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chillcox15's review
4.0
Luke Mogelson approaches the events of 2020 and 2021 in The Storm Is Here very much as a reporter, with an (at times forced) neutrality that allows him access to document the anti-government, anti-left, white supremacist movements that exploded in those pivotal months. I personally feel like that neutrality can come across at times as equivocating the two sides of fascist/anti-fascist conflict that has played out in places like, oh, Portland, but Mogelson does repeatedly note that "only one side has their grievances based in reality." Thanks for that! If Mogelson does have an ideology present in the text, it's based in his experiences as a wartime correspondent in the American occupations of Western Asia, which he uses to examine the ways in which an American perspective is fundamentally unprepared for the instability of a society that 2020/21 has begun to approach. There's certainly a bit of journalist machismo on display, but not in a way that hinders the telling of Mogelson's experiences. I'm just not sure how effective the "let them hang by their own rope" approach works with a group of people willing to bend whatever belief or fact they have at their disposal to march towards an ethnostate takeover. I'm not sure what the exact best approach is, but strategic counter-offensive does seem appealing in situations where the Proud Boys et al aren't just baiting us to fight back.
lukaron's review
5.0
I have found, over the years, that I really enjoy the first-person, travel-around-the-US and talk to people type of reporting. This book was a refreshing change from the higher-level reporting I have been reading on the rise of Qanon and other issue groups in the period prior to the Pandemic, leading up to the reelection, and finally the attack on the Capital on Jan 6.
His writing about the events of Jan 6 were probably worth the read of everything else in the book, as he was present for the entire thing, even following the crowd on into the building and he bore direct witness to the violence that took place.
I'll refrain from getting further into borderline political discourse, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wish he'd write a few more centering specifically on the issues in the US.
His writing about the events of Jan 6 were probably worth the read of everything else in the book, as he was present for the entire thing, even following the crowd on into the building and he bore direct witness to the violence that took place.
I'll refrain from getting further into borderline political discourse, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wish he'd write a few more centering specifically on the issues in the US.
tshrope's review
5.0
I think this book should be categorized in the Horror genre. The Political Right has become radicalized and are literally delusional; a most dangerous combination. Mogelson, a seasoned war correspondent, does an excellent job of showing how even in war zones the radicalized are not delusional too. They do not believe their children are serpents of God or that serpents of God are coming to kill them, they do not believe their enemies are all pedophiles.
The scariest part of this whole book is that this is the new Republican party, and they may very likely take back Congress in a few days. The Republican leaders only care about power and do nothing to thwart this dangerous rehtortic and behavior. In fact they encourage it i.e Josh Hawley, Ted Cruise, Paul Gosar, and the list goes on.
This is a minority of the American population but they are organized, loud, have talk radio, Fox News and social media churning out lies and propaganda 24/7. They are always on the offense, while playing the victim, and They Are Armed. This is the hair raising horror story that Stephen King wishes he had written.
The scariest part of this whole book is that this is the new Republican party, and they may very likely take back Congress in a few days. The Republican leaders only care about power and do nothing to thwart this dangerous rehtortic and behavior. In fact they encourage it i.e Josh Hawley, Ted Cruise, Paul Gosar, and the list goes on.
This is a minority of the American population but they are organized, loud, have talk radio, Fox News and social media churning out lies and propaganda 24/7. They are always on the offense, while playing the victim, and They Are Armed. This is the hair raising horror story that Stephen King wishes he had written.
jbmorgan86's review
4.0
A good reminder in 2023 that Trump and his most ardent followers (QAnon, The Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Patriot Front, Three Percenters, Boogaloo Bois, InfoWars, Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, Rudy Giuliani, et al) are not just annoying, rude, offensive, outrageous, or ridiculous . . . they’re dangerous.
The Storm is here chronicles the four seasons of 2020 and the build up to Jan 6 from a war correspondent’s POV.
Spring: COVID lockdowns, Michigan anti-lockdown protests, plot to kidnap the governor.
Summer: George Floyd, Portland, Minneapolis, Kyle Rittenhouse, Lafayette Square
Fall: The election and the aftermath
Winter: the events immediately surrounding Jan 6
The writing is clear and fair (and even a bit compassionate when you’d least expect it).
My big take away: 2020 was characterized by “an amorphous rage, a communal delirium of fear and feverish self-righteousness, simply shifted from one target to another when it was offered a new outlet for expression.”
The various Pro-Trump groups believed in various (contradictory?) things. The world is coming to an end because of . . . China? Jews? Lizard People? Kidnapping, adrenochrome drinking liberal elites? A New World Order? Satan himself? Whatever it was, Trump was the Messiah who would save the world!
The Storm is here chronicles the four seasons of 2020 and the build up to Jan 6 from a war correspondent’s POV.
Spring: COVID lockdowns, Michigan anti-lockdown protests, plot to kidnap the governor.
Summer: George Floyd, Portland, Minneapolis, Kyle Rittenhouse, Lafayette Square
Fall: The election and the aftermath
Winter: the events immediately surrounding Jan 6
The writing is clear and fair (and even a bit compassionate when you’d least expect it).
My big take away: 2020 was characterized by “an amorphous rage, a communal delirium of fear and feverish self-righteousness, simply shifted from one target to another when it was offered a new outlet for expression.”
The various Pro-Trump groups believed in various (contradictory?) things. The world is coming to an end because of . . . China? Jews? Lizard People? Kidnapping, adrenochrome drinking liberal elites? A New World Order? Satan himself? Whatever it was, Trump was the Messiah who would save the world!
ritacunha's review
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Really great journalistic work into fringe movements. I knew they existed but I still managed to learn more about them and little-known events that dominated the far-right landscape in 2020-2021.
aecorsilva's review against another edition
Had to return it to the library, just didn't grab me like I hoped it would.