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.

eye-opening

an essential read for everyone trying to understand how we got where we are as a country.

Great story — uneven performance

Fascinating, well-told look at a world few people know. Quibble: The audiobook is read by the author. I have a hearing impairment, and I found the author’s vocal fry and tendency to let her pitch and volume to trail off at the end of sentences forced me to rewind and re-listen far too often. This wouldn’t bother most people, but my experience with this book made me appreciate professional actors and readers.

great book

ellie reeve did some excellent research and presented it in a compelling story line tieing it back to headlines to mark the progress well.

Great insight into an obscure subculture.

As someone who came of age in the era of 4chan and other edgy, often toxic online communities, I found this book uniquely insightful and fascinating.

Epic!!!

This has to go down as a seminal observation of our current cultural predicament . Authentic, incredibly well researched, thoughtful perspective.

A Must Read...

Reeve explores the emergence and evolution of extremist digital movements, examining how fringe ideologies migrated from obscure corners of the internet to the forefront of public discourse. Through vivid accounts of events, such as violent attacks and conspiratorial movements like QAnon, the book uncovers the unsettling ways these ideas have permeated both virtual and real-world spaces. Yet, as Reeve argues, the momentum of these ideologies persists, reshaping societal undercurrents in increasingly insidious ways.