The Age of Insurrection is the most recent non-fiction book by David Neiwert, an American freelance journalist. The Age of Insurrection focuses on the events of January 6th and on the factors that led up to and culminated in the storming of the capitol on 1/6/2021. Neiwert discusses the ways in which rightwing extremist groups have grown and changed over the preceding decades and gives frameworks for fighting extremism and election denialism on local levels.

This was a good book about an important topic, but it was fairly dry. With such a fascinating topic, I wish this had been a little easier to get into.

Thanks so much to David Neiwert and Melville House Publishing for this ARC through NetGalley. The Age of Insurrection is available now!

The Age of Insurrection covers these groups' history and tactics from the 1970s to the present day. The way Neiwert documents these groups (Neo-Nazis, Proud Boys, Boogaloo Boys, Patriot Prayer, Oath Keepers, Three Percenters, white nationalists, Christian nationalists, QAnon, etc) is an eye opening look at how their rhetoric (great replacement theory, cultural marxism, etc) has been mainstreamed and downplayed by republicans. David Neiwert is a must read author for anyone wanting to read up on far right "patriot" movement. This is the third book of Neiwert's I've read and I think it's some of his best writing.
Thanks to Melville House and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange of an honest review.

David Neiwert concludes his book: The Age of Insurrection, with the following warning: “They’ll only succeed, of course, if we keep our eyes closed to the continuing threat and fail to be prepared. Because as far as they’re concerned, they are “at war.” Only a fool would disbelieve them.” The “they” he is speaking about are groups like the Proud Boys, Boogaloo, Patriot Prayer, Oath Keepers, Three Percent, Grizzly Scouts, white nationalists, Christian nationalists, QAnon, and countless others, including many in government, media, law enforcement, and the military who support our previous president and an ever growing list of conspiracies and grievances. Neiwert’s purpose is to open our eyes to the reality of what’s been happening within our country for decades, mostly off the radar of the general public – but which suddenly was on full display during the January 6th insurrection, in the events of Charlotsville, Minneapolis and Portland, and daily fueled by social media and Fox News. Neiwert’s book is an eye-opening review of all that is has been unfolding since the 1980’s that has led to the radicalization of the Republican Party, the “Patriot” movement within our country, and the multitude of phony narratives around replacement theory, critical race theory, the new world order, the deep state, rigged elections, and countless other fears that are fueling civil unrest and division. In Neiwert’s words: “White supremacists and far-right militants have committed far more attacks and killed more people in the U.S. over the last 10 years than any foreign terrorist movement. The FBI regards them as the most lethal domestic terror threat.”
We cannot keep our eyes closed any longer, and thus, I believe, that this book is a crucial read. For most of us, we have heard or read bits and pieces, but in this book, Neiwert lays it all out in a comprehensive and compelling way so that we cannot help but see with open eyes the reality of the threat that is before us. Thank you Net Galley and Melville House for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.