Blood in the Face: The Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, Nazi Skinheads, and the Rise of a New White Culture

Just great! The issue is very interesting itself but apart from the pure facts I received actually more than I had needed. Manifests, pictures, people's profiles were just perfect for writing my diploma thesis: "Active Hate Groups in the USA". I guees very few of us realize the scale of racism in the USA. I just wonder if the movement can in fact take over? what's your opinion?

Not comprehensive, but informative. I'm interested in the post below by a self proclaimed neo-Nazi, who denounces the book as "uninformed." I think it's worth noting that oftentimes, those who are on the inside have a far less subjective view of a movement than a researcher does. For this reason, I think Ridgeway has provided some great insights. That said, it's certainly not comprehensive, but a very good start. That and the fact that it provides plenty of (disturbing) visuals, I highly recommend the book.

An excellent, detailed textbook style examination of the radical right, in all its manifestations. Of all the books I've read on the right, and I've read a few, this one is the best. Carefully crafted and scholarly, Ridgeway pulls no punches. He gives detailed explanations of the history, origins and rhetoric of the KKK, The Posse Comitatus, The American Nazi Party and many related right wing haters. He makes copious use of the rights own pamphlets and speeches to reveal their twisted belief systems, and the book is full of pictures and even includes exerts of the infamous Turner Diaries. Well written and readable the book is also a gripping page-turner and will definitely keep you interested until the end. My only gripe is with the final chapter, which is unduly alarmist. It is true that the radical right is active and that they are a danger to society, but I am not convinced by the notion that there values are more acceptable in society than they have been in the past. Was Bull Conner an outcast in his time? Is David Duke more important politically than George Wallace was? Has the KKK been able to defeat a presidential candidate in modern times the way they defeated Al Smith? I also found the suggestion that Madonna and Tom Petty of all people are spreading racist propaganda to be laughable. Further the notion that opposition to affirmative action is evidence of a racist mindset is absurd, and revealing of the authors `liberal' bias. Affirmative action is not only a racist notion, based as it is on the idea that minorities need special help to succeed, but also has given aid and comfort to the racist cause. Racists can point to Affirmative Action as proof of their own beliefs. That being said, the ideological quirks of the author do not detract from the excellence of his scholarship. As a detailed explanation of the radical right across the broad spectrum, the book is peerless. Highly recommended.

Ridgeway was given unprecedented access to some of the most hated and revered figures on the racist right in the preparation of this study. Of particular interest are both the flow chart that introduces the book, showing the connections between hate groups past and present and the sections on the Oklahoma City bombing.