Welcome to Litsy!

I knew this book would be good. It was heavy, and so enraging. It was sad, and scary. But thanks to a few peoplx who showed Derek some love and were patient with him...he left that life of hate behind. If Derek can do it, anyone can. This story shows the power of love. Now that I‘ve finished it, it‘s okay to cry. Highly recommended.

While this might give you hope that white supremacists/nationalists can be shown the error in their beliefs, I believe this is an extraordinary situation about an individual who used intellectual arguments to support this racial view. Intellectual arguments can be refuted. Derek Black was transformed by evidence. Having been raised in the South, most White Nationalists are driven my emotions, resentment, and hate. Fascinating book though.

Amazing how much reading can get accomplished when your kid naps for nearly 2 hours on your flight.

This is fascinating. It honestly reads like a novel. Just fascinating.

Finally came in. Buckle up.

Check out One Book Many Communities on Facebook to join the discussion next week.

Read this book. If there was a white nationalist living quietly next door, most of us would ostracize him. This is the true story of how a group of college students befriended Derek Black and slowly worked to change his ideology through conversation, science and meaningful relationships. Author Eli Saslow is a staff reporter at the WA Post who writes a compelling narrative that asks us what we would do when confronted with hate in our community.

Such an important read, especially in light of the resurgence of white supremacy in the US. This story proves that only love and acceptance can drive out racism and hatred.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is just one man's journey from a prominent family in the KKK to a liberal college in Florida that changed how he saw the world around him. What I was impressed by the most was how the friends he made at college, from all different walks of life, were patient and kind with him despite his background. I wish more people could be open like that because that's how true change happens. 💚

This is the story of Derek Black, the God son of David Duke who had been groomed to take over the White Nationalist movement, and how he came to reject the ideals he helped popularize. I‘m glad I read it. In the past few years I‘ve come to believe that it‘s dangerous for white folks to base their thoughts on minorities just on what they‘ve heard from other white people. This is an extreme example of that. (See comments)

A really interesting true story about Derrick Black, a one time White Nationalist “rising star” who experiences a change of heart after attending a liberal arts college. The very people ( immigrants, Jews, liberals) Derrick preaches against are the ones who reach out & befriend him, challenging him to reevaluate all that he believes. Fascinating for today‘s political climate as President Trump seeks re-election. A worthwhile listen 🎧

Im finishing up my Holiday cooking and listening to this gripping and fascinating NF story about a White Supremest “prodigy” as he begins to fall in love with a Jewish girl. Thanks so much for putting this book on my radar @Reggie

One of the best books of 2019. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 I enjoyed the audiobook so much. Well written and well researched, but reads like a novel.

Next up. Library hold finally came in. Going in.

Derek Roland Black was groomed from a very early age to take over as the next White Nationalist leader. Which as I read his tactics he himself came up with, were very scary because they were more subtle yet packed more of a punch. He ends up going to a liberal, hippie, college where nobody knows him where he meets the very people his ideology tells him is the enemy. He befriends them and when he is outed at the school for who he is as a white👇🏼

How funny that the news out on the left comes out as I‘m reading this book. It doesn‘t seem that they‘re about the same thing...... but they are.

This book is not for everyone, though I recommend it. It may be triggering or painful to anyone who has suffered for generations at the hands of white supremacy and nationalism. Please take care of yourself. But white people - I‘m talking to you. You should read this, because we are all complicit. Work on your internalized racism. Find the ways you can speak out or act out against WN and white supremacy. (Cont in comments)

Wow.

This is why more people don‘t change their mindsets (or leave abusive situations, or make different choices, or any of the other judgments we who are “morally superior” ascribe to those who don‘t think as we do or do what we do). This is intense and traumatic.

There‘s a lot of thoughts that this book is inspiring in me, but this is one of the ones that‘s rising to the top. People‘s ideologies aren‘t just “intellectual” or “emotional” without a relational context. The most meaningful elements holding us in places are often loyalty, belonging, sense of family, and identity. Any efforts to change hearts MUST incorporate ways people can establish new connections with others.

This was really interesting and unsettling. Also, very disturbing when discussing Trump.....

Same book, same place as yesterday. Had to call in sick to work which basically meant I had to work from home :( as I am still very under the weather. Still working on this book - have had a great run if nonfiction reads this year and this one is no exception. It is going to be hard to find a fiction book that will keep me engaged.

There are some interesting things that happened here, but I found some of it cringeworthy. While, in the end, Black changed his mind, his girlfriend put herself into what could have been really bad positions and no woman thinking that she can change a man should presume a similar outcome. Finally, I think that the good/evil dichotomy isn‘t doing much good on either side.

My reading material for MLK Day

Felt like I was coming down with something yesterday and sure enough woke this morning feeling terrible 🥵🥶🤧😷🤒Plan for today is bed and books. I need to recover fast as I absolutely have to go to work tomorrow 😢 Almost finished this book - what an incredible story - highly recommend!

I don‘t normally read these types of books, but found this one really interesting. Derek Black was the son of the founder of Stormfront - an infamous white nationalist website. He grew up in the movement, but after going to college and meeting new people, he struggles to changes his views and renounce his entire life‘s beliefs. It shows the struggle is real when your whole family and friendship circle is engrossed in hatred.

Racism is LEARNED behavior. That‘s what this book shows. An important read for our current times and it‘s truly scary the depths of what white nationalists believe. It makes for an ok audio listen. I had to take frequent breaks because it‘s heavy material.

Wow. This was in 2008. Years before Trump

"People are just waiting for white candidates to come along who are brave enough to talk about these things, and when that happens whites will go streaming to the polls" - Derek Black

Foreshadowing of Donald Trump?

Wow this book was hard to put down. Derek Black is the godson of David Duke and the son of the founder of the white supremacist website Stormfront. This is the story of how he found his way to realizing how wrong all these ideologies are. It is a frightening glimpse behind the curtain. We are in a critical time in our country and everyone needs to decide right now what side of history do you want to be on?

“The future of our movement is to become fully mainstream.” David Duke 2008 four days after President Obama‘s election.