Romantic Violence: Memoirs Of An American Skinhead

by Christian Picciolini

A stunning look inside the world of violent hate groups by a onetime white supremacist leader who, shaken by a personal tragedy, realized the error of his ways and abandoned his destructive life to become an anti-hate activist. As he stumbled through high school, struggling to find a community among other fans of punk rock music, Christian Picciolini was recruited by a now notorious white power skinhead leader and encouraged to fight with the movement to "protect the white race from extinction." Soon, he had become an expert in racist philosophies, a terror who roamed the neighborhood, quick to throw fists. When his mentor was arrested and sentenced to eleven years in prison, sixteen-year-old Picciolini took over the man's role as the leader of an infamous neo-Nazi skinhead group. Seduced by the power he accrued through intimidation, and swept up in the rhetoric he had adopted, Picciolini worked to grow an army of extremists. He used music as a recruitment tool, launching his own propaganda band that performed at white power rallies around the world. But slowly, as he started a family of his own and a job that for the first time brought him face to face with people from all walks of life, he began to recognize the cracks in his hateful ideology. Then a shocking loss at the hands of racial violence changed his life forever, and Picciolini realized too late the full extent of the harm he'd caused. Raw, inspiring, and heartbreakingly candid, 'White American Youth' tells the fascinating story of how so many young people lose themselves in a culture of hatred and violence and how the criminal networks they forge terrorize and divide our nation.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Politics, Race, Audiobook, History

Hardcover

First published April 27, 2015

About the author

Christian Picciolini is an award-winning television producer, a public speaker, author, antiracism advocate, and a former extremist. After leaving the hate movement he helped create during the 1980s and 90s, he began the painstaking process of making amends and rebuilding his life. Christian went on to earn a degree in international relations from DePaul University and launched Goldmill Group, a counter-extremism consulting and digital media firm. In 2016, he won an Emmy Award for producing an anti-hate advertising campaign aimed at helping people disengage from extremism. For nearly two decades, Christian has helped hundreds of individuals leave hate behind through his disengagement work and the organizations he founded. He has spoken all over the world, including the TEDx stage, where he shares his unique and extensive knowledge about how to effectively prevent and counter extremism. Christian chronicles his involvement in and exit from the early American white-supremacist skinhead movement in his memoir, WHITE AMERICAN YOUTH, and is the featured subject in season 3 of WBEZ’s 'Motive' podcast, which received the 2021 National Edward R. Murrow Award for best podcast in large market radio. He showcased his disengagement work in a second book, BREAKING HATE: Confronting the New Culture of Extremism, published in 2020 by Hachette Books, as well as in the MSNBC documentary series of the same name, which aired in 2018-2019. He is the host of the 'F Your Racist History' podcast, a scripted history show that tells America's hidden, overlooked, and unknown racist origin stories. The first season of it is currently available across major podcast platforms.

Reviews

[Leo Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timely and highly compelling piece of narrative non-fiction. I just stayed up way too late to finish it!

What struck me most was the visceral nature of the prose. The author's life is portrayed so vividly, from the loneliness, confusion and disaffection of youth to the joy of acceptance by someone at least. Later, we feel the excitement of violence, the thrill of being something bigger than yourself, of playing in a band and having a room full of folk dressed like you go absolutely nuts. It's easy to see, reading this book, why white power movements are so seductive.

People get lost at the wayside, attacked. Become the victims of misdirected anger. Being possessed by an evil ideology comes at several immense costs—personal, familial, social... what with the reach of white power music, global, even. Those costs may remain hidden for years and years, festering until their final too-late revelation.

More wholesome joys permeate the narrative: finding love, having children, forming unlikely friendships... Jesus, how will all that pan out?

Check out this Atlantic piece on the guy behind The Daily Stormer. Picciolini's story is woefully archetypal. That makes it gripping, terrifying and essential reading.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging and unique memoir about an Italian-American kid who grew up in Blue Island/Chicago, a good kid living with his loving grandparents who at 14 got recruited into a white supremacist group and actually rose to power in it. It's ultimately a redemption narrative--he gets out of the group, of course--and a cautionary tale about American culture--see all the groups of people at the fringes of the Trump rallies to see why this book would be interesting to you. It's a book that, like books about punk, tap into the rage of young, disaffected people. Picciolini is into angry music, too, and we can see how this makes sense for him. Gang culture, KKK style. It's about hate, and how it begins to percolate, and how it can turn around.

I was raised with redemption narratives (ex-Dutch Calvinist here, meet the ex-drug addict, come to Jesus) and am suspicious of them, and feel their familiar twists and turns coming. And there are no real surprises in the arc of the narrative here, and the writing isn't amazingly good, but you wouldn't expect Proust from a reformed skinhead. He's real and honest and blunt and a little romantic in both his depiction of that life and his rescue from it. But he also beats himself up as much as he beat up other people in the book.

So I am guessing most of you haven't read many books like this, maybe. Clash memoirs? I thought of Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, which is essentially about how it CAN happen here, how a Hitler can rise in our very midst, again, and in this country. I thought of how important it is to understand the variety of stories of growing up in any given community, especially if you teach in that community. This kid is in your class or community or neighborhood and you need to know and understand him in order to confront what he represents. It's an engaging read, and Picciolini is ultimately an engaging character to get to know.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book after hearing a podcast of Christian doing a live talk with Sam Harris. I was hoping for some kind of deeper analysis of why he became a neo-nazi skinhead, then why he left, but the book was basically devoid of intellectual content -- a "love everyone" cliche. His life story is basically angry teenager: who became a street fighter and teenaged nazi, then grew up with the movement into the inevitable dead end, left when his wife complained about it, ran a small business (a record store), got a lucky break and an IT job with IBM, then became some kind of SJW speaker. I didn't find this particularly novel or interesting -- lots of kids get into stupid things for no good reason, then eventually leave as they get older. Becoming a skinhead neo-nazi is a bit more extreme than an video game addict or hardocre high school athlete, but it's essentially the same thing -- a transition-period identity which someone grows out of.

What was interesting was accidental. 1) The role of music in fueling the neo nazi movement (and extremist movements in general. 2) That people are brought together through capitalism/commerce, even people who otherwise hate each other -- when he started a small and originally racist-focused record store, he started having positive interactions with customers he would have fought out on the street (and then ironically ended up pulling the racist music his store primarily sold, making it no longer viable as a business). He failed to notice that he'd been supported by others (first his parents, then the state through make-work jobs and welfare) for most of his life, and that this essentially enabled his behavior.

I was hoping for some kind of rational argument against racism or hate; none of that in this book.

[Kressel Housman · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Charlottesville, this ex-neo-Nazi was making the rounds on the talk shows, promoting the support group he created to deprogram neo-Nazis. His mission and message clearly deserve 5 stars, but the book gets a little bogged down in personal details, so I’m giving it a 4. But it’s a thorough picture of a boy with a normal, if lonely, childhood, how the neo-Nazis gave him a social life at last, how he rose in its ranks, and how he became disillusioned with it. Everyone should read it.

Aside from coming away from this book with tremendous admiration for Chris, I’d say he gave me three new insights.

First, he often talks about fighting the “antis.” These, no doubt, are the antifa activists who gained such notoriety after Charlottesville, but this book only confirmed my impressions of them. If those are the people the neo-Nazis are fighting with, they sound pretty cool to me.

Second, infighting is inevitable, especially among people who already live by violence. Whenever Chris and his friends attended a gathering, if there were no antis or non-whites to fight with, they fought each other. That was Step One in Chris’ gradual disillusionment.

And third, I was impressed at his descriptions of public speaking and his recognition of his growth as a leader. I’m a member of Toastmasters, an international support group where people develop their public speaking skills, and at one of our leadership meetings, a more experienced speaker said that when you first start speaking, you think of yourself. After a while, you think about your message. Finally, you begin to think about your audience. I’ve been at the middle level for quite some time, but Chris tapped into audience reaction so quickly, he immediately made the transition from giving over a message to leading people with that message. It’s something to strive for. And to those of you who think I shouldn’t learn such a thing from an ex-Nazi, keep this in mind. Chris Piccolini claims to have built the neo-Nazi movement in America. He’s now using his leadership skills to dismantle it.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked this book out after I listened to an interview with the author on NPR’s Fresh Air. I couldn’t put it down.

Not exactly for the faint of heart, this is a heartbreaking and horrifying story about a lonely, angry kid who gets swept up by a few charismatic individuals who offer him a sense of purpose and belonging, preying upon his sense of disenfranchisement... which eventually leads to his indoctrination into America’s white power skinhead movement. He finds himself heading down a dark tunnel of hatred and violence, spewing the twisted rhetoric of his newfound far-right ideals even while he begins to question the gravity of his actions. He details his misspent youth, and eventually how he was fortunate enough to escape his Nazi punk life and channel the hatred into positive change for the well-being of all people. He co-founded the non-profit Life After Hate, to help disengage others from hate movements. The ending felt rushed, but the book was otherwise well-written and direct. The content and message, relevant.

Compassion and empathy are crucial. That can’t be stated enough.

[Emily Belden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredibly life changing. As a jew, I never thought I'd read a book about a skinhead. However, my husband met Christian and got his book. It wound up on my nightstand and I couldn't stop reading it. I finished it in 24 hours. For as horrific as the experiences were, I found the book poised. Controlled. I very much enjoyed the storytelling and didn't find it self-indulgent as most memoirs can be. I truly will recommend this book as "your next must read" for a very, very long time.

[Nora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I know the author and subject of this book -- impersonally at first, as someone on the opposite side of the ideological fence when I was a teenager; and personally since his request that I help edit early drafts of this book because of that same polarized adolescent acquaintance.

I was at least as reluctant to help Christian work on his life story as many others might be to read it. I wasn't sure I cared to believe that someone who spewed so much hate and brought so much fear and pain to our shared communities could possibly redeem himself. Part of me had no interest in whatever backstory might explain his life and actions, because I mistakenly equated explaining with excusing.

But if I mean what I say in my life about organizing against hate in every form -- and I do, strongly -- then I was obligated to know Christian's story and help him tell it to as many people as possible. While working on the book, and as I got to know Christian and watched him struggle with preparing to send his story out into the world, I came to believe more and more that this is a story everyone should know about. We should realize that hate can take root in a loving home, and that otherwise 'good kids' can find themselves alienated and subsequently entangled with some really frightening ideologies. We need to know that the white power movement is still alive and actively recruiting in our culture, and we need to face the role it plays in tragedies like the recent church massacre in Charleston or the racist graffiti found in my neighborhood only two days ago. And we need a story to show others who might be similarly lost that they can find their way back.

Christian faces the ugliness, the hypocrisy, and the malignancy of his life in the white power movement fairly unflinchingly. But he tells the story for more than penance, as more than a document establishing distance from his present existence. By the end of the book, both author and reader arrive at some intense and important aspects of understanding what might otherwise seem incomprehensible.

As a reading experience, the author tells his story without so much as a grain of sugar to assuage any of his responsibility for his choices. He also finds an incredibly engaging narrative voice; this is a fast, engrossing read. The prose is often startling in its honesty and in his commitment to showing the reader exactly how a life built on hate looks, sounds, feels. Experiencing that life as a reader is unsettling. It should be.

[Tyler Kolmansberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had an interesting idea, but a lot of it was the author telling about his racist, misogynistic, homophobic, anti-Semitic, bigoted past, and about 200 pages of reading hate crime after hate crime and slur after slur, although the author no longer believes it, was tolling.

[John Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is well written and I found it a compelling read. My attention never wandered for a second! That is hardly surprising since the book is action packed and appears to be honestly written. Christian Picciolini certainly doesn't spare himself here any more than he may have spared his 'victims'.

A rather "weedy", lonely kid to start with, his parents worked long hours and he spent a lot of time with his grandparents. Loved but emotionally starved perhaps, the school bully may or may not have done him a favour. At any rate, by 14 he was a hard neo nazi skinhead. By the age of 16 he was the inspirational leader of a gang of white supremacist skinheads which kids were queuing up to join. This third generation Italian, middle class catholic operated initially from the Chicago suburbs but had contacts throughout the USA and beyond.

Out of control at home and pretty much unteachable at any school prepared to meet the challenge, he controlled his gang and the streets they walked. He was clearly a very intelligent thug. Does that make it better or worse? Not sure, but it certainly makes his story more interesting - including the falling apart of his world and his coping mechanisms.

I hope there's a part 2 soon! RECOMMENDED.

[Dilyana Deneva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Прекрасно е да влезеш в книжарница, да прекараш час-два в нея, разлиствайки различни хартиени съкровища, накрая да се спреш на едно (две, три?) и да си излезеш предоволен от новата покупка. Ето това наричам аз удовлетворителен шопинг!

Има обаче и други начини една книга да стигне до теб, някои стандартни, други – не съвсем. Днес смятам да ви разкажа историята на номер 42 от „Romantic Violence. Memoirs of an American Skinhead“.

От тази биография има издадени сто бройки, които авторът сам разпространява в САЩ и Европа, и четиресет и втората се оказа в моите ръце след прочетено ревю на Георги Грънчаров в „Библиотеката“. Свързах се с книжния блогър, за да споделя, че съм впечатлена от историята, която е описал, и той ми изпрати книгата по куриер. Така тя пропътува още петстотин километра и вярвам, че ще продължи своя път и посланията й ще стигнат до хора, които имат нужда от тях.

Кристиян Пичолини е роден в САЩ, в семейство на италиански имигранти, които заминават отвъд океана, за да осигурят най-доброто бъдеще на семейството си. За целта работят почти денонощно и неуморно. С честен труд малко по малко стъпват на краката си, но на висока цена. Малкият им син е отгледан от баба си и дядо си, които, макар да го даряват с безгранична обич, не могат да заместят родителите. Кристиян страда силно от липсата на внимание и време, прекарано с майка си и баща си. Чувства се недостатъчно значим за тяхното внимание, търпи и подигравките на съучениците си в училище, защото е различен.

Семейство Пичолини се премества в по-богат квартал, но това само засилва различията между Кристиян и обкръжението му и чувството за идентичност и принадлежност му липсва все по-болезнено. Когато е на четиринайсет години, се чувства най-уязвим, държи се непокорно и дръзко с родителите си. Губи всякакъв респект от тях и се отдалечава с бързи крачки от семейството си и ценностите, в които е възпитаван. Не защото е лошо момче, най-малкото защото е глупав. Напротив, Кристиян е дете с буден ум, израснало в духа на строгите католически норми. Но това просто не е достатъчно, когато не се чувстваш обичан…

Тинейджърът става побойник, сменя пет училища за четири години, докато накрая не намира отговор на въпросите, които го терзаят – в идеите на местна неонацистка група. Там най-после Кристиян се чувства значим, като част от нещо голямо, с ясни цел и мисия – да защитават американския народ от пришълците в страната му. Според неонацистите те са пиявици, които смучат от социалната система и заемат работните места на американците. Борбата срещу тази несправедливост се превръща в кауза за младежа, който през целия си живот се стреми да постигне нещо велико.

Главатарят на групата влиза в затвора, когато Пичолини е на шестнайсет години, и той заема мястото му. Сега Кристиян е начело на движението White Power („Бялата власт“) и омразата към другите раси и капитализма се развихря с неподозиран за самия него размах. Интересно е, че в разказа му той не опитва да омаловажи агресията и сляпата мъст, които са го движили, но подчертава, че зад тях е стояла висша мисия – да закриля онеправданите. Читателят вижда нагледно колко лесно е един млад и объркан човек да попадне в капан от лъжливи обещания, да приеме за свое верую чужди за душата му убеждения, стига само да се почувства приет и ценен. И какви ужасяващи последици може да има това.

В своя автобиографична историш авторът описва смразяващи кръвта сцени – толкова страшни най-вече поради факта, че не са плод на въображението му, а голата и жестока истина. Седемнайсетгодишният Кристиян се сдобива с нелегално оръжие. Една вечер чува шум под прозореца си и само по чудо не застрелва майка си в лицето. Това дълбоко го потриса, но не е в състояние да го откаже от пътя, по който е поел. Нещо друго трябва да се случи.

За щастие, повратен момент в живота на Пичолини идва не с необратима трагедия, а с любовта. Не очаквайте сладникава развръзка, „Romantic Violence“ не е вълшебна приказка с розов край. Кристиян не се отказва от идеите и целите си за една нощ. Пътят, който извървява, докато стигне до своите прозрения, е трънлив и дълъг, а цената, която плаща, се оказва твърде висока. Но светлина в тунела има. След осем години в неонацистките кръгове той намира силата да осъзнае грешките си. Как ли? Помощта идва от най-неочакваното място – хората, които е презирал и потъпквал, му подават ръка.

През 2010 г. Кристиян Пичолини основава 'Life After Hatе' – организация, която се състои от бивши крайно десни екстремисти и помага на младежи и възрастни да разберат, че отговорът на проблемите им не е в омразата. В свое интервю за Българско национално радио Кристиян споделя, че изводът от всички срещи на Life After Hate е един: "На всички им липсва обич."

През 2016 г. организацията стартира Exit USA – програма, която насърчава отказването от идеите за превъзходство на бялата раса. Кампанийно видео за борба с омразата дори носи награда „Еми“ на Пичолини.

Днес той обикаля света, изнася лекции, разпространява посланието за нужда от разбиране и приемане на различните от нас и променя животи. Бил е и в България, за да говори за книгата си, но защо толкова малко хора чуха за него? Нима темите, които повдига, не са актуални и належащи за обществото ни? Или пък примерът му не е достоен за споделяне?

Мисля, че „Romantic Violence“ е дълбока, искрена книга на един смел човек, който не се страхува да разкаже своето тъмно минало, за да помогне на тези като него, подхлъзнали се по пътя на омразата. Вярвам, че изповедта на Пичолини дарява надежда, възможно е дори да спаси нечий живот и без съмнение заслужава да стигне българските читатели с един хубав превод!

Затворих последната страница и усетих нужда да говоря с човека, преживял всичко описано. За радост, в днешно време това не е невъзможно и веднага пратих един имейл до Кристиян. Вече знаех, че ще пиша и ревю за „Аз чета“, и го помолих да каже нещо на нашите читатели. Съвсем скоро получих отговор и споделям посланието му, защото то е написано специално за вас! Преводът е мой:

"Когато посетих красивата и горда България, видях много градове и срещнах много хора. Видях също страх и изолация в много очи, дори лицата да се усмихваха. Очите не лъжат. Земята ви има толкова красива култура, благодарение на приноса на различни народи през вековете, но това носи и вашата борба за идентичност. Както в една яхния от месо и зеленчуци, вкусът идва от комбинацията на съставките, но всяка една от тях поотделно не губи своя индивидуален аромат. Всяка е еднакво важна и въпреки това сама не може да създаде вкуса на яхнията. Трябва да се научим да приемаме нашите различия, без да се страхуваме, че ще загубим своята идентичност. Омразата се ражда от игнорирането. Страха е неин баща, а изолацията – нейна майка. Родени сме, за да изпитваме емпатия и да не губим надежда."

Изпращам „Romantic Violence“ – номер 42, по своя път. Дано стигне и до вас!

Публикувано в сайта "Аз чета":
http://azcheta.com/romantic-violence-...

[Paul Fike · Rating 5 out of 5]

White American Youth is a frank exploration of the life of Christian Piccioloni. The book I s an enlightening exploration into the underbelly of the white nationalist skinhead movement in America. As an insecure son of immigrant parents Picciolini discovered acceptance and purpose in a Chicago skinhead group. After his mentor was imprisoned, Picciolini rose through the ranks quickly to become a national leader of this movement, as well as, the front man for a white supremacist band. Through violence and intimidation he led this movement. Hatred seethed through his pores.
Through a failed marriage he became more and more aware of the corruption of this movement and the philosophy behind it. In time his eyes were opened to the truth of his insecurity, self-loathing, and need for genuine love. These deep needs could never be met in racial hatred and the people who promoted this insidious ideology.
What I found most disturbing is how the radical philosophy behind this violent movement has moved from the periphery, to the mainstream. White nationalism has always existed in America, but only recently has it resurfaced on the national political scene.
An excellent read for anyone interested in exploring this insidious movement or those who believe in the possibility of redemption.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly speaks to the need for strong, involved father figures. It underscores how easily teens can become lost. However, this is not a new problem nor is it limited to humans. The lessons from this book are needed more today than ever. Check out the elephants from Pilanesberg National Park. Yes, elephants.

Even if you don't read the book, check-out The Delinquents of Pilanesberg -
https://www.kotafoundation.org/the-de...

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found out about this book through the Northern Illinois librarian professional network. Oak Lawn Public Library had Christopher Picciolini speak at a library program.

It helps that I'm familiar with the area Picciolini grew up. I am from the northwest suburbs of Chicago BUT my boyfriend is from Oak Lawn. Many friends' parents are from Blue Island and another one of our good friends graduated from Eisenhower High School. South Side culture is unique an also completely different from the rest of Chicago / the surrounding region. It does not surprise me that Picciolini was able to develop a white nationalist skinhead movement down there. I say that because South Siders are waaay more up-front about race than anyone else in Chicagoland. However, Chicago is the most racially segregated place I have ever been in the United States. This same thing could have happened further north or out in the northwest 'burbs by me; it would have just been covered up inside the homes of millionaires whose children are literal perfection. Other regions of Chicago claim to be not racist, but if you look around the only people there are white people and it is not a mistake. It is interesting to me how horrifyingly segregated and racist Chicago is compared to cities I have been to in the South like Atlanta or Washington DC. Martin Luther King Jr. did even mention in his last book that the Civil Rights Era forced Southern cities to figure out their shit while Northern Cities got the free pass on racism since they won the Civil War (or in Illinois' case, because they are The Land of Lincoln). And then, of course, these Yanks brought the Neo-Nazi skinhead movement to the United States and made in popular.

I'm also way interested in this perspective because it is so unimaginable for me. My grandfather was born into the Third Reich in 1938 so I have very real Nazis and SS Men in my direct family tree. Even though my grandfather immigrated to Chicago in the 1950s, the effect of Nazi propaganda are visible and real in 2018. In my childhood, the Von Trapp family in The Sound of Music were "dirty traitors" to Germany because they fled the Nazi regime. Also, the film Schindler's List is "Jewish propaganda bullshit." With him though, THE JEWS are the issue, not individual Jewish people he happens to know and be friends with. I can't imagine taking on a Neo-Nazi American perspective because I feel responsible for righting the wrongs of my family or at least making my life count for something when so many others were murdered so that my family could have a future resulting in my life. It would be interesting to see how many descendants of German immigrants end up as Neo-Nazis cause this Italian guy doesn't have any of that in his blood.

ALLLL of that aside, this book is awesome and you should read it!

[Mike Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to find a copy of Christian's book at a recent conference, and I was already familiar with him through stories from other people. For that reason I was more than prepared to be a fan of this book.

It was not a pleasant read, that is, a good portion of this book is spent watching someone go deeper and deeper into an abyss. It seemed inevitable at the start of things. He was young and impressionable, and someone made an impression. What would otherwise be leadership and ingenuity in any other use, was twisted into something darker and more sinister.

There were parts in here where the fear he is facing is easy to feel. Being asked to point a gun and fire it in the direction of an innocent person while a gun was to his own head must have been terrifying. This example is extreme, but I think there was something common in it. Many of us have been in a position where our actions simply must line up with our posturing. Christian's was much more high stakes, and each time it was easier for him to rise to the challenge than walk away.

Music played a large role in this, and I looked up some of the band names on Spotify. While Skrewdriver isn't a band, there is a playlist with more than 3000 followers. This outlet is there for a lot of people. It seemed to me that the lifestyle was a lot of work, but for disaffected youth with excess time, it might be attractive.

Looking back on my life, I can see that the maintenance of enemies was very intensive work. I wonder why I would ever do that. I am glad that Christian made (and continues to make) the amends he could make. More importantly, I am grateful that he represents a way out for anyone in the lifestyle that shouldn't be. I hope more people give this a read.

[Georgia Choate · Rating 5 out of 5]

RV was an exceptional memoir. For Picciolini's end goal to work, to convince others of his change, his efforts took a lot of sincerity. I was originally motivated by the promise on the book cover that he would be reformed by the end combined with my base desire to know what violence he committed. How deep into hatred did he go?

(At first my real uneasiness with the movement was not relating to racism. I'm a woman, and it irked me that his was another destructive war story. Naturally, he speaks from the point of view of a man who not only surrounded himself by men for masculine guidance, but he was drawn into an addictively violent world, a man's world that needed girls and women for arm candy and pistol whipping. If this bothers you, stick with it. He redeems himself in the way he talks of women in the second half.)

Back to the core of it, the challenge was for the memoirist to speak from a present, reformed, even loving state of mind - as if he were in the past making his motivations real for the reader. To convince us of his reformation, he had to show us how much he hated anyone different from him and then how far he came in accepting them. You should see for yourself how he earns your belief.

I've had only small brushes with racism myself, but the story will speak to anyone who holds regret for the past or time wasted. He planted a lot of thorny seeds that may still be growing and there is clearly an ache left from that arrested development and crushing loss that taught him hard lessons. He has moved forward in love, though. I can only hope now that he fully understands, he was only a child when it started.

[D. Liebhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

The memoir White American Youth is Chris Picolloni’s story of descent and escape from the white supremacy movement in the United States.

Lovable qualities: Memoir is always at its best when the author is able to honestly expose and assess their deepest flaws and allow the reader access to their inner journey. Mr. Picolini definitely does this. He pulls no punches when talking about his own flaws and errant choices throughout his years in the movement. He shows how easy it is for a child to see the world from only one perspective and how time and experience are sometimes the only teachers a person will listen to.

Not so lovable qualities: This book is exactly what it purports to be. In context this book uses bad language and racial epithets. Some readers might be challenged to listen (not this reader). It would be an inauthentic tale without them. A white supremacist doesn’t say “N-word,” they say the actual word and the book would be ridiculous if it tried to cut that type of thing out but I can see how it would be difficult for some.

My assessment: An important read in this day and age as more and more of young people find themselves in small online communities that promote beliefs like this. If you don’t realize how easily this co-opting of average young men and women can happen, you’ll miss the threat.

Liebhart cuppa tea rating: Good cuppa no biscuit

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the reasons I read memoirs is to understand someone who has had an experience nothing like anything I ever have or will. In this case, to get a handle on something I haven't been exposed to and don't understand. The book was queued to my Kindle for reading when Dylann Roof, a white supremacist, gunned down several people in South Carolina. I decided it was time to push it up the list.

Romantic Violence is at times infuriating and frustrating (knowing where it is headed and having 20/20 hindsight) while also being scary as it is easy to imagine how almost anyone in the same situation could get sucked in to an extremist organization like this. I also noticed that the terminology and rhetoric of a racist right-wing group is much the same as other extremist right-wing organizations that don't have the racist component. (Left-wing groups have their own set of touchpoints, I'd guess.) As intense as a good thriller, made more so by being true.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

[Rich Humes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally heard about this book when the author was interviewed on Waking Up, the Sam Harris podcast.

I put his book on my "To Read" list because it sounded interesting.

Then, days later, I heard his Ted Talk.

Odd coincidence.

Then two days ago while walking around my favorite bookstore this jumped right out at me. I figured the universe was speaking to me so I grabbed it. I haven't put it down too much since.

It's a dangerously relatable story for me. Watching the author go down this path reminded me of how easily it would have been for me to take the same one. The Skrewdriver tapes being handed out in the late 80s were also handed out in the late 90s.

Also, it's a timely read in the current political climate. Fairly easy read that I'd recommend to anyone, especially if you have kids. Get them to read it too.

[Fishface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris Picciolini's memoir of growing up skinhead -- what drew him in, what dragged him back out again almost a decade later, and how he made sense of it all. Well-written, and illustrated throughout with photos doctored in the traditional manner of the punk-rock era. If only I could have shopped at Chaos Records while it was still open for business! This book is well worth your time.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

White American Youth, by Christian Picciolini describes the author’s youth and family life, and how he fell into becoming a skinhead at an early age. He learned and then taught racist ideology, hated all non-whites and Jews, and revered Hitler. Only after he married and had his first child did he begin distancing himself from this life, until he eventually was able to reject these long-held beliefs.

I heard Christian Picciolini speak at the Commonwealth Club early last year before it was shut down for COVID, and got an autographed copy of his book “Breaking Hate”, published in 2020. Before I started “Breaking Hate”, I wanted to read his earlier book, “White American Youth” published in 2017. This first book describes how he fell into being a skinhead, and his newer book explains how these extremists operate, and what we can do about it.

In White American Youth, Christians’ parents were too busy working long hours trying to build a nice middle-class life for him, to invest much time and energy connecting with him. Perhaps they thought that growing up to be a responsible adult just naturally happens over time. Certainly, they were unaware of the amoral people who were engaging with him, making him feel important, and teaching him their ideology. I learned that when a child feels alone, just as he is developing his own identity and seeking respect and purpose in life, he can easily be molded or radicalized into a horrifying person. This is what happened to Christian.

All was not lost on Christian, and deep in his heart, he wanted to be a good, moral, respectable man for his family. It took a long time for him to break away, but he finally achieved it, and started his own organization, Life After Hate, to help others like him.

This is a true story, told in the first person. It’s a fascinating and compelling read, as we learn how he grew up from ages 8 to 19, from outcast kid to gun-toting racist hate-monger, and then to eventually disown the propaganda that he once spewed. I highly recommend this book. If you are interested in what makes people tick, how bad people can become, and if you want to hold onto hope that people can change, then this book is for you.

[Celeste Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author shares his experience of joining and living as a member of a white power group in his teens and twenties.

One of the portions of the book that struck me the most was how large and powerful the police, media, and locals believed his group to be, primarily due to their “media” (magazines, flyers, etc) presence and their visibility. It reminded me of the vitriol in all parts of the political spectrum today and how powerful so many views seems, mainly because of their social media posts presence.

Just like in Christian’s experience, truly getting to know people of all different backgrounds and views often breaks down barriers.

Reading about Christian’s experience was informative, but I was hoping this book would break down more of the why and share arguments against white power/Neo-nazi views.

[J.E.H. Roth · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Don’t you know that’s exactly what the Communists and Jews want you to do, so they can keep you docile?” Clark Martell to Christian Picciolini in an alley c: 1987.

Christian Picciolini’s life story is based on ethnic isolation. He starts with early upbringing in a Southside Chicago neighborhood mostly inhabited by other recently immigrated residents from Ripacandida, a small town in Southern Italy. His maternal grandparents and widowed paternal grandmother had immigrated to the U.S. and Christian’s parents met and married in Chicago.

Like many Italian-American families, Christian attended Catholic school. His mother rejected the public school because she had attended there and had been mocked for her inability to speak English well. His parents wanted the best American upbringing for Christian and his younger brother, so they worked very hard and long hours as beauticians and left most of Christian’s upbringing up to his grandparents.
In 1987, when Christian, about 14-years old, smokes a joint in an alley, he is approached/accosted by a notorious White Supremacist, Clark Martell. Martell states the sentence above, “Don’t you know that’s exactly what…” and smacks the back of Christian’s head with one hand and snatches the joint from Christian’s lips with the other hand.
Christian didn’t exactly know what a Communist or a Jew was or what “docile” meant, but that was the day his recruitment into hate and violence based on race and religion began, and he grows into a violent and well-known leader as well.

A good portion of this memoir depicts the details of:
shaved heads, tattoos, Doc Marten boots w/white laces, braces (suspenders) and the influence of white-power skinhead concerts and recordings;
guns, violence, drinking and indoctrination;
snail mail, leaflets, and face-to-face recruiting.
This narrative takes place 30 years-ago from today, but all the elements remain the same now, except we have the Internet to recruit members more efficiently.
Throughout the story, we see spots where Christian pauses and reflects on the craziness and the violence, but enmeshed as a total believer in maintaining the white race he keeps going. His marriage and the birth of his sons affect him in a positive way, but it took years for him to resign fully from the movement.

It is interesting that he was not taught racism by his parents and that outside influences turned him into a White Supremacist. Finally, now, after escaping the Neo-Nazi movement, Christian helps others to leave the movement and the hate behind as well. This book is one element of his good work, and while the violence was difficult for me to read as a mother and an empathetic human, I would encourage other parents to read and learn more about this and share with their children.
It is a very sneaky world for a teen to navigate. Your children need your full attention and guidance.

[JoAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible interesting book that gets into the head of a white Nationalist. Picciolini didn’t come from a family who shared his hate-filled views, but he does share his journey that leads him to become a founding member of a skinhead group at the young age of 14. This book gives insight to what lures young people into such ideologies.
You may be asking yourself why would someone want to read such a book? It wasn’t an easy read—a tragic account of hate, violence, pain, and isolation. However, I had two reasons for wanting to read this book. First this is a story of redemption, of cognitive self-reflection and awareness. Christina Picciolini is the founder of a nonprofit called Love After Hate. The organizations helps people, who like him, come to realize the enormous cost of being immersed in such a detrimental ideology and wish to transition out of such a life. I do wish he shared more details about the organization and the transition, as the changeover seems to be such a difficult one.
Second, after hearing Picciolini’s speak on NPR’s Fresh Air, while driving home from work, I was completely fascinated by the interview. I just had to read his book. I was hoping that reading his story would give me some kind of clarity as to how someone, especially the intelligent, respectful, sensitive, sounding individual I heard coming through my speakers, fell into a life of such hate. I stopped and bought the book before arriving home.
I’m certainly not condoning and or advocating White Supremacy, but I do believe in always trying to view issues from another perspective. Only through understanding can we come together, and therefore, I highly recommend this book.

[Pippen Rothingham · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to this memoir as a chance to understand what drives racist skinheads to do what they do, and an opportunity to learn how to get through to them. One the one hand, Picciolini does an amazing job and remembering and recounting his thoughts and where they led. You can totally see how he got caught up in that mess. But I was also hoping to understand how he got out of it and what turned him around. 90% of the book is the story of Picciolini's skin-head life, with nauseating story after story of his exploits. As he says in his intro, he does not shy from the details or attempt to defend himself. While I can see how that may have been cathartic for him to write and gripping for some to read, I found it extremely painful (and not in a way that I feel grateful afterwards because I learned something). The puny 10% about his turnaround is devoid of the kind of detail we had of his skin-head endeavors. I don't really feel like I understand how he changed his views, other than: (spoiler alert?) he started questioning some stuff, his priorities changed when he had a baby, he got to know some anti-racists through a shared interest in music, and one guy who he'd treated terribly offered him grace. That guy told Picciolini to do something to atone for his behaviors... and Picciolini wrote this book and formed an organization.
This book could be so much more. There could be so much more reflection, atonement, and advice for how to reach people. I don't recommend this book.

[Michael Dixson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great, page-turning read about a young Italian-American man's indoctrination into hateful white supremacy and how he eventually escaped it. While not shocking, it was enlightening to read how similar the hateful things he and his cohorts spouted were to the things preached by the modern-day "alt-right" (ironically, the hatred for Zionists and capitalists, mentioned sporadically, reminded me of the far left, though there's really no left-right parallel to be drawn here).

Spoiler-related themes follow:
What greatly facilitated his escape was being exposed to the kindness of people who were different from him. While the message of the book definitely isn't as simple as "be nice to Nazis and they'll change," compassion is a big theme when it comes to what allowed Christian's mind to change.

I highly recommend this book as it serves as a look into the mind of someone who was vulnerable enough to be corrupted by hateful ideologies. It shows the strategies Neo-Nazis and white supremacists use to bring impressionable young people to their cause and may serve to help lessen its prevalence in the future if the book's warnings are heeded.

[Georgi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is there life after hate? What could transform a racist, a skinhead and a homophob into a caring and loving person, who embraces diversity? How do we pay for our sins? Christian Picciolini gives a very powerful answer to these questions. I've been astonished by the honest, open and emotional narrative. And sure that many others may find their way back to normality after reading his words. An important read in times of arising nationalism, violence and rage against migrants, minorities, etc.

Found a copy of his book, marked 042, in a Starbucks cafe in Sofia, Bulgaria. Christian probably put it himself there a couple of hours before that, maybe a day, not more. I'll definitely pass it to someone else so that more people could find his truth inspiring.

Full review (in Bulgarian) in my blog: https://bibliotekata.wordpress.com/20...

[Kathy Rech · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard a radio interview with Christian Picciolini, a former white supremacist leader, promoting his book "Breaking Hate." I decided to read his first book, "White American Youth", to better understand his journey into and out of the hate-filled skinhead mentality. This was a fast, easy, fascinating read. It provides insight into who these groups target as recruits, and the power they hold.

I'm very much looking forward to "Breaking Hate."!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a tough read. Not only because of the hate rhetoric used during his time as a skinhead. But seeing such an innocent, impressionable child (he was only 14 when recruited!) be preyed upon by hate mongers and then what he went through when realizing he was wrong and going through he change. What happened with his brother. His family. It was quite sad but also moving. You can tell that he is trying to make up for his sins by writing this book. That’s he’s spending his life doing good. I think he’s an incredibly brave man to put his story out there.

[hisham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Už dlho som nečítala žiadny skutočný príbeh. Tento konkrétny padol v súčasnej politickej atmosfére doma i vo svete na úrodnú pôdu. V príbehu Christiana Piccioliniho, tak ako v mnohých iných, sa potvrdzuje, že osamelé detstvo a nedostatok vzorov v kľúčovom veku vedie mladých k veľmi, naozaj veľmi zlým rozhodnutiam. Som rada, že autor knihy našiel svoje šťastie. Kiežby sa ho podarilo šíriť ďalej.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that should be read. It should be read by everyone who has compassion and who has interest in human growth. I'm truly amazed by Christians story.