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The Antifa: Stories from Inside the Black Bloc
Few in the media have followed Antifa more closely - and have the scars to prove it - than journalist Jack Posobiec.
From infiltrating their 2016 meetings where they planned their attack on Trump's inauguration to going undercover in Seattle's CHAZ in 2020, Posobiec has never backed down from exposing the true nature of Antifa.
In The Antifa, Posobiec uncovers the secret history of this radical anarchist group, while integrating his personal encounters with some of its most hardcore and violent members. While until recently few Americans were aware of Antifa's existence, Posobiec shows that, in fact, it is part of a violent revolutionary tradition that dates back more than a hundred years.
Like its predecessors, most recently including the Weathermen terrorists of the 1960's, it is driven by an overriding the overthrow of the existing political order and capitalism itself, and replacing it with a communist state.
Antifa saw and seized its chance in 2020. Because it was not brought to heel - indeed, was encouraged in its violent mayhem by sympathetic city and state governments -- it now looms as a greater threat than ever before. In fact, as Posobiec shows, Antifa is today better positioned than were any of its radical forebears to actually achieve its goal.
From infiltrating their 2016 meetings where they planned their attack on Trump's inauguration to going undercover in Seattle's CHAZ in 2020, Posobiec has never backed down from exposing the true nature of Antifa.
In The Antifa, Posobiec uncovers the secret history of this radical anarchist group, while integrating his personal encounters with some of its most hardcore and violent members. While until recently few Americans were aware of Antifa's existence, Posobiec shows that, in fact, it is part of a violent revolutionary tradition that dates back more than a hundred years.
Like its predecessors, most recently including the Weathermen terrorists of the 1960's, it is driven by an overriding the overthrow of the existing political order and capitalism itself, and replacing it with a communist state.
Antifa saw and seized its chance in 2020. Because it was not brought to heel - indeed, was encouraged in its violent mayhem by sympathetic city and state governments -- it now looms as a greater threat than ever before. In fact, as Posobiec shows, Antifa is today better positioned than were any of its radical forebears to actually achieve its goal.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2021
107 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 20, 2021
There is misunderstanding of the Antifa movement in our media and culture. The mainstream media has not said a lot about them and to be honest I would not know of them if it was not for Twitter and following Jack Posobiec and an Asian reporter that I think has been kicked off Twitter. I tried looking him up in the writing of this review and he has not come up.
Jack puts his own experience with this group and the hate that they project. They are not about helping the minority but about destroying law and order, capitalism, and families. They are a well organized gang that is well funded by Elite liberals. I appreciate Jack's willingness and courageous efforts in getting the word out. There is a real battle between evil and good.
Things in this world are changing quickly and there is a reason. People need to be informed and think thru what these implications will mean for future generations. Progressism is not going forward but going backwards and Antifa is leading the way!
A special thank you to Books Go Social and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
Jack puts his own experience with this group and the hate that they project. They are not about helping the minority but about destroying law and order, capitalism, and families. They are a well organized gang that is well funded by Elite liberals. I appreciate Jack's willingness and courageous efforts in getting the word out. There is a real battle between evil and good.
Things in this world are changing quickly and there is a reason. People need to be informed and think thru what these implications will mean for future generations. Progressism is not going forward but going backwards and Antifa is leading the way!
A special thank you to Books Go Social and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
June 26, 2021
This is a must read for anyone willing to contend with the history of Antifa, and what the American incarnation entails. This isn’t a biased and opinionated book filled with half-truths, as one review stated. Sources are in the back and it’s encouraged that more independent research is done by the reader.
This is a good compliment to Andy Ngo’s Unmasked but it definitely stands on its own.
Posobiec not only writes of his experiences with Antifa, which are backed up with livestreams and videos, but documents their history as it began with Ernst Thälmann in Weimar Germany. This is important because often times an “anti-fascist” is considered as being “anti-fascist”; but what does that term mean and can we trust this group to determine what it means for us?
Who are Antifa? Where do they come from? What ideologies do they espouse? How can we know this? What do the intelligence community, media, or journalists have to say about them? What crimes have they committed? What do they preach? What is our prognosis going forward?
These are just some of the questions that will be answered here. If you’re still unsatisfied with the read, or want more sources, Antifa’s sources themselves are documented. From Mark Bray’s “Anti-fascist handbook” to other affiliated organizations and websites.
Some common complaints seek to remind us that there are “two extremist sides” from “both the right and left.” This is irrelevant. The book is entitled “The Antifa,” not “To spare your feelings and political leanings here’s a book on extremism from both sides.” There’s plenty of information and books and entire institutions dedicated to rooting out “white supremacy”, both real and fiction.
If you want to read a book on Antifa, regardless of whether or not it’s inconvenient to preconceived beliefs, then this book provides a foundation of sources and information from which to continue the study.
My criticism, however, is also as stated with others. Firstly, interviewees aren’t named in the Introduction. While Posobiec’s credibility might precede him, and while it’s understandable that the names are omitted, this simply won’t do.
Also, spell check the book. I don’t know who edited this but they did a very poor job. It wasn’t bad enough or persistent enough to detract from the reading, but it is noticeable and unprofessional.
This is a good compliment to Andy Ngo’s Unmasked but it definitely stands on its own.
Posobiec not only writes of his experiences with Antifa, which are backed up with livestreams and videos, but documents their history as it began with Ernst Thälmann in Weimar Germany. This is important because often times an “anti-fascist” is considered as being “anti-fascist”; but what does that term mean and can we trust this group to determine what it means for us?
Who are Antifa? Where do they come from? What ideologies do they espouse? How can we know this? What do the intelligence community, media, or journalists have to say about them? What crimes have they committed? What do they preach? What is our prognosis going forward?
These are just some of the questions that will be answered here. If you’re still unsatisfied with the read, or want more sources, Antifa’s sources themselves are documented. From Mark Bray’s “Anti-fascist handbook” to other affiliated organizations and websites.
Some common complaints seek to remind us that there are “two extremist sides” from “both the right and left.” This is irrelevant. The book is entitled “The Antifa,” not “To spare your feelings and political leanings here’s a book on extremism from both sides.” There’s plenty of information and books and entire institutions dedicated to rooting out “white supremacy”, both real and fiction.
If you want to read a book on Antifa, regardless of whether or not it’s inconvenient to preconceived beliefs, then this book provides a foundation of sources and information from which to continue the study.
My criticism, however, is also as stated with others. Firstly, interviewees aren’t named in the Introduction. While Posobiec’s credibility might precede him, and while it’s understandable that the names are omitted, this simply won’t do.
Also, spell check the book. I don’t know who edited this but they did a very poor job. It wasn’t bad enough or persistent enough to detract from the reading, but it is noticeable and unprofessional.
July 5, 2021
Well documented history of Antifa which the mainstream media refuses to talk about. It’s difficult to find anything critical on Antifa. It’s taboo to even say anything negative on mainstream media. The book does a great job going to the beginning and showing the history and how Antifa survived. I personally hope to get more than the book offered but it is a good start.
June 24, 2021
Granted that there is a growing in America with BOTH left-wing and right-wing extremist groups. White-supremacists, Nazis, and with growing evidence of the existence of it, Antifa. Both sides are guilty of stoking hatred and of destroying property and lives.
HOWEVER, this is not the book to use to document Antifa! The author is so far out in the fringe that it makes almost everything he says suspect. Rather than to use his platform to document proven facts about Antifa, he instead uses undocumented or questionable statements to make his case.
Not to mention his undisguised hatred for the United States Government. Or, at least, the parts of the government that insist on fact based evidence, and not the latest tweet by an unsatisfied person.
Some examples:
"Simply, the federal government is biased towards targeting right-wing groups rather than left-wing groups. This derives from a number of factors, but a strong component of it is single-source media consumption by those who live in the Beltway and truly run the government of the United States; the interagency bureaucracy."
"The intelligence community is truly run by rent-seeking bureaucrats all vying to lie, cheat, and fail their way into making the next rank."
"All the analysts were working from home because of COVID so they really only had access to unclassified. So they're sitting home using Google and CNN to write open source intelligence."
And what does the author base these revelations on? He openly states, "Much of this comes from firsthand knowledge from my years serving in the intelligence community in Washington DC, as well as interviews I conducted with current and former members for this book". ALL OF WHOM REMAIN UNNAMED!
So, what could have been a valuable insight into the growth and development of the Antifa movement, is wasted on the author's rantings and ravings. Very disappointing!
HOWEVER, this is not the book to use to document Antifa! The author is so far out in the fringe that it makes almost everything he says suspect. Rather than to use his platform to document proven facts about Antifa, he instead uses undocumented or questionable statements to make his case.
Not to mention his undisguised hatred for the United States Government. Or, at least, the parts of the government that insist on fact based evidence, and not the latest tweet by an unsatisfied person.
Some examples:
"Simply, the federal government is biased towards targeting right-wing groups rather than left-wing groups. This derives from a number of factors, but a strong component of it is single-source media consumption by those who live in the Beltway and truly run the government of the United States; the interagency bureaucracy."
"The intelligence community is truly run by rent-seeking bureaucrats all vying to lie, cheat, and fail their way into making the next rank."
"All the analysts were working from home because of COVID so they really only had access to unclassified. So they're sitting home using Google and CNN to write open source intelligence."
And what does the author base these revelations on? He openly states, "Much of this comes from firsthand knowledge from my years serving in the intelligence community in Washington DC, as well as interviews I conducted with current and former members for this book". ALL OF WHOM REMAIN UNNAMED!
So, what could have been a valuable insight into the growth and development of the Antifa movement, is wasted on the author's rantings and ravings. Very disappointing!
July 4, 2021
Wake Up Patriots!
You know you are reading a good book when it makes you so angry you yell at it, post on social media, underline passages to remember and for your review and tell everyone what was in the book.
Let me state that I am very upset with my Republican Party and unfortunately myself. We are doing NOTHING but whine, talk or turn a blind eye.
This CAN be slowed down or even stopped. "When corporations began to threaten freedom of speech online, conservative leaders didn’t lift a finger to fight for this sacred right of the American people." ( I stole that sentence from the author) Not a finger. Not a complaint. Not another useless speech. Definitely not another bill. WHY? I know the answer. Money. Political gain. A favor so they can be re-elected. (Term limits is another rant.)
I guess you can tell I did like the book. But it just makes me so mad! We are living through history, history that basically took place 80-90 years ago and are allowing it to happen. Did you forget because the statue has been torn down? Because our books are being destroyed or being rewritten?
Read the book.
The author has given you the history What are you going to do? Sit on your butt and hope someone will take care of the problem? OR Gather your facts. Form your own opinion. Find like minded people and voice your objections.
You know you are reading a good book when it makes you so angry you yell at it, post on social media, underline passages to remember and for your review and tell everyone what was in the book.
Let me state that I am very upset with my Republican Party and unfortunately myself. We are doing NOTHING but whine, talk or turn a blind eye.
This CAN be slowed down or even stopped. "When corporations began to threaten freedom of speech online, conservative leaders didn’t lift a finger to fight for this sacred right of the American people." ( I stole that sentence from the author) Not a finger. Not a complaint. Not another useless speech. Definitely not another bill. WHY? I know the answer. Money. Political gain. A favor so they can be re-elected. (Term limits is another rant.)
I guess you can tell I did like the book. But it just makes me so mad! We are living through history, history that basically took place 80-90 years ago and are allowing it to happen. Did you forget because the statue has been torn down? Because our books are being destroyed or being rewritten?
Read the book.
The author has given you the history What are you going to do? Sit on your butt and hope someone will take care of the problem? OR Gather your facts. Form your own opinion. Find like minded people and voice your objections.
July 2, 2021
Reading diverse viewpoints and looking critically at information is important. While Jack Posobiec's The Antifa claims to do so, it doesn't. This book is what one expect from an alt-right extremist with ties to white supremacy groups. This is merely propaganda with a lack of evidence and unfettered, sensationalist talking points from the author's target base. With circular arguments and a reliance on extremist viewpoints rather than facts, this book should be shelved in the fiction section.
Disclaimer: a copy was provided by the publsiher.
Disclaimer: a copy was provided by the publsiher.
June 7, 2021
Jack Posobiec appears to be a neo-nazi and GRU asset.
July 4, 2021
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Antifa is a self-professed nonfiction investigative report on "The Antifa" by Jack Posobiec. Released 1st June 2021 by Calamo Press, it's 300 pages and is available in softcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes finding phrases or passages so much easier when reading.
I try to hold myself to some personal standards in reading and evaluating every book I review. I try my very best to give an unbiased and objective review whatever my personal feelings are on the subject matter. This applies especially to non-fiction selections. That being said, this book, and this author, challenged my attempts to remain objective.
This is a comprehensive, 300 page screed on what's wrong with America (mostly minorities and people who "hate America") and what to do about it (mostly "fight back" against everyone who doesn't think, talk, and more importantly *look* like he does. It reads like an alt-right angry white guy manifesto on why and how to take back "his" America which has *never* existed in any form, but most resembles the 1950s suburban overwhelmingly caucasian segregated south of post WW2 USA. In the process, he fabricates, sensationalizes, and spins every occurrence.
There is no unbiased retelling of independently verifiable factual events anywhere in this book. The writing and recounting of actual events shades quite unapologetically into fiction. There are no references or verifiable sources. There is not a shred of journalistic integrity.
The author spends quite a lot of content naming and shaming venues and individuals for canceling their events due to concerns for public safety and bandies "cancel culture" often. Unironically, he brags about his #DumpStarWars campaign in the same paragraph he's decrying being accurately quoted by the media and simultaneously recounts banning mainstream journalists from the "Deploriball" celebration of Trump's election and inauguration reporting calling it "tough love" and claiming their journalistic standards are not up to snuff.
As a last aside, the book would benefit from professional proofreading and editing. I normally don't refer to editing and mistakes in eARCs but this is a final release copy.
One star. This book will probably appeal to Fox News viewers, QAnon fans, and conspiracy theorists. For readers looking for unbiased factual reporting with verifiable sources, this book lacks fundamental journalistic standards. I think this is the first one star review I've ever given. (And I've written thousands).
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Antifa is a self-professed nonfiction investigative report on "The Antifa" by Jack Posobiec. Released 1st June 2021 by Calamo Press, it's 300 pages and is available in softcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes finding phrases or passages so much easier when reading.
I try to hold myself to some personal standards in reading and evaluating every book I review. I try my very best to give an unbiased and objective review whatever my personal feelings are on the subject matter. This applies especially to non-fiction selections. That being said, this book, and this author, challenged my attempts to remain objective.
This is a comprehensive, 300 page screed on what's wrong with America (mostly minorities and people who "hate America") and what to do about it (mostly "fight back" against everyone who doesn't think, talk, and more importantly *look* like he does. It reads like an alt-right angry white guy manifesto on why and how to take back "his" America which has *never* existed in any form, but most resembles the 1950s suburban overwhelmingly caucasian segregated south of post WW2 USA. In the process, he fabricates, sensationalizes, and spins every occurrence.
There is no unbiased retelling of independently verifiable factual events anywhere in this book. The writing and recounting of actual events shades quite unapologetically into fiction. There are no references or verifiable sources. There is not a shred of journalistic integrity.
The author spends quite a lot of content naming and shaming venues and individuals for canceling their events due to concerns for public safety and bandies "cancel culture" often. Unironically, he brags about his #DumpStarWars campaign in the same paragraph he's decrying being accurately quoted by the media and simultaneously recounts banning mainstream journalists from the "Deploriball" celebration of Trump's election and inauguration reporting calling it "tough love" and claiming their journalistic standards are not up to snuff.
As a last aside, the book would benefit from professional proofreading and editing. I normally don't refer to editing and mistakes in eARCs but this is a final release copy.
One star. This book will probably appeal to Fox News viewers, QAnon fans, and conspiracy theorists. For readers looking for unbiased factual reporting with verifiable sources, this book lacks fundamental journalistic standards. I think this is the first one star review I've ever given. (And I've written thousands).
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
November 8, 2021
Took me forever to finish reading this. The writing is a little difficult, but I felt like the topic was really important. I learned so much and would recommend this book to anyone. Antifa is probably not what you think it is, and it is almost certainly going to impact our lives in the future more than you’d imagine.
June 10, 2021
Rockstar Patriot
Informative and well written. A must read for all Americans! I'm banned from posting on Twitter but able to see Poso and you are my lifeline. Thankful for your persistent personality.
Informative and well written. A must read for all Americans! I'm banned from posting on Twitter but able to see Poso and you are my lifeline. Thankful for your persistent personality.
June 25, 2021
What the informed need to know
With an abundance of well researched evidence and a deep understanding of the forces at work, Mr Posobiec drives home the point - the Nation is under attack
With an abundance of well researched evidence and a deep understanding of the forces at work, Mr Posobiec drives home the point - the Nation is under attack
February 4, 2022
Excellent Research
I liked this book as it is accurate research thoroughly done which exposes the lies and deception plus danger of extreme left organizations
I liked this book as it is accurate research thoroughly done which exposes the lies and deception plus danger of extreme left organizations
February 23, 2025
It's painfully obvious Posobiec lacks integrity in his journalistic endeavors.
A ridiculous amount of his claims are so easily fact checked it's vomit inducing. Meetings? Where? How do we find them? There's no leader or meetings or planning. It is not a gang type group.
Antifa is merely an idea, with no planning or organization involved.
Right wing extremists and far right politicians have enjoyed pointing fingers at antifa for violence endured during the BLM protests and (as evidenced in the book) January 6th. That would be what is formerly known as Proud Boys (they lost the right to the name), or the Bugaloo Boys. How about the Oath Keepers? It really gives the vibe of white-supremacist sympathizer. (Not a good look.)
Five minutes (max) of research (avoid that alt-right pipeline) will show you how far off base Posobiec is.
As somebody who has a range of education under my belt, including media journalism, we are taught how to source our information for the best accuracy. Either Posobiec didn't take any courses on media journalism, slept through his classes, or threw all of his education out the window to ensure he could spew his supremacist views.
In any case, the amount of people praising the book without questioning the information and integrity shows how easy it is for people like Posobiec to fear monger the already vulnerable and afraid. Unfortunately, that's likely the goal.
1 star is generous.
A ridiculous amount of his claims are so easily fact checked it's vomit inducing. Meetings? Where? How do we find them? There's no leader or meetings or planning. It is not a gang type group.
Antifa is merely an idea, with no planning or organization involved.
Right wing extremists and far right politicians have enjoyed pointing fingers at antifa for violence endured during the BLM protests and (as evidenced in the book) January 6th. That would be what is formerly known as Proud Boys (they lost the right to the name), or the Bugaloo Boys. How about the Oath Keepers? It really gives the vibe of white-supremacist sympathizer. (Not a good look.)
Five minutes (max) of research (avoid that alt-right pipeline) will show you how far off base Posobiec is.
As somebody who has a range of education under my belt, including media journalism, we are taught how to source our information for the best accuracy. Either Posobiec didn't take any courses on media journalism, slept through his classes, or threw all of his education out the window to ensure he could spew his supremacist views.
In any case, the amount of people praising the book without questioning the information and integrity shows how easy it is for people like Posobiec to fear monger the already vulnerable and afraid. Unfortunately, that's likely the goal.
1 star is generous.
July 17, 2024
This was another great book about the Communists among US. And America has Not awaken to the problem and I prey they do Before it's too late for US (and we turn into yet another Communist Sh1th0l3). The author does a wonderful job giving modern and past examples of just how bad (almost) things get... he doesn't mention gulags and mass execution (except Mao's Red Guard) and that's Not nearly enough. Virtually all Communist (and Socialist and Nazi and Fascist and Islamic Autocracy) all turn into A big grave for Most of the people. Read History People and don't believe in Something for Nothing (and esp. don't believe you're oppressed just because you've made nothing of your life). There are many people who will take things away from others (who earn them) And many of them are called Communists Socialist Fascist Antifa Nazi Muslim etc. and then, there's almost any (other) government (shrug).
June 18, 2021
This could have been good if it did not seem like the author was almost putting everyone associated with Antifa on a pedestal of honor. Trump supporters and sympathizers made the threat/popularization of Antifa even more prominent than it should have been. This could have been he neutral book/research about Antifa that was needed except the author's POV made Antifa ok. WTF ? Seriously? How is this ok?
Disappointed. Cannot recommend. Skim read most of this.
Thanks to Netgalley, Jack Posobiec and Books Go Social for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Already available: 6/1/21
Disappointed. Cannot recommend. Skim read most of this.
Thanks to Netgalley, Jack Posobiec and Books Go Social for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Already available: 6/1/21
September 13, 2021
This book was an interesting look into the world of Antifa. fiction books about contemporary political issues are some of my favourite reads.I appreciate Posobiec's style of journalism and his looking beyond the mainstream media's lack of critical investigation into this topic. Thanks for Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for unbiased and honest review.
March 23, 2022
another good expose of Antifa, similar to that of Andy Ngo
April 24, 2022
The author recalls his experiences with ANTIFA, and their plans to attack conservatives and moderates, and how they tamed law enforcement in this country. Well written book, highly recommended.
November 25, 2023
Poso does a great job of addressing the history of Antifa, which was a bit of a surprise as to how long Antifa has been around, and when/where it originated. Interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews