Black Pill

How I Witnessed the Darkest Corners of the Internet Come to Life, Poison Society, and Capture American Politics

By: Elle Reeve

Narrated by: Elle Reeve

This tour de force of investigative journalism—in the vein of The Next Civil War and Why We’re Polarized—reveals how the battle between the right and left is spilling out from the darkest corners of the internet into the real world with often tragic consequences.

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 listening for any supporter of democracy.

©2024 Elle Reeve (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Mind blown

This book gave me a look into the alt right and maga movement that nothing else has presented so explicitly. A compelling listen 10/10

Elle Reeve manages to turn a terrifying subject into an enjoyable listen.

Most of the material wasn't new, but was woven together into a single narrative and warning about what is happening under the surface of everyday American life. The final product is both really interesting and really chilling. Also a great read for anyone interested in journalism!

One of the best and well researched books on Chan culture hands down

out of all the books I've read on this subject including Meme Wars and It came from something awful (both good books that deserve a read) I rarely come across a journalist who just gets it when it comes to Chan culture this might be my favorite book of 2024 hands down. I was part of this culture on the internet back in 2016. This brings back nostalgic memories of staying up late at night sh*t posting with the lads and going to community college. the author brings humanity to an otherwise misunderstood band of misfits there is obviously a difference between being a lonely nerd and being thrown in with a bunch of grifting wannabe nazis but the fact that I was there at the ground floor as Chan culture changed and now we have books about it blows my mind. 5/5 excellent work !

This is information that I knew very little about. It was important for me to learn about

Sometimes the book was hard to follow because they were so many names snd terms I was not familiar with. Even so, I really enjoyed the book and learned a lot from it.

An Important explanation about a subject most know nothing about.

Far too many people who need to read or listen to the book won’t. Elle Reeves does an amazing job explaining how the dark corners of the Internet have affected our society in ways too few people understand. This book deserves top billing with other such recent pieces as “The Undertow” by Jeff Sharlet and “Trust The Plan” by Will Sommers.

excellent overview

i follow this stuff closely and this is one of the best far right exposes

inspiring

this is an amazing story told by a remarkable person. I'm aware of what a beautiful thing freedom is. how precious and fragile. how we are all called to stand up for what is right. thank you!

Elle Reeve is Great!

Elle’s storytelling is top-tier and her voice is so pleasant. Her ability to stomach and report on internet culture is very special and I feel like it’s an underrated aspect of her work. She’s wonderful at presenting her material in context and using language to convey the nuance of online culture. This is a really great book.

More, please?

This singular book wove the last decade's frayed political threads together into today's modern social fabric. If people want to know "how it ends", this well-sourced, courageous, deep dive into America's recent political history provides a narrative map. It's the best investigative journalism I've come across to explain America's latest problems w/domestic nazis. This is a must read (or listen).

first hand account of history from someone who was there

I highly recommend this book as it helps explain much about our current political situation. It was written in an intriguing style that made it seem like a novel. I wish it were a novel and many of the events covered in this hadn't actually happened. having the author read the book very much added to the experience.