Wrapped in the Flag: A Personal History of America's Radical Right
“Both of Claire Conner’s parents were deeply involved      in the cult of far right politics: they knew that Eisenhower was a secret      Communist and they idolized Francisco Franco.Wrapped in the Flagis      at once the heartbreaking and intermittently hilarious story of her coming      of age and a first-hand history of the far right since the 1950s. Conner’s      book is required reading for anyone who wants to understand the sources of      the conspiratorial, hate-filled tropes of the right today—whether they      emanate from the Tea Party, the gun movement, race realists, Sovereign      Citizens, or, increasingly, from elected officials in the GOP." —Arthur      Goldwag, author ofThe New Hate: Fear and Loathing on the Populist      Right“An invaluable contribution to understanding the mentality of extremist conservatism and its supporters.”  —Kirkus,starred review“The John Birch Society had a huge impact on American      politics. They were responsible for the lurch into insanity. The religious      right, the Tea Party and the takeover of the Republican Party by      extremists can't be understood unless you understand the paranoid      xenophobia Birchers injected into America. This book is about a      journey through and out of that Bircher netherworld. It's a vital      piece of the puzzle to understanding the madness that overcame      America and a moving story about one person's journey back to sanity.” —Frank      Schaeffer, author ofCrazy For God"Experiencing      this splendid volume is like reading a history book inside out: events you      only knew about from afar are revealed anew, with the striking      ground-level intimacy of a fine family memoir. I've been waiting for a      book like this: one that demonstrates the shockingly effectual continuity      of the John Birch Society as a force in American political life: from its      early days discrediting the Cold War credentials of JFK, to its outsized      role building up grassroots momentum in the Clinton impeachment, to its      sudden eruption into mainstream Republican thinking with the rise of the      Tea Party movement." —Rick Perlstein, author ofNixonland“This      passionate, personal history of the John Birch Society is timely and      important.  At a moment when Tea Party activists have embraced many      of the Birchers' most outrageous notions, Claire Conner has performed a      great service by reminding us of the origins of some of most virulent      ideas that continue to pollute our body politic.  As the skeptical      daughter of two passionate Birchers, Conner may be the only person who      could have written such a clear-eyed, insider’s      account of the persistent dangers of right-wing extremism.” —Charles Kaiser, author of1968 In AmericaandThe Gay Metropolis“An affecting portrait of late-20th-century America on the fringe." —Publishers Weekly“This insider’s view of the most radical right-wing organization of the Cold War era describes the seeming paranoia and questionable logic of the most devoted JBS members. Conner provides colorful descriptions of many of the eccentric JBS leaders, including founder Robert Welch. . . . Readers interested in learning more about this example of the Cold War era’s ultraconservative political trends will be fascinated by Conner’s description of the perpetual fear of JBS members regarding communist takeovers and communist infiltration of the highest levels of our government. Recommended.” —Library Jounal