A Journey into the Trump Campaign and theAlt-Right

This book offers an interesting glimpse into how Trump may have unfolded his remarks and attitudes of the nominee race and the presidential race. Some of this helps me to understand, and other points are downright scary. I used to be concerned about someone so reactive getting into power, and now I am wondering if he'll bring a fever pitch of anger and negativity through and past the election, even when he is not elected.

I find that American people are sadly being taken down the slippery slope. Unless we rejoin and start to wake up , more rights and our lifestyle will be lost. I am surprised we have let Trump become a dictator style president. Look at history and how events were started. Encourage others to read this informative booklet.

Story highlights relationship between Trump and conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones, as well their ties to Roger Stone.

I read this after the election so it was a little more frightening than humorous.

Interesting insight. Although the author did not have actual contact with Donald Trump he was able to hang with his political committee. It was an eye opener. Whether you agree or not "People are judged by the company they keep."

An interesting look at a person have only heard about in passing. It is a short book, taking place over a short time during the elections. This isn’t a deep dive but maybe that should have been evident due to the title. The perfect read for a short plane ride.

The title is a bit misleading. I was expecting this to be an inside story on the Trump campaign itself. Instead it was more of an analysis of Alex Jones and the Alt-right's influence on Trump.
Regardless, this short read was a fascinating behind-the-scenes story about what occurred during the Republican National Convention. It also does a great job at telling the influence that the alt-right has on Trump, and how Trump in turn uses people like Jones as a pawn in his game piece. Despite the story being different than what the title suggests, it was the most refreshing analysis of Trump's candidacy that I have read in a long while.

Note: I read this Kindle Single through the new Prime Reading feature so "verified purchase" doesn't show by my review.

Don't reject Ronson's The Elephant in the Room, assuming it is merely criticism or a comedic look at Trump supporters by a liberal. While his investigation uncovers the shocking and the sinister, Ronson also finds sympathy for others. The Elephant in the Room isn't a comedic rehash of Trump supporters that we've all seen many times.

The Elephant in the Room is classic Ronson, primarily exposing the conspiracy theorists, including the lobbyist turned campaign staff behind Trump. Ronson spots Infowars Alex Jones at the RNC and hopes and succeeds in interviewing him. Ronson and Jones were initially friends, having infiltrated Bohemian Grove to check the validity of the claim Bush Senior, Cheney, and other conservatives engaged in a ritual of tossing an effigy into a giant owl (I won't spoil the outcome). Their friendship later deteriorated. Currently Jones stokes Clinton conspiracies and stumps for Trump, who has used some of these outlandish lies in his speeches.

Ronson also succeeds in gaining access to Roger Stone, as Stone visits with Jones while at the RNC. Stone, a former lobbyist for Trump, has also lobbied for some international criminals along with others in his firm, including Manafort, who is also a part of the Trump machine. Jones proclaims to be anti-elite, but Stone and Manafort are elite. Ronson also points out the racism of Stone and other key Trump figures.

Interspersed with the primary players are others Ronson meets at the Republican convention in Cleveland. Ronson is sympathetic with the "Avocado Lady," a former soap opera star, who spoke against trade practices that have hurt her business but was skewered by other journalists. With inflammatory rhetoric inside to some men with assault rifles outside, Ronson feels most unsafe where "drama starved" journalists clamor to a woman attempting to burn a flag outside.

Bottom line, considering that these alt-right elites (Stone et al) would continue to play a part of a potential Trump presidency is a horrifying scenario.

Politics, politics, politics. It will always polarize. However, Ronson has a way of looking over the battlelines and humanizing what most hard lefters would characterize as the enemy. When Ronson talks about Alex Jones, sure, he mentions the man's assertion that Sandy Hooks Massacre was staged, but he also talks about Jones as a friend who he likes and wants to trade notes with.

This is something of a companion piece to Ronson's book Them: Adventures with Extremists. He visits again with Alex Jones, who is featured memorably in the previous book. What makes this piece notable is how in the intervening 15 years (or so) this obscure and strange man has had a major American political party slowly creep closer towards his brand of shrill paranoia. There are moments of Ronson's fine wit, but this is a rather worrying piece of journalism.

There's not much about the 2016 presidential campaign that isn't interesting. I keep telling people I have an Election Addiction and can't stop reading about the race, even when I feel fatigued, aggravated, and depressed by it all.

Fortunately, Jon Ronson's honest and compassionate look at the alt-right personalities fueling Trump's campaign, specifically conspiracy conjurer Alex Jones, isn't a polemic or a rant. The purpose of the book is to look at the Trump movement from a human perspective. No one benefits from this more than Alex Jones, although I'm sure he would deem this book a smear job. Ronson, however, manages to wrest the talk show host away from his cartoonish paranoia and laughable assertions and portray him in a candid, unflinching way.

My only criticism of the book is how short it is. This prevents it from being an in-depth look at the alt-right, but as a primer, it's a swift and engrossing start...

The book starts out interestingly enough giving some insight into Alex Jones and various other right wing figures. However it then takes a hard left turn half way through denouncing Trump in every possible miniscule way. I couldn't help but feeling like I was reading a 1984 level piece of propaganda straight off the press at the Ministry of Truth. Reading the last sentence really brought a smile to face. The joke's on you now, buckle up brother. Cheers.

Once again Jon Ronson does not disappoint with his unique views into abnormal ideas or people. This time he takes on the subject matter of Alex Jones and Roger Stone and their dealings with now President Trump.

Excellent and enlightening. I learned so much and some key names to research in this political circus we are unfortunately experiencing. This is a must read for everyone, especially those who voted Trump and insist he is not supported by racist

This book was really interesting. It reminded me of the non-scientific claims that Trump had said during the beginning of his campaign and even now. Some of this info has shown up in John Oliver's segment.