To Catch a Fascist: The Fight to Expose the Radical Right

by Christopher Mathias, Matt Godfrey (Narrator)

“Absorbing.” —THE NEW YORKER, BEST BOOKS OF 2026

A searing, provocative investigation into the rise of white nationalist and neo-Nazi movements in the United States, centered on the anti-fascist groups working to expose and stop these hateful factions.

Demonized as “extremist” by conservatives and liberals alike, “antifa” became a bogeyman during Donald Trump’s first term. But few Americans understood the dangerous work antifa was doing to disrupt and unmask a new generation of white supremacists or listened when antifa sounded the alarm about these white supremacists taking positions of power. Now this underground network of militant anti-fascists is determined to stop the rising tide of fascism in America. No matter the cost.

In the tradition of in-the-room investigative classics such as The Smartest Guys in the Room and Bad Blood, To Catch a Fascist follows different factions of antifascists as they work to unmask hateful extremists before they commit devastating acts of violence. With searing detail and exclusive reporting, To Catch a Fascist paints a vivid picture of the stakes in this ongoing, often unseen war between opposite ends of the political spectrum, highlighting the scrappy resourcefulness and resilience of anti-fascist movements against their increasingly violent adversaries. Utilizing razor-sharp storytelling and eye-opening insight, this timely and necessary book reveals the human cost, moral dilemmas, and unwavering determination involved in fighting white supremacy.

Both a call to action and a pulse-raising look at the powerful work being done to combat today’s gravest threat to democracy, To Catch a Fascist will inspire you to fight for your community.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, History, Audiobook, Journalism, Adult, Social Science

11 pages, Audible Audio

First published February 3, 2026

Reviews

[Shan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ARC of this book. Here is an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was equal parts scary, educational, and delightful in a strange way. Scary learning that there are these people out there. Educational because of the depth that the author went into. And delightful knowing that these fascists are getting exposed.

For example, what I knew of the Charlottesville event was the two scenes that are always shown, but afterwards I learned that this event was much worse.

I don't want to give away any more but if you want to know more about how the radical right is destroying our country, this is a good read.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was recommended to me by my friend Laura, as something that I would obviously be into, and she was not wrong. I immediately requested it from the library, and when they acquired it (SERIOUSLY PHILLY?) put it on hold, and then when it came in, I read it as soon as I finished my current book.

And it was great, overall. It examines the rise of right-wing fascistic ideology and hate in the US (though acknowledging that it's on the rise globally), and focuses on those who work to counter, expose, and destroy it.

The argument could be made that we have lived under a form of fascism for a long, long time, but this current Trump administration is going Full Fash openly, brazenly, unapologetically. It is not only allowing, but encouraging, validating, and commanding acts of hate and violence, and then calling that "patriotism".

So this book seeks to explore those who infiltrate and investigate and hack and spy and record and doxx the violent alt-right/neo-nazi/white nationalist/white supremacist groups. It explores antifa as a movement, and also other anti-fascist groups that have come before, like the ARA (Anti-Racist Action - We Go Where They Go: The Story of Anti-Racist Action is definitely going on my TBR.), and other left-wing activists who take it upon themselves to track and expose fascists among us - teachers, politicians, doctors, police, etc - and call for them to be held accountable, at least socially, by losing their positions of power and authority, losing their anonymity and security, and losing their influence over others - hopefully.

In those ways, I really liked it. It was both really depressing to see how deep this vein of violent hatred and xenophobia ran throughout society, and the ways it manifests, but also really uplifting to see that the resistance to it runs just as deep, and is dedicated to their goal of rooting it out.

If I have one complaint about this though, it's that the author would often throw accusations and demonizing descriptions of "the bad guys" into the narrative, without substantiation or relevance.
Like, "Bob Smith, a wife beater, joined Patriot Front in 2016." (Made up example, FYI, just to illustrate my point.)

I understand the impulse to add this type of info, with the intention of further showing how these men are/were/could be violent in multiple ways, not just based on race ideology, but to me, it undermines the argument and detracts from the factuality of the book by making unsubstantiated, sometimes irrelevant, ad hominem attacks. Maybe Bob Smith DOES beat his wife, but that's irrelevant to the point being made in that moment, and if you want to explore that, by all means, explore it in an examination of misogyny and patriarchal oppression within fascist ideology. But just throwing out an accusation like this is not OK by me.

That complaint aside, I definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone right now. Read it, be inspired by it. Be called to anti-fascist action by it, even if that simply means getting to know your neighbors and be willing to stand with and for them against those who would harm them.

As the book says: Nobody is coming to save us. We must save us.

[Erin (Brooklyn Book Fanatic) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be recommended reading for all, to understand how we got to where we are, what systems and groups are in place to create the chaotic world we live in, and how you can understand it impacts the way you experience it and ideally stand against it.

[Jackie Sunday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two sides -- fascism and antifa – are highlighted in this book.

Christopher Mathias provides readers with a backdoor examination of white supremacist organizations and neo-Nazi activists in the US. He also reports how anti-fascists have been diligently working to identify those involved from various sources and to stop the violence.

This book touches on brutal parts of our past with the three phases of Ku Klux Klan from 1865 to 1944. Readers are brought up to date with protests and violence with hate crimes towards Blacks, Jews, Muslims, Latinos and immigrants in clubs, churches, synagogues and on the streets. It includes the rally in Charlottesville in 2017 along with various other atrocities.

Then there’s the suspense from a spy who for years worked to unmask some of the identities of neo-Nazis. Does he get caught? It’s a chase that involves highly guarded secrets.

It’s well written by a journalist who did an intense amount of research. We think we know everything until we read a book like this. It’s packed with history and it brings us to the current times with the fears, dangers and unknowns of where it’s going. The book has a perfect ending.

My thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book with a release date of February 3, 2026. The opinions that I have shared are my own.

[Jeff Bursey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-paced, informative, and a good summary of recent antifa activity in doxxing the fasha, as well as the counter-programming of fascists trying to dox antifa people. (I'm not going to say member as that implies a different kind of organization, like in a political party.) Mathias makes no secret that impartiality isn't what he's interesting in. If you see a Nazi, punch the Nazi, with no special pleading necessary afterwards. That's what you should do, he says (not in so many words), you don't give them equal time. ("You gave him the floor, he up and started a war..." as the words to a song go [if I remember right].)

The book ends with a fizzle, and that's disappointing, but for the most part Mathais writes in an engaged way about shadowy figures and a movement that, since this book came out, has had its ideas and language accepted more and more in mainstream views and the mouths of certain politicians. I had hoped he might have infiltrated a right-wing group, but he didn't (or he hasn't said) and instead relies on those who have for a great deal of his information. It's a long-exposure photograph of a period of time right up to 2025.

[Alba Viesca sánchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fuck Nazis

[Laurie Parsons Cantillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book. Exhaustively researched, To Catch a Fascist reads like a spy novel, taking us into the shadowy world of resourceful individuals who infiltrate and dox violent fascist groups in the U.S. If you’ve wondered what antifa really is (hint: it’s not a group), author Chris Mathias answers your questions through a series of one-on-one interviews with the elusive and courageous figures we need in these dark times.

[Shiny Ruins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Reading this book as a minority admist the current situation in America, who foresaw many of the issues plaging the nation and listed them as part of my reasoning to leave the US in the early 2010s, this book is bittersweet vindication.

Mathias does a wonderful job of threading the needle showing how fascists in America, ballooned by the ever encroaching shift to the right and by the takeover of media by right-wing supporters (Twitter by Musk etc) saw their fringe movement become Republican mainstream. Mathias spends the bulk of the book cataloging the work of several Antifa members to unmask members of various militant right-wing organizations. And how said organizations rallied and pushed their ideas to the mainstream piecemeal by piecemeal.

This is a work examining a large portion of the reasons why the current state of things are the way they are. It's amazing to see all the missed opportunities to address the Nazis who have taken over. It shows how mainstream media played a part in "both sides" demonization Antifa, making the movement out to be as problematic as the fascists they doxxed.

What would be the state of things be if those responsible for Charlottesville & J6, including Trump himself, had been arrested, tried and jailed for long sentences for their crimes? We will never know, but this book does a great job showing how we got here.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me this book to review.

Really interesting and very timely. This book explores anti-fascist movements and actions in the US, particularly in the post-2016 election era. Specifically, Mathias is telling the story of anti-fascist who have infiltrated fascist/white supremacist/far-right militia groups and exposed, or "doxxed", the members of those groups. This was clearly very carefully researched and it is obvious that Matias has been covering these groups for a very long time. The stories of the particular infiltration were very interesting and well explained. I was tangentially aware of some of these groups and their online activity but this book explores more about all that went into revealing information on these groups.

At the end, the author tries to frame some things in a hopeful manner, but I am not that optimistic. I more agree with the person in the book who thinks doxxing of this type has or will become less effective as these groups gain support in the highest levels of government. Of course, people are still opposed to white supremacy and we can see that in the protests in Minnesota, as an example, but I do not think the social stigma against these groups is very strong at the moment, unfortunately.

[hima · Rating 3 out of 5]

sort of like everything you saw happen on left twitter post-2016, chronicled in book form

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much more from this book than I thought I would. I thought I was pretty well-informed on the rhetoric from the alt-right and "antifa" but turns out I know barely anything of relevance.

Mathias presents a history of hate in the United States, culminating in the incredibly fraught political landscape in which we currently find ourselves. It's somewhat narrative nonfiction, following a mostly linear thread throughout while filling in the gaps with historical context. The author is obviously biased but not in a way that is at all detrimental to the writing or the subject at large - I mean, with a book called TO CATCH A FASCIST we're already clued in to what the bias could be.

I loved this deep-dive into an incredibly nuanced area. I'm glad to know that, even as the alt-right and the current administration are working to disenfranchise and dissemble, there are some people quietly working in the shadows getting ready to take them down.

Thank you to NetGalley, Christopher Mathias, and Atria Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Liz Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I deeply enjoyed this. This book felt incredibly engaging and exciting while shining a light for audiences onto lesser known stories of individuals who put their safety on the line so that a better future may be attainable. To Catch a Fascist shares with readers the difficult work that is put in every day in the fight against fascism. The real stories shared in this book are sad and angering, but they are stories which more people need to be aware of. Mathias describes fights, espionage missions, and mass unmasking events by antifascist activists throughout the last ten years. It describes briefly the work done by activists before them, but the main focus of this book are the current fights against modern fascist groups that have grown online. Despite how difficult the fight against the pervasiveness of fascism is, the fight is still happening everyday. This book ends on a hopeful note, even though there is work to be done there are people happy to do it.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read and I feel like a required read. I throughly enjoyed this book, however, so parts were a little hard to read. That's the point though and I feel the author did really well not making it a smear campaign, instead they focused on bringing forth evidence showing the direction our country is headed in.

[Steph | bookedinsaigon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Atria Books for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

I’ll admit I had my reservations when I was offered a digital galley of this. Historically, books about fascism written by white American men and I have not gotten along. (Looking at you, Timothy Snyder and Jason Stanley.) But I was/am cautiously, pleasantly surprised–if that is the right adjective to describe my engagement with a book that documents the actions of far left activists, or antifa, to unearth and dox the identities of far right neoconservative racists.

Like many people, I didn’t know much about antifa, the far right’s great bogeyman that I had always thought of was more a nebulous concept than an actual organization. And it both is, and it isn’t. Certainly the “big bad antifa” that Trump and his cronies constantly go on about is, as Mathias explains in Part 3, a far right creation, eschewing facts for shocking fiction that brainwashed MAGA minions armed with far too much firepower use as an excuse to incite violence first.

But the antifa that Mathias writes about actually consists of numerous people–many male, many white, some queer–across the US who teach themselves professional levels of cyberdetecting skills in order to track down neo-Nazis. While they are connected online, they intentionally eschew greater levels of organization, believing that it is their role to go where the neo-Nazis go and fight them at the local level.

Sometimes, this battle involves actual infiltration. Part 1 of TO CATCH A FASCIST has thriller-esque levels of pacing and suspense as we follow “Vincent,” an antifascist who joins the Pacific Northwest chapter of the Patriot Front; gets close to its members, who all operate under pseudonyms; and eventually pulls hundreds of gigabytes’ worth of data from their private communication networks, which he shares with other antifa groups.

I’m glad that Mathias states that Nazism has its roots in Jim Crow America; that the American police system is designed to protect the status quo, ie white supremacy; and that fascism’s goal is to normalize acts of egregious inhumanity. I find myself unsure about his insistence on calling the far right “neo-Nazis,” which takes away from the down-to-its-roots Americanness of fascism.

In fact, the whole existence of the book is a catch-22, one that I’m not sure how to feel about. On the one hand, antifa deliberately do not want to be lionized, but readers of TCAF may end up lionizing antifa anyway. Mathias reports that historic antifascist groups “saw [themselves] as a white ally organization to the Black radical movement”, but I fear that a book like TCAF means that people’s limited attention spans will swing once more towards the flashier, sexier rebel work of primarily white men and overshadow other kinds of activism by Black- and Indigenous-led organizations. These tensions exist throughout TCAF, and I wish that Mathias could have addressed them more.

While I think this shouldn’t be the only book you read about the fight against the far right in the US, TO CATCH A FASCIST is an engaging, informative, infuriating, and ultimately satisfying read.

[Jasmine VanDyke · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25-3.50 stars. The research is timely and important to understanding the current state of politics in the US, and can aid people in sifting through false and misleading information about anti-fascists groups. With that, it does feel to be very much an introductory reading and gets a bit repetitive. Further, there was a mistake regarding the name of a Virginia Governor, which made me raise questions about if there were some other things that could have been incorrect—thinking more of minor editing issues, not the larger content of the writing.

[Lexi readingwhilehot · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you live in the PNW, and want to read a history book of why “antifa” became a buzzword, look no further this book ROCKS!! Who doesn’t want to read the POV of someone infiltrating a nazi group in your hometown?

The author calls antifa “the modern folk devil” and makes a compelling argument for why we should be a lot more fearful of the white suprematists they dox. Disturbing and grounded in reality. Anyone can benefit by reading this book but it will likely correct misinformation from 2015-2026 about 1) who is antifa 2) what is antifa doing in the PNW. As a local Portland leftist, the detailed and sometimes mind numbing documentation of what happened here is vital, and I will be using it to call in my local family and loved ones since it changed some of my own perception of events.

Impressive to compile a history book of something so secretive and current. Thank you net galley, the publisher, and the author for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review.

[Patrick Fassnacht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the ARC and opportunity to read.

Lots of things relayed in this one. Sharing some real under-cover happenings, wrapping some historical contexts around them along the way, and weaving the work and efforts of those being studied and shared. Obviously, there is a distinct point of view inherent in the writing. One that owns it and says it. One that shares their interpretation of any number of underlying happenings and events.
Whether 'believing' whatever one is predisposed to.. or filtering through one's accumulated lens on life.. another read here where both/any/all Sides can learn something impactful from this one.
We don't have to 'like' what is being said on any level, from anyone, to learn and shape things for ourselves.

This reader's 5-star rating sure does not purport a resounding agreement or like-minded belief on all the pages within this book... but the work itself and the merit of the research and how it made me think and reflect as I decide where my life heads next.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellently written and researched. I savored alternately reading and listening to this book. Serves as a history, a cautionary tale, and, in its way, a parenting guide (keep your kids off the internet and have them be around different kinds of people).
So proud to know Chris and to see the craft and importance in his work.

[༺ Jason ༻ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever wonder WTF is wrong with the world…Yes it’s because POS Fascists.

[Kaila Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

“For those racially cast aside outside of liberal democracies system of rights the word fascism does not always conjure up a distant and alien social order.

American anti-fascists don’t see fascism as something that could happen, but that’s been happening all along. The second trump administration was an intensification of these underlying oppressive social structures.“

[Kate O'Donnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it uncouth to mail a copy of this book to my mother-in-law?

[Meg Ohrt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a breath of fresh air for anyone searching for a beacon of hope in these desperate times. As a younger person living in rural midwestern America, I know I’m not the only one that has spent years feeling like they’re living in the Twilight Zone, and to hear tales of those fighting the good fight against this regime is absolutely cathartic. Being anti-fascist has become something of a confused concept, especially in the United States, and this book illustrates not only the meaning of the movement - but in addition to that, how it has been working in the background of all of this. Tirelessly. With people on the front lines putting their lives literally at risk to preserve what remains, hoping to inevitably reverse the tide. Bravo. Nonfiction at its best feels like fiction to me - a beautiful narrative, but spun around reality.

I received a copy of this book prior to release by NetGalley and would like to thank them here. I eventually also purchased the audiobook thanks to them, which is fantastic as well.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
Probably not the best time to read this book to be honest (if you’re French you know why)
I too romanticized antifas when I was in my 20s, now that I am older I am very focused on « but does it work », looking at the world now? Not so sure. It’s very satisfying to punch a nazi but seeing that nazi adjacent people are gaining power everywhere I’m not sure it’s a very effective tactic. No need to dox white nationalists, they’re pretty open about their ideology now.
That’s my issue about this book, very little discussion about how effective it is. The author also censors slurs and I found that ridiculous. You’re quoting people not saying them yourself, you’ll be fine.

Anyway great topic, didn’t like the execution

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate receiving an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. I found it topical and alarming as I learned the depth and breadth and strategies of the neo-fascists. It’s interesting to read now as the Administration speaks of cracking down on “antifa” and all the commentary about how antifa is an idea not a specific group…although there are clearly many groups actively working to unmask the far right movements.
In terms of writing style and engagement, though, I found it hard to get involved with in the way I usually do w narrative non-fiction.
It’s an important and edifying read regardless and I’m glad I read it.

[Madelon · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Catch a Fascist is both eye‑opening and terrifying. I have one Republican friend with whom I regularly discuss politics and the current landscape in this country. No, we don’t agree on everything, but we do find some common ground. He tends to focus on what Democrats do that, in his view, exacerbates tensions between the people and their government. He also makes the mistake of lumping all Democrats—thus me—into one bucket.

I’ve experienced the Democratic Party from the inside at the county level in a red state. I occupied a seat on the board of that party and can say, without reservation, that working with and for Democrats is like herding cats. In today’s climate, with Democrats in the minority in Washington, D.C., it is difficult to see the unity and forward‑thinking policy work that I believe is necessary.
When people on social media talked about “antifa,” I was prone to offering the following clarification: “Right off the bat, it’s important to emphasize that there is no formal antifa ‘organization’ to speak of. The entity, to the extent that it exists, is made up of loosely affiliated anti‑fascist activists.” To me, this meant antifa wasn’t organized in any meaningful way. I was wrong. From the introduction of To Catch a Fascist, I learned that these loosely affiliated individuals were, in fact, highly organized within each cell.

The phrase “no formal antifa ‘organization’” needs to be expanded to include the word national—as in, there is no nationwide structure with clearly named leaders. Other activist organizations, such as Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Everytown for Gun Safety—with subsidiary groups like Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action—have identifiable national leadership and advisory boards. Antifa does not. There is no central website. Instead, localized antifa groups maintain web pages for the purpose of exposing the names and personal information of white supremacists. The research conducted before doxxing is extensive because mistakes would harm the movement. Researchers sit at computers for days on end, following open‑source intelligence to unmask individuals who hide behind pseudonyms and avatars.

It turns out that To Catch a Fascist is exactly the book I needed to read today. The explanations and personal narratives of fighting fascism were both exhilarating and terrifying. As a liberal and progressive, I thought I was pretty far to the left. I was wrong. During our last phone conversation, my Republican friend asked me whether doxxing was ever acceptable. I said I thought doxxing was bad—period. Now, I feel I have to revise my thinking. The book states clearly, several times, that in order to combat an enemy, you need to know who that enemy is. To be clear, doxxing members of white supremacist factions who use aliases is far different from doxxing public officials.

In 1922, a few miles north of Buffalo, New York, forty Klansmen and some eight hundred candidates gathered to pledge their loyalty to the Invisible Empire. As this chapter of the Klan began to operate, a small group of Buffalo citizens formed the Invisible Jungle of the Tiger’s Eye to uncover the identities of its members. Ultimately—with the support of Buffalo’s mayor, Frank X. Schwab, along with informants and spies—a complete list of Klan members was displayed at police headquarters. This was doxxing, old‑school style.

Much of To Catch a Fascist focuses on one infiltrator known as “Vincent” and the Patriot Front white supremacist organization.

Perhaps the most chilling passage in the book quotes Patrick Casey, the Identity Evropa leader, as he encouraged members to enter local politics as a shield against doxxing: “The GOP is essentially the White man’s party… it makes far more sense for us to subvert it than to create our own party.” Black men holding office should take note.

Reading To Catch a Fascist left me with the uneasy reminder that the forces we’re confronting today are neither new nor abstract, and it sharpened the conversations I’ve been having for years. It challenged assumptions I didn’t realize I was still carrying and pushed me to look more directly at the threats hiding in plain sight. The clarity it offers isn’t comfortable, but it feels necessary—and right now, necessary feels like the more honest gift.

[Jim Razinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This timely book is almost guaranteed to make the reader angry. If you’re one of the bad guys, the efforts of anti-fascist groups to unmask and expose the neo-Nazis and white nationalists will infuriate you. If you’re on of the good side, the recounting of the fascist violence, the propaganda, the far-right wresting control of the narrative and manufacturing wild stories painting antifa as highly organized and violent, convincing the right-wing of such… convincing Republican politicians who are more than eager to embrace the lie both as a focus point against “liberals” and to bait and switch from their complicity and their own fascist violence… well, be prepared to be angry again. Especially as the current Republican administration manipulates media and has weaponized the Justice Department against anti-fascists and anti-racists.

The people of antifa have largely worked behind the scenes to identify ... and dox... the racists and neo-Nazis who have surged since DJT called them "fine people", legitimizing the racists and xenomisics, and demonizing the anti-fascists and anti-racists as a rallying point for the MAGA crowd, spreading the lies of an "alt-right troll" Microchip who petitioned the first T administration to label them as a domestic terror group

"... 'This was a test,' Microchip said[to Politico in 2017], to see whether an even more massive social media campaign could drive media attention and deflect criticism of the alt-right toward liberal hooligans. 'You can call it an extreme form of 'whataboutism,' he explained."

This book, in three parts, begins with the story of an anti-fascist who infiltrated the extreme white supremacist/neo-fascist group Patriot Front, moves on to the extent to which anti-fascists go to positively identify... and expose neo-Nazi/white supremacists (They take extreme care on that positive identification. "Misidentifying someone as a neo-Nazi or a white supremacist is not only a genuinely shitty thing to do to a person but threatens undermining the whole enterprise"), and finishes with "outside agitors". Mr. Mathias says, "The 'outside agitator' trope has always been a white counterrevolutionary project to both distract from the grievances at the heart of movements for Black liberation, and to paint those movements as artificial, the work of conniving, clandestine provocateurs.")

Mr. Mathias says, "It feels urgent to tell American antifa's story because in so many ways: antifa was right." And,
"To responsibly cover fascists requires you to recognize that they have two primary obsessions: normalizing their genocidal and authoritarian ideas and committing acts of violence against all perceived enemies. Fascists care first and foremost about controlling the narrative about what they do. Back in the day it might have been, 'Oh no, we're not white nationalists, we're identitarians! Oh no, we're not identitarians, we're alt-right! Oh no, we're not alt-right, we're dissident Right!' Every time you let them change their label, you allow them to weasel further into a broader milieu of the political right.
Every time you let them change their label, you enable them to recruit from larger audiences who may have previously only flirted with the milder forms of these hateful ideas. ... Every time you fail to clearly say that fascists showed up to an event with the intention to hurt people, and subsequently tried to hurt people, you give them cover to enact even worse violence in the future."

Extensively researched, there are an incredible supporting 560 notes, Mr. Mathias covers an ugly reality in a book that needs to be read, and won't be by the people who really need to read it. Michael Shermer concluded in his book Why People Believe Weird Things is because they want to. He could draw the same conclusion to "Why People Support Fascism and Racism".

I received a review copy of this from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Richard Jaffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advance ARC in return for an honest review.

To Catch a Fascist: The Fight to Expose the Radical Right could not be more timely as author, Christopher Mathias, describes the thankless efforts of many anonymous members of Antifa in their selfless pursuit of exposing and "doxxing" fascists and white supremacists living amongst us, and in many cases in places of power. Although demonized by Trump and his MAGA sycophants, members of Antifa are non-violent people who care about our country and spend dozens of hours a week scouring the internet for clues to the identities of these fascists who hide behind the anonymity of "X" ( Twitter ), Discord, Telegram and 4Chan to spread hate and racist tropes in the hope of purifying our Nation. Kinda sounds familiar? Yes Neo-Nazis are alive and well in America and holding jobs in the Government, Colleges, Law Enforcement as well as the military, to name a few, and hundreds who have been doxed have been named and exposed in this book ( see https://ignitetheright.net/ and https://unicornriot.ninja/ ) thanks to members of Antifa.

Mathias begins describing the heroic efforts of "Vincent" to infiltrate the Patriot Front leading to the exposure of dozens of white supremacists who participated in January 6, 2021 and subsequent MAGA inspired protests. Due to his efforts thousands of Discord texts, photos, videos and other incriminating information were disseminated on Unicorn Riot that allowed for the eventual "doxing" of these horrific racists and Neo Nazis. Thankfully most of those exposed lost their jobs in the government, universities and law enforcement agencies.

Unfortunately the rise of Trumpism and his MAGAforce, has allowed these critons to crawl out from under their rocks and thrive in the light. Elon Musk, for example, reinstated many neo Nazi "X" accounts and instead banned those accounts that "doxxed" them all in the name of "Free Speech(?)" In fact Mathias points out that much of what was said by Trump during the last election was influenced by the Neo Nazi / Fascist wing of the Party, e.g. "They're eating the cats and the dogs; " Remigration" (a far-right concept, originating in Europe and now prominent in North America, of ethnic cleansing via the mass deportation of non-whites) and letting Laura Loomer, Nick Fuentes and the late Charlie Kirk whisper in his ear.

To Catch a Fascist is a fascinating, if not scary, read, and a must for anyone who wants to survive the rest of Trump's 2nd ( and hopefully last ) term. Highly recommended.

#Antifa #ToCatchAFascist #NetGalley

[Jacen Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascism has always been around since the early 20th century. With origins far earlier. And suddenly - in the United States, at least - it exploded. The door was blown open. Suddenly we saw that our friends and neighbors hated us and people like us. Suddenly in the United States it became acceptable to be a Nazi. It became acceptable to hate Jews, trans people, gay people, the whole LGBTQ rainbow. Brown people, Black people. When for years we had finally gotten to the point where no it was NOT okay.

We need to make being racist wrong again. We need to unmask the fascists again.

It's a dangerous job. And it takes a lot of work. I personally saw a few flaws in the processes of keeping anonymous and I do agree that it's often a case of hubris. They've gotten cocky. Because suddenly being far-right is considered okay.

And as I was reading I noted how on some level they just seem to be a bunch of young cishet white men who are angry and they're gonna have tantrums that harm other people and it forces others to parent them. There was mention about how often it wasn't necessarily that these kids believe in the stuff with all of their heart. But that it is giving them an outlet for their otherwise mediocre lives. They need someone to blame and the leaders give them the people to blame. Even "Vincent" (actually one Mr. David Alan Capito II), one of the antifa undercover 'operatives' mentioned how they were so much younger than he was (and he and I are both in our late thirties).

Overall this is a good dive into how exactly we CAN fight against neo-nazis, white supremacists, alt right, far right, exo-fascists whatever they want to call themselves. In leftist spheres I see a lot of 'it's just not possible to fight this scourge on equal footing anymore'. When it is. And here is how. And it doesn't always require punching a Nazi. If anything, just unmasking them is enough to stop them. Even when now it feels like they're unmasked and gloating. The book shows that actually incredibly recently, neo-nazis lost their jobs and family/friends by being neo-nazis. Some even panicked when their fellow neo-nazis were getting doxed and they quit the group entirely.

It also covers events that we all think of now AKA Charlottesville, and mentions how our memories have holes in them. Or we never learned the information in the first place. I personally knew about 70% of what happened. And I know that it is permanently in the memories of many of us, even if we only have fragments. It's important we remember the year 2017 and the continued fight to remove not only the Confederate statues but the Nazis in our midst.

Side note: My only problem with the book is the inconsistent censoring of various slurs. If we're going to censor one slur, they should all be censored. At least in my copy it was this way. I do appreciate the redaction of deadnames for trans activists, on the other end of things.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the review copy.

[Tim Schillinger]

Pros
>>Engaging storytelling with interesting anecdotes about people operating in high-stakes environments with life-or-death consequences. The human element carries the book.

>>Explores right-wing extremism of the past decade or so and the grassroots efforts to reduce its impact, as well as the more recent efforts to dismantle those very grassroots networks, a timeline that feels both urgent and underreported.

Cons
>>Doesn't do a great job defining its core concepts and terms, especially around fascism. The author seems to assume the reader already knows what fascism is and who qualifies as a fascist, but I would have appreciated a more nuanced explanation and history of the concept. Without that foundation, the label gets used more as a verdict than an argument.

>>The book valorizes those who have tracked and caught fascists, but it's apparent that these efforts didn't work. Fascism is alive and well. I would have liked a deeper exploration of why: the structural forces that enable it to persist, the limits of individual heroism against systemic rot, and what would actually be required to dismantle it rather than just chase it.

Summary
The book works best as a collection of gripping, human-scale stories about people who put themselves on the line to confront right-wing extremism. The anecdotes are compelling, and the reporting on the recent dismantling of grassroots counter-extremism efforts adds a layer of urgency. But the book is stronger on characters than on analysis. By skipping the harder work of defining fascism with real precision and by celebrating the people who fought it without reckoning with the fact that they lost, it reads more as tribute than diagnosis. If you want to understand what it felt like to be in the fight, this delivers. If you want to understand why the fight is being lost, you'll need to look elsewhere.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

So how much do you know about various radical organizations in the United States? You might have heard of the Proud Boys, or Aryan Nation. Maybe the Ku Klux Klan or one of the host of white supremacist groups sprouting up like dandelions across America. But how much do you know of the myriad groups that have sprung up in opposition to these radical right-wing mobs? If you want to know more, then To Catch a Fascist is the book for you.

Christopher Mathias opens the book with his introduction to this conflict - the "Unite the Right" rally of 8/12/2017. He lays out his experience that day and how that lead him to spend the next several year exploring and learning about the modern anti-fascists who courageously seek to lay bare the plans of a host of radical organizations and the people behind the masks. He spends a decent amount of the book relating the tale of "Vincent" who infiltrated a West Coast white supremacist group. Vincent managed to thwart a number of actions they were trying to take on the west coast and gathered information to identify the individuals in this local group. He also managed to go from this group to a national group and was able to relay information on a Washington march to other anti-fascists that caused that march to be a bust that blew up and exposed a number of members to the public. Besides Vincent, Mathias also took the time and space to briefly discuss the history of anti-fascist and anti-white supremacy actions across American history while focusing on recent events.

If you are looking for an exciting non-fiction read, Christopher Mathias's To Catch a Fascist will give you that!

Thanks Netgalley and Atria Books for the chance to read this title!