Prequel

An American Fight Against Fascism

By: Rachel Maddow

Narrated by: Rachel Maddow

#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.

Critic reviews

Praise for Prequel

“Maddow’s book is a ripping read—well rendered, fast-paced and delivered with the same punch and assurance that she brings to a broadcast. . . . Prequel is a valuable window into the authoritarian mind-set—and the process by which self-professed patriots turn against democracy . . . the parallels to the present day are strong, even startling . . .”—The New York Times

“[A] vivid, urgent, smart history,” and “Maddow makes a vital contribution to the history of armed fascism in the United States.”—The Washington Post

“Maddow’s sublime research into the precursors of current existential threats is astonishingly deep. She finds rabbit holes even rabbits are unaware of.”—Booklist, starred review

“America beat fascism once. Maddow’s timely study of enemies on the homefront urges that we can do so again.”—Kirkus, starred reviews



Praise for Blowout

“An account of international intrigue, high finance, low characters, and outrageous legal and illegal acts that put the global economy and Western democracy at grave risk. . . . [Maddow] tells this tale deliberately and methodically, building her case not as a cable commentator, but as a Rhodes Scholar.”—The Boston Globe

“Blowout is a rollickingly well-written book, filled with fascinating, exciting and alarming stories about the impact of the oil and gas industry on the world today. . . . A brilliant description of many of the problems caused by our reliance on fossil fuels.”—The New York Times Book Review

“I can’t stress enough what a great storyteller Rachel Maddow is. [She carries] the reader through some hair-raising journalism in such an engaging and propulsive fashion you simply cannot put the book down. . . . It has left a most lasting impression.”—San Francisco Chronicle

Deja vu

Disturbing how we appear not to have learned anything from history. Republicans are running the very same play book.

Thanks to Rachel Maddow!

In case people forget, the truth is out there if you look for it. Rachel is a national treasure.

No change

I learned how we (people as a whole) are just not that good- didn’t know a lot of the history, and find myself disappointed.

Most engaging history book I’ve read

This expansion of the story, and her first set of podcasts runs so parallel to a lot of what is going on now. This is an important book for everybody to read because it shows that we can defeat the hate agenda of the far right, the slide to autocracy and bigotry. It shows that you can tamp it down, but unless you keep an ion it, it’s going to come back like it has now. The book is well researched with primary sources and shares many of those with the reader so you can go find them yourself to further explore. I love her storytelling style because it keeps you engaged. It’s all tied together nicely at the end which I appreciate it. It’s like the end of Animal House where they tell you what happens to all the characters.
This book is so well written, so well read, and so interesting that even people who say they don’t enjoy reading about history, will find this worth their time.

Prequel

Brilliant and mesmerizing, especially given the current battle against fascism on the right, with its renewed and virulent antisemitism.