgrey's review

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challenging informative slow-paced

3.0

Culture Warlords has a lot of good information about the state of modern white supremacy in America, especially in online spaces. However, the author is at times hyperbolic when communicating factual information, which is misleading. I have heard some of the same information from other sources (such as public radio) that I trust, so I know it's accurate at the core, but it is irresponsible to deliver the information with as much exaggeration a the author uses. The writing style of the book in general was not my favorite, and that made it a slower read for me than it could have been otherwise.

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kalifer's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

4.5

Honestly, this was a very sad read. However, it is very relevant in our society. Extremist are everywhere, and we have to be mindful of how they interact with the society at large. It's terrifying to me that these people are so hateful and disgusting. And I know they take joy in people feeling that way. It's just depressing that this is the world we live in. But I don't believe it's completely hopeless. Yet, I think it is important to take a break from such hatred, because if we do not let ourselves rest, we risk not being able to fight for each other. I hope the writer of this book was able to rest.

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