Behind the Bastards
Book Recommendations

Behind the Bastards

There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and gals) are eternally fascinating. Behind the Bastards dives in past the Cliffs Notes of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of th...

Episodes 2,018
Books 1,695

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The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order cover

The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order

Samuel P. Huntington

Mentioned 5 months ago

It Could Happen Here Weekly 220

The discussion referenced Huntington's thesis to illustrate how postColdWar politics framed conflicts as cultural clashes.

It seemed like a sort of kernel of truth in this. It was based on Huntington's writing about the clash of civilizations.

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Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History cover

Balkan Ghosts

Robert D. Kaplan

Mentioned 5 months ago

It Could Happen Here Weekly 220

The hosts noted that Bill Clinton had read the book, after which his administration's rhetoric shifted regarding the Balkans.

and after Bill Clinton read that horrendous book, Balkan Ghosts by Kaplan, his administration's rhetoric began to change

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Shanghai on Strike: The Politics of Chinese Labor cover

Shanghai on Strike

Elizabeth J. Perry

Mentioned 5 months ago

It Could Happen Here Weekly 220

One of the speakers cited Ferry's book as a detailed account of the 1925 Shanghai general strike.

In a book called Shanghai on Strike by Elizabeth Ferry, she describes the massive labor actions and their aftermath.

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The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings Boxed Set Hardcover Illustrated edition 2020 June 25 cover

The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings Boxed Set Hardcover Illustrated edition 2020 June 25

J.R.R. Tolkien

Mentioned 5 months ago

Part One: How Jeffrey Epstein Helped Build the Modern World

The hosts compared the children's hockey movies The Mighty Ducks to The Lord of the Rings, calling the former the hockey equivalent of the classic fantasy series.

The Mighty Ducks' premise was strong enough to sustain a trilogy, which no critics consider to be basically the children's hockey equivalent to The Lord of the Rings.

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Devil's Bargain: Steve Bannon, Donald Trump, and the Storming of the Presidency cover

Devil's Bargain

Joshua Green

Mentioned 5 months ago

Part One: How Jeffrey Epstein Helped Build the Modern World

The hosts noted that journalist Joshua Green had written Devil's Bargain, a book about Steve Bannon's rise in the Trump administration.

Bannon became fascinated with the collective power of gamers who gathered on these sites, according to journalist Joshua Green, who wrote a book, Devil's Bargain, about Bannon's rise in the Trump administration.

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Thousand Plateaus (Athlone Contemporary European Thinkers) cover

Thousand Plateaus (Athlone Contemporary European Thinkers)

Professor Gilles Deleuze

Mentioned 5 months ago

It Could Happen Here Weekly 219

The analysis from these philosophers was referenced to discuss the ways in which fascism and totalitarianism differ, noting that fascism involves a war machine taking over the state. The text was also quoted to illustrate realized nihilism within fascism, characterized by an intense line of escape that transforms into pure destruction.

They discuss the ways in which fascism and totalitarianism differ. They write that totalitarianism is a state affair made up of material components that overmanage society. Quote, even in the case of a military dictator it is a state army, not a war machine, that takes power and elevates the state to the totalitarian stage. Totalitarianism is quintessentially conservative. Fascism, on the other hand, involves a war machine. When fascism builds itself a totalitarian state, it is not in the sense of a state army taking power, but of a war machine taking over the state. Unquote.

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The Suicidal State: Race Suicide, Biopower, and the Sexuality of Population cover

The Suicidal State

Madoka Kishi

Mentioned 5 months ago

It Could Happen Here Weekly 219

This essay by Virilio was discussed as the framework building off of Deleuze and Guattari's work, arguing that in fascism, the state is suicidal rather than strictly totalitarian. Virilio argued that this evolution of the state is guided by non-progress and terror, founded on the repulsion and fear of all development in the civil domain.

This analysis from Deleuze and Guattari is building off of an essay by the French writer Paul Virilio called The Suicidal State, where Virilio argues that in fascism, the state is far less totalitarian than it is suicidal.

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Progress: How One Idea Built Civilization and Now Threatens to Destroy It cover

Progress

Samuel Miller McDonald

Mentioned 5 months ago

It Could Happen Here Weekly 219

The speaker mentioned reading this book and planning a review for the podcast, noting how its content explored the pervasive concept of progress and how it can trip people up, sometimes acting like a sedative against engaging with degrading reality.

You know, recently I read this book, Progress, by Samuel Miller MacDonald, and I would like to do a review of it at some point for the podcast, but... The short of it is that it gets into just how pervasive this concept of progress is in kind of tripping people up and keeping us serving systems that don't serve us.

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Mephisto (Classic, 20th-Century, Penguin) cover

Mephisto (Classic, 20th-Century, Penguin)

Klaus Mann

Mentioned 5 months ago

It Could Happen Here Weekly 219

Deleuze and Guattari quoted from this 1936 novel, which contains fascist speeches, noting an excerpt eerily similar to the visuals of Trump as the suicidal penguin.

In A Thousand Plateaus, Deleuze and Guattari quote an excerpt from Klaus Mann's 1936 novel Mephisto, which contains fascist speeches and ordinary conversations from Nazi Germany.

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Starship Troopers cover

Starship Troopers

Mentioned 5 months ago

The Greg Bovino Episode Extravaganza!

The hosts said it was apparently his favorite novel, that he reads it once a year, and noted that it is often interpreted as a fascist work.

His favorite book was probably Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers, surprising no one. His sister told the Daily Mail that he reads Starship Troopers once a year, which completely makes sense.

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The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (S.F. MASTERWORKS) cover

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (S.F. MASTERWORKS)

Robert A. Heinlein

Mentioned 5 months ago

The Greg Bovino Episode Extravaganza!

The book was cited as a key influence on libertarian thought, being called a foundational text for the American libertarian movement.

One of his books, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, is often seen as providing a lot of the ideological underpinning for the libertarian movement.

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Emperors in the Jungle: The Hidden History of the U.S. in Panama (American Encounters/Global Interactions), Cover may vary cover

Emperors in the Jungle

John Lindsay-Poland

Mentioned 5 months ago

It Could Happen Here Weekly 218

This book served as the main resource for the detailed historical analysis of U.S. intervention in Panama, covering everything from the Bidlack Treaty to the 1989 invasion. The speaker found the book provided fantastic information on topics they had never heard discussed before, shaking them regarding events at the crossroads of the continents.

Panama was a long-standing laboratory of U.S. imperial power.

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Most Recommended

A Choice Not an Echo: Updated and Expanded 50th Anniversary Edition Cover

Phyllis Schlafly

A Choice Not an Echo

Updated and Expanded 50th Anniversary Edition

It was a pro-Goldwater book that was framed as a conspiracy theory about how the Republican party was being controlled by Eastern elites, and it became a huge success, reportedly selling nearly 3 million copies.

"

She writes a book called A Choice, Not an Echo. And this was like a pro-Goldwater argument.

— Episode: Part Two: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother o...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Part Two: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

It was a pro-Goldwater book that was framed as a conspiracy theory about how the Republican party was being controlled by Eastern elites, and it became a huge success, reportedly selling nearly 3 million copies.

"

She writes a book called A Choice, Not an Echo. And this was like a pro-Goldwater argument.

A Choice Not an Echo sells nearly 3 million copies and went on to hugely influence the California primary and the election.

It's generally seen as being a big part of what delivered Goldwater a surprise victory over Rockefeller.

And Phyllis for the rest of her life will brag that she self-publishes this book out of her garage and that it just becomes this massive hit that she just does all by her little old self.

The reality of the situation is that the John Birch Society bought like three million copies of this book to distribute it for free, and they handled the publication.

Episode: Part Two: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

It was a pro-Goldwater book that presented a conspiracy theory about how the Republican primary was being stolen by party elites, and was distributed widely.

"

She writes a book called A Choice, Not an Echo. And this was like a pro-Goldwater argument.

A Choice Not an Echo sells nearly 3 million copies and went on to hugely influence the California primary and the election.

It's generally seen as being a big part of what delivered Goldwater a surprise victory over Rockefeller.

And Phyllis for the rest of her life will brag that she self-publishes this book out of her garage and that it just becomes this massive hit that she just does all by her little old self.

The reality of the situation is that the John Birch Society bought like three million copies of this book to distribute it for free, and they handled the publication.

Episode: Part Two: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

It was a pro-Goldwater book that presented a conspiracy theory about how the Republican primary was being stolen by the party's elite. It was very successful and sold almost 3 million copies.

"

She writes a book called A Choice, Not an Echo.

A Choice Not an Echo sells nearly 3 million copies and went on to hugely influence the California primary and the election.

It's generally seen as being a big part of what delivered Goldwater a surprise victory over Rockefeller.

And Phyllis for the rest of her life will brag that she self-publishes this book out of her garage and that it just becomes this massive hit that she just does all by her little old self.

Mothers of Massive Resistance: White Women and the Politics of White Supremacy Cover

Elizabeth Gillespie McRae

Mothers of Massive Resistance

White Women and the Politics of White Supremacy

A book by Elizabeth Gillespie McRae that describes the grassroots movement as "white supremacist maternalism", which the author describes as a hatred and fear of anything that isn't white suburban moms.

"

a kind of white supremacist maternalism is how Elizabeth Gillespie Mcray described this grassroots movement in her book Mothers of Massive Resistance

— Episode: Part Two: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother o...

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Episode: Part Two: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

A book by Elizabeth Gillespie McRae that describes the grassroots movement as "white supremacist maternalism", which the author describes as a hatred and fear of anything that isn't white suburban moms.

"

a kind of white supremacist maternalism is how Elizabeth Gillespie Mcray described this grassroots movement in her book Mothers of Massive Resistance

Episode: Part Two: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

It described the grassroots movement Schlafly helped establish as 'white supremacist maternalism', characterized by the anxieties and prejudices of white, suburban mothers.

"

a kind of white supremacist maternalism is how elizabeth gillespie mcray described this grassroots movement in her book Mothers of Massive Resistance white women in the politics of white supremacy

Episode: Part Two: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

This book describes the grassroots movement Schlafly built as 'white supremacist maternalism', a term that captures the ideology and the core demographic of her support.

"

a kind of white supremacist maternalism is how Elizabeth Gillespie Mcray described this grassroots movement in her book Mothers of Massive Resistance

The Power of the Positive Woman Cover

Phyllis Schlafly

The Power of the Positive Woman

Published in 1977, this book compiled Schlafly's anti-gay ideas, including the notion that firemen should be able to refuse to work with gay colleagues due to their close living and working conditions.

"

her 1977 book The Power of Positive Woman compiled these anti-gay ideas and exclaimed that firemen who constantly risk their lives on our behalf should have the right to make a judgment that their clo...

— Episode: Part Two: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother o...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Part Two: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

Published in 1977, this book compiled Schlafly's anti-gay ideas, including the notion that firemen should be able to refuse to work with gay colleagues due to their close living and working conditions.

"

her 1977 book The Power of Positive Woman compiled these anti-gay ideas and exclaimed that firemen who constantly risk their lives on our behalf should have the right to make a judgment that their close living and working conditions make a homosexual co-worker intolerable

Episode: Part Two: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

This book compiled Schlafly's anti-gay arguments and included the idea that gay coworkers could make an office space intolerable, even for firefighters.

"

her 1977 book the power of positive woman of the positive woman compiled these anti-gay ideas and exclaimed that firemen who constantly risk their lives on our behalf should have the right to make a judgment that their close living and working conditions make a homosexual co-worker intolerable

Episode: Part Two: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

This book, published in 1977, compiled Schlafly's anti-gay ideas, which included the belief that gay coworkers were intolerable in the workplace.

"

her 1977 book The Power of Positive Woman compiled these anti-gay ideas and exclaimed that firemen who constantly risk their lives on our behalf should have the right to make a judgment that their close living and working conditions make a homosexual co-worker intolerable

Phyllis Schlafly and Grassroots Conservatism: A Woman's Crusade (Politics and Society in Modern America, 54) Cover

Donald T. Critchlow

Phyllis Schlafly and Grassroots Conservatism

A Woman's Crusade (Politics and Society in Modern America, 54)

It was a deeply reported book that was very sympathetic to Phyllis Schlafly and described her early life as generally positive, but may have whitewashed her childhood experiences.

"

No tensions between the parents were evident to their children or revealed in correspondence or diaries. Dottie was an attractive woman devoted to her family

— Episode: Part One: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother o...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Part One: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

It was a deeply reported book that was very sympathetic to Phyllis Schlafly and described her early life as generally positive, but may have whitewashed her childhood experiences.

"

No tensions between the parents were evident to their children or revealed in correspondence or diaries. Dottie was an attractive woman devoted to her family

her religious faith now combined with a well formed conservative ideology created a formidable political outlook.

Equally important, she learned from her work experience at AEA how to articulate complex issues and arguments into a simplified form easily understood by an average reader.

Much of her early political writings and speeches were derivative based on an extensive reading of conservative books and periodicals, government reports and liberal newspapers. Her originality lay in the way she framed issues.

what followed was a rather unusual courtship in which they usually saw each other once a week on the weekends, while the rest of the time they exchanged poetry and letters. These letters were intellectual exchanges about political and theological questions written as much to display the author's intelligence as to convey knowledge.

Episode: Part One: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

It was described as a well-researched book, but the narrator found it to be very sympathetic towards Phyllis Schlafly, potentially whitewashing details of her upbringing.

"

No tensions between the parents were evident to their children or revealed in correspondence or diaries. Dottie was an attractive woman devoted to her family

Episode: Part One: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

It was described as a deeply reported book, but it was also noted to be very sympathetic towards Phyllis Schlafly, potentially whitewashing certain aspects of her life, especially her early years.

"

No tensions between the parents were evident to their children or revealed in correspondence or diaries. Dottie was an attractive woman devoted to her family

her religious faith now combined with a well formed conservative ideology created a formidable political outlook.

Equally important, she learned from her work experience at AEA how to articulate complex issues and arguments into a simplified form easily understood by an average reader.

The Reading List: A Novel Cover

Sara Nisha Adams

The Reading List

A Novel

It was a bibliographical guide to anti-communist books, published in 1958, which the author argued would lead readers to understand the United States was already in a total war with communists.

"

the American failure to grasp that we are already engaged in a total war with the communists.

— Episode: Part One: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother o...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Part One: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

It was a bibliographical guide to anti-communist books, published in 1958, which the author argued would lead readers to understand the United States was already in a total war with communists.

"

the American failure to grasp that we are already engaged in a total war with the communists.

Episode: Part One: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

It was a guide to anti-communist books and urged readers to understand that the US was already engaged in a total war with the communists.

"

the American failure to grasp that we are already engaged in a total war with the communists.

Episode: Part One: Phyllis Schlafly: The Mother of all Cult...

It was a bibliographical guide to anti-communist books, which she believed would help readers understand that the United States was already in a full-fledged war against communism.

"

the American failure to grasp that we are already engaged in a total war with the communists.

Badges without Borders: How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policing (Volume 56) (American Crossroads) Cover

Stuart Schrader

Badges without Borders

How Global Counterinsurgency Transformed American Policing (Volume 56) (American Crossroads)

It was discussed that the book explores how global counterinsurgency transformed American policing, particularly through CIA-linked programs that trained former Border Patrol agents to work abroad.

"

According to Stuart Schrader in his forthcoming Badges without Borders, how global counterinsurgency transformed American policing.

— Episode: Part Two: The U.S. Border Patrol Is A Ni...

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Episode: Part Two: The U.S. Border Patrol Is A Nightmare Th...

It was discussed that the book explores how global counterinsurgency transformed American policing, particularly through CIA-linked programs that trained former Border Patrol agents to work abroad.

"

According to Stuart Schrader in his forthcoming Badges without Borders, how global counterinsurgency transformed American policing.

Episode: Part Two: The U.S. Border Patrol Is A Nightmare Th...

It was discussed in the context of the Cold War, detailing how former Border Patrol agents were sent to train foreign police forces, particularly in Spanish-speaking countries like Guatemala and El Salvador.

"

According to Stuart Schrader in his forthcoming Badges without Borders, how global counterinsurgency transformed American policing.

Episode: Part Two: The U.S. Border Patrol Is A Nightmare Th...

It was discussed in the context of how the CIA used the Border Patrol to train foreign police in counterinsurgency tactics, particularly in Central America, during the Cold War.

"

According to Stuart Schrader in his forthcoming Badges without Borders, how global counterinsurgency transformed American policing.

Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman Cover

Jon Krakauer

Where Men Win Glory

The Odyssey of Pat Tillman

It was described as a good book, although it contained a lot of information about high school football, and presented Pat Tillman as more sensitive than the typical 'meathead soldier' persona.

"

And there's a there's a number of articles, too, on on The Intercept and on Sports Illustrated that all talked about Pat Tillman.

— Episode: The Bastards Who Killed Pat Tillman

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: The Bastards Who Killed Pat Tillman

It was described as a good book, although it contained a lot of information about high school football, and presented Pat Tillman as more sensitive than the typical 'meathead soldier' persona.

"

And there's a there's a number of articles, too, on on The Intercept and on Sports Illustrated that all talked about Pat Tillman.

And they all paint a picture of a guy who's not what I expected going into this, who was really sensitive, who was constantly reading a book, always had a book in his hand, read the Koran and the Bible, but was not himself religious and in fact identified as an atheist.

One of them is the Krakauer book, Where Men Win Glory, which is a pretty good book, although it talks about a lot of high school football.

And he in general seems like a pretty progressive and not like reflexively patriotic dude, which is why it was kind of frustrating on September 25th, 2017 when President Donald Trump retweeted a post from - the Twitter name's user is Jmaga45.

According to the book Where Men Find Glory, quote, Wilkinson was the president's man on the ground at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Qatar, controlling and carefully shaping information about the war disseminated by the international press.

Episode: The Bastards Who Killed Pat Tillman

It was discussed as a good book that provided details about Tillman's life, but also included a lot about high school football.

"

And there's a there's a number of articles, too, on on The Intercept and on Sports Illustrated that all talked about Pat Tillman.

One of them is the Krakauer book, Where Men Win Glory,

And they all paint a picture of a guy who's not what I expected going into this, who was really sensitive, who was constantly reading a book,

always had a book in his hand, read the Koran and the Bible, but was not himself religious and in fact identified as an atheist.

According to a federal statute and several army regulations, Mary Tillman, as next of kin, was supposed to be notified that an investigation was underway,

Episode: The Bastards Who Killed Pat Tillman

It was discussed as a source for the podcast, detailing Pat Tillman's life and the circumstances surrounding his death. It was also noted for covering a lot of high school football.

"

And there's a there's a number of articles, too, on on The Intercept and on Sports Illustrated that all talked about Pat Tillman.

And they all paint a picture of a guy who's not what I expected going into this, who was really sensitive, who was constantly reading a book, always had a book in his hand, read the Koran and the Bible, but was not himself religious and in fact identified as an atheist.

According to a federal statute and several army regulations, Mary Tillman, as next of kin, was supposed to be notified that an investigation was underway, even if friendly fire was only suspected and be kept informed as additional information about the cause of death becomes known.

Instead, McChrystal and the soldiers under their command went to extraordinary lengths to prevent the Tillman family from learning the truth about how Pat died.

Shortly before the 2nd Ranger Battalion sent Pat's remains home from Afghanistan, he, Kozlerich, was arranging a repatriation ceremony when a sergeant approached him and said, hey, sir, Kevin Tillman doesn't want a chaplain involved in his repatriation ceremony.

A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America (Comparative Studies in Religion and Society Book 15) Cover

Michael Barkun

A Culture of Conspiracy

Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America (Comparative Studies in Religion and Society Book 15)

It was discussed in relation to the 'cultic milieu' and how it rejects authority, with a focus on conspiracy theories that reject widely accepted beliefs.

"

The cultic milieu is by nature hostile to authority, both because it rejects the authority of such normative institutions as churches and universities and because no single institution within the mili...

— Episode: Part One: Bill Cooper: The Man Who Kille...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Part One: Bill Cooper: The Man Who Killed Truth

It was discussed in relation to the 'cultic milieu' and how it rejects authority, with a focus on conspiracy theories that reject widely accepted beliefs.

"

The cultic milieu is by nature hostile to authority, both because it rejects the authority of such normative institutions as churches and universities and because no single institution within the milieu has the authority to prescribe beliefs and practices for those within it.

As diverse as the cultic milieu is, however, Campbell finds in it unifying tendencies. One such tendency is its opposition to dominant cultural orthodoxies.

This is also a major characteristic of the culture of conspiracy, within which the reigning presumption is that any widely accepted belief must necessarily be false.

Episode: Part One: Bill Cooper: The Man Who Killed Truth

It was discussed in the context of a cultic milieu, which is a supportive cultural environment for cults to form. The book was mentioned while explaining how conspiracy theories became more prominent in American culture.

"

The cultic milieu is by nature hostile to authority, both because it rejects the authority of such normative institutions as churches and universities and because no single institution within the milieu has the authority to prescribe beliefs and practices for those within it.

Within a few months of the first modern claim of a flying saucer sighting in 1947, polls showed that 90% of the population had heard of them.

The Lear statement is brief, only seven printed pages, but dizzying in its claims.

Episode: Part One: Bill Cooper: The Man Who Killed Truth

It was discussed in relation to the cultic milieu and how it rejects authority and dominant cultural orthodoxies, which was seen as a precursor to the QAnon phenomenon.

"

The cultic milieu is by nature hostile to authority, both because it rejects the authority of such normative institutions as churches and universities and because no single institution within the milieu has the authority to prescribe beliefs and practices for those within it.

Within a few months of the first modern claim of a flying saucer sighting in 1947, polls showed that 90% of the population had heard of them.

The Lear statement is brief, only seven printed pages, but dizzying in its claims.

Pale Horse Rider: William Cooper, the Rise of Conspiracy, and the Fall of Trust in America Cover

Mark Jacobson

Pale Horse Rider

William Cooper, the Rise of Conspiracy, and the Fall of Trust in America

It was mentioned as a biography of William Cooper, detailing his childhood, including a traumatic plane crash he witnessed at the age of nine.

"

once while his father was assigned to Lodge's Field on Terciera Island in the Azores, the young Cooper was sitting in the base rec room watching a movie when the projector ground to a halt. The lights...

— Episode: Part One: Bill Cooper: The Man Who Kille...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Part One: Bill Cooper: The Man Who Killed Truth

It was mentioned as a biography of William Cooper, detailing his childhood, including a traumatic plane crash he witnessed at the age of nine.

"

once while his father was assigned to Lodge's Field on Terciera Island in the Azores, the young Cooper was sitting in the base rec room watching a movie when the projector ground to a halt. The lights came on and a plea was made for blood donors.

I knew immediately something terrible had happened. Running outside, Cooper saw that a B-29 Superfortress had crashed. I saw men on fire running through the night, Cooper wrote and behold, a pale horse. I was only nine years old but felt much older.

Episode: Part One: Bill Cooper: The Man Who Killed Truth

It was discussed as a biography of Bill Cooper, which provided context about his background and experiences. It highlighted Cooper's childhood and the events that shaped his worldview.

"

once while his father was assigned to Lodge's Field on Terciera Island in the Azores, the young Cooper was sitting in the base rec room watching a movie when the projector ground to a halt.

I knew immediately something terrible had happened. Running outside, Cooper saw that a B-29 Superfortress had crashed.

I saw men on fire running through the night, Cooper wrote and behold, a pale horse.

In his voluminous FBI file, Cooper's father, Jack, is quoted as saying that his son had been married or engaged at least nine times.

I began to see things at first that made no sense to me.

Episode: Part One: Bill Cooper: The Man Who Killed Truth

It's a biography of Bill Cooper that was discussed throughout the podcast, and was the source for many of the quotes shared about Bill's life, including his childhood and military career.

"

once while his father was assigned to Lodge's Field on Terciera Island in the Azores, the young Cooper was sitting in the base rec room watching a movie when the projector ground to a halt. The lights came on and a plea was made for blood donors.

I knew immediately something terrible had happened. Running outside, Cooper saw that a B-29 Superfortress had crashed. I saw men on fire running through the night, Cooper wrote and behold, a pale horse.

In his voluminous FBI file, Cooper's father, Jack, is quoted as saying that his son had been married or engaged at least nine times.

Right away, I knew I was seeing what I was not supposed to see. Material never intended for my eyes. The secrets were there.

Cured: Strengthen Your Immune System and Heal Your Life Cover

Jeffrey Rediger M.D.

Cured

Strengthen Your Immune System and Heal Your Life

It was discussed that it focused on people who experienced spontaneous remission, and the speaker considered the author to potentially be a grifter due to his past appearances on Coast to Coast AM.

"

He does have a book out however, called Cured with an exclamation point.

— Episode: Part Two: John of God: Oprah's Favorite...

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Episode: Part Two: John of God: Oprah's Favorite Ghost-Chan...

It was discussed that it focused on people who experienced spontaneous remission, and the speaker considered the author to potentially be a grifter due to his past appearances on Coast to Coast AM.

"

He does have a book out however, called Cured with an exclamation point.

Episode: Part Two: John of God: Oprah's Favorite Ghost-Chan...

It was mentioned as a book by a psychiatrist who also appeared on Coast to Coast AM, discussing spontaneous remission. It was implied that the author may be a grifter.

"

He does have a book out however, called Cured with an exclamation point. And it's about people going into spontaneous remission.

You don't go on Coast to Coast AM if you're like a credible person.

The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity: A Simple Guide to Unlimited Abundance Cover

Edwene Gaines

The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity

A Simple Guide to Unlimited Abundance

It was mentioned in passing, and it was suggested that the book's author, Edwin, a minister and motivational speaker, had a brain aneurysm that John of God allegedly cured.

"

Over a good Chilean red, Edwin, an ordained minister, motivational speaker and author of The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity recounted the story of her brain aneurysm deemed inopera...

— Episode: Part One: John of God: Oprah's Favorite...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Part One: John of God: Oprah's Favorite Ghost-Chan...

It was mentioned in passing, and it was suggested that the book's author, Edwin, a minister and motivational speaker, had a brain aneurysm that John of God allegedly cured.

"

Over a good Chilean red, Edwin, an ordained minister, motivational speaker and author of The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity recounted the story of her brain aneurysm deemed inoperable by five neurosurgeons.

White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide Cover

Carol Anderson

White Rage

The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide

It was described as a powerful book that discusses how Black advancement has historically sparked white rage in America.

"

The trigger for White Rage, inevitably, is Black advancement. It is not the mere presence of Black people that is the problem. Rather, it is Blackness with ambition, with drive, with...

— Episode: Behind the Police: How The Police Defeat...

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Episode: Behind the Police: How The Police Defeated Lynchin...

It was described as a powerful book that discusses how Black advancement has historically sparked white rage in America.

"

The trigger for White Rage, inevitably, is Black advancement. It is not the mere presence of Black people that is the problem. Rather, it is Blackness with ambition, with drive, with purpose, with aspirations, and with demands for full and equal citizenship.

Episode: Behind the Police: How The Police Defeated Lynchin...

It was described as a powerful book about how Black advancement often sparks white rage and is not just due to the presence of Black people.

"

The trigger for White Rage, inevitably, is Black advancement. It is not the mere presence of Black people that is the problem. Rather, it is Blackness with ambition, with drive, with purpose, with aspirations, and with demands for full and equal citizenship.

Episode: Behind the Police: How The Police Defeated Lynchin...

It was described as a powerful book which highlighted that white rage is often triggered by Black advancement, rather than the mere presence of Black people.

"

The trigger for White Rage, inevitably, is Black advancement. It is not the mere presence of Black people that is the problem. Rather, it is Blackness with ambition, with drive, with purpose, with aspirations, and with demands for full and equal citizenship.

Ku-Klux: The Birth of the Klan during Reconstruction Cover

Elaine Frantz Parsons

Ku-Klux

The Birth of the Klan during Reconstruction

It was discussed as being particularly helpful in understanding modern right-wing street violence and the absurdity of their tactics. The book explores the Klan's strategy of portraying violence as humor to evade consequences.

"

Ku Klux endeavored to portray victims' entirely rational fear of their physical violence as though it were superstition or gullibility. The victim tellingly failed to get the joke, allowing himself to...

— Episode: The History of American Police and the K...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: The History of American Police and the Ku Klux Kla...

It was discussed as being particularly helpful in understanding modern right-wing street violence and the absurdity of their tactics. The book explores the Klan's strategy of portraying violence as humor to evade consequences.

"

Ku Klux endeavored to portray victims' entirely rational fear of their physical violence as though it were superstition or gullibility. The victim tellingly failed to get the joke, allowing himself to be frightened by ghosts or devils.

Episode: The History of American Police and the Ku Klux Kla...

It was mentioned and quoted regarding the KKK's use of costumes and absurd behavior to create terror, portraying victims' rational fear as superstition or gullibility.

"

Ku Klux endeavored to portray victims entirely rational fear of their physical violence as though it were superstition or gullibility. The victim tellingly failed to get the joke, allowing himself to be frightened by ghosts or devils.

Episode: The History of American Police and the Ku Klux Kla...

The book was mentioned for its insightful look at the KKK's early days, explaining how they used absurd tactics to create terror and fear among Black communities.

"

Ku Klux endeavored to portray victims entirely rational fear of their physical violence as though it were superstition or gullibility. The victim tellingly failed to get the joke, allowing himself to be frightened by ghosts or devils.

Police and the Empire City: Race and the Origins of Modern Policing in New York Cover

Matthew Guariglia

Police and the Empire City

Race and the Origins of Modern Policing in New York

It was referred to as a source on the history of New York policing, specifically detailing how the structure of bounties discouraged the apprehension of criminals and encouraged corruption amongst police officers.

"

The police reports published in the newspapers in these years are filled with accounts of instances in which the property was returned with financial rewards for the police officer, but in which the c...

— Episode: How The First Police Went From Gangsters...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: How The First Police Went From Gangsters, To An Ar...

It was referred to as a source on the history of New York policing, specifically detailing how the structure of bounties discouraged the apprehension of criminals and encouraged corruption amongst police officers.

"

The police reports published in the newspapers in these years are filled with accounts of instances in which the property was returned with financial rewards for the police officer, but in which the criminal was not brought to justice.

The officer received a larger fee or award for recovering the stolen property than he would have received for bringing the criminal in.

Often the arrangement was consummated even before the robbery or burglary took place.

An officer would be privy to a crime and after its commission would endeavor to recover the stolen property in return for a liberal reward.

Part of the reward would then go to the thief as a share.

Episode: How The First Police Went From Gangsters, To An Ar...

It was mentioned as a history book about the New York Police, which was used as source material for the episode, and details about police corruption were discussed from this book.

"

The police reports published in the newspapers in these years are filled with accounts of instances in which the property was returned with financial rewards for the police officer, but in which the criminal was not brought to justice.

The officer received a larger fee or award for recovering the stolen property than he would have received for bringing the criminal in.

Often the arrangement was consummated even before the robbery or burglary took place.

An officer would be privy to a crime and after its commission would endeavor to recover the stolen property in return for a liberal reward.

Part of the reward would then go to the thief as a share.

Episode: How The First Police Went From Gangsters, To An Ar...

It was referenced for detailing how police incentives during the early 1800s encouraged prioritizing the recovery of stolen goods over apprehending criminals, often leading to corrupt practices.

"

The police reports published in the newspapers in these years are filled with accounts of instances in which the property was returned with financial rewards for the police officer, but in which the criminal was not brought to justice.

The officer received a larger fee or award for recovering the stolen property than he would have received for bringing the criminal in.

Often the arrangement was consummated even before the robbery or burglary took place.

An officer would be privy to a crime and after its commission would endeavor to recover the stolen property in return for a liberal reward.

Part of the reward would then go to the thief as a share.

Slave Patrols: Law and Violence in Virginia and the Carolinas (Harvard Historical Studies) Cover

Sally E. Hadden

Slave Patrols

Law and Violence in Virginia and the Carolinas (Harvard Historical Studies)

It was described as the most comprehensive history of slave patrols, highlighting the role of white supremacy and the unified obligation of white individuals to suppress the black population.

"

The history of police work in the South grows out of this early fascination by white patrollers with what African-American slaves were doing. Most law enforcement was by definition, white patrolmen wa...

— Episode: Slavery, Mass Murder and the Birth of Am...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Slavery, Mass Murder and the Birth of American Pol...

It was described as the most comprehensive history of slave patrols, highlighting the role of white supremacy and the unified obligation of white individuals to suppress the black population.

"

The history of police work in the South grows out of this early fascination by white patrollers with what African-American slaves were doing. Most law enforcement was by definition, white patrolmen watching, catching or beating black slaves.

With us, every citizen is concerned in the maintenance of order and in promoting honesty and industry among those of the lowest class who are our slaves. And our habitual vigilance renders standing armies, whether of soldiers or policemen, entirely unnecessary. Small guards in our cities and occasional patrols in the country ensure us a repose and security known nowhere else.

Episode: Slavery, Mass Murder and the Birth of American Pol...

It was described as the most comprehensive history of slave patrols, highlighting their role in maintaining white supremacy and the social classes involved.

"

The history of police work in the South grows out of this early fascination by white patrollers with what African-American slaves were doing. Most law enforcement was by definition, white patrolmen watching, catching or beating black slaves.

With us, every citizen is concerned in the maintenance of order and in promoting honesty and industry among those of the lowest class who are our slaves. And our habitual vigilance renders standing armies, whether of soldiers or policemen, entirely unnecessary. Small guards in our cities and occasional patrols in the country ensure us a repose and security known nowhere else.

Episode: Slavery, Mass Murder and the Birth of American Pol...

This book was described as the most comprehensive study of slave patrols yet, detailing the transition of this institution into formalized police departments in the American South after the Civil War.

"

The history of police work in the South grows out of this early fascination by white patrollers with what African-American slaves were doing. Most law enforcement was by definition, white patrolmen watching, catching or beating black slaves.

Policemen in southern towns continued to carry out those aspects of urban slave patrolling that seemed race neutral, but in reality were applied selectively.

Policing (Justice Series) (The Justice Series) Cover

John Worrall

Policing (Justice Series) (The Justice Series)

Published by Sage Press, it was referenced for its insights into how slave patrollers transitioned into policing freed Black people in the post-Civil War era, highlighting the seamless transition from slave patrols to public police forces.

"

During early reconstruction, several groups merged with what was formerly known as slave patrols to maintain order over African American citizens. Groups such as the federal military, the state militi...

— Episode: Slavery, Mass Murder and the Birth of Am...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Slavery, Mass Murder and the Birth of American Pol...

Published by Sage Press, it was referenced for its insights into how slave patrollers transitioned into policing freed Black people in the post-Civil War era, highlighting the seamless transition from slave patrols to public police forces.

"

During early reconstruction, several groups merged with what was formerly known as slave patrols to maintain order over African American citizens. Groups such as the federal military, the state militia and the Ku Klux Klan took over the responsibilities of earlier slave patrols and were known to be even more violent than their predecessors. Over time, these groups began to resemble and operate similar to some of the newly established police departments in the United States.

Episode: Slavery, Mass Murder and the Birth of American Pol...

This textbook was mentioned to provide insight into the seamless transition from slave patrols to policing freed Black people in the post-war South.

"

During early reconstruction, several groups merged with what was formerly known as slave patrols to maintain order over African American citizens. Groups such as the federal military, the state militia and the Ku Klux Klan took over the responsibilities of earlier slave patrols and were known to be even more violent than their predecessors.

Episode: Slavery, Mass Murder and the Birth of American Pol...

This textbook by a North Dakota State professor, published by Sage Press, provided information on the transition of slave patrols into police departments and the persistence of certain policing practices.

"

During early reconstruction, several groups merged with what was formerly known as slave patrols to maintain order over African American citizens.

the transition from slave patrols to publicly funded police agencies was seamless in the southern region of the United States.

Basic Instinct Cover

Sam Freeman

Basic Instinct

The book was used as a prop in a makeshift medical study of 'machetism' in which Sophie hit it with a machete and other objects while blindfolded.

"

I'm going to guide your hand down towards the object. The copy of based instinct that you're going to hit just so you know where it is.

— Episode: Part Two: The Bastard Who Invented Homeo...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Part Two: The Bastard Who Invented Homeopathy

The book was used as a prop in a makeshift medical study of 'machetism' in which Sophie hit it with a machete and other objects while blindfolded.

"

I'm going to guide your hand down towards the object. The copy of based instinct that you're going to hit just so you know where it is.

Now, I'm going to guide your hand down again to the copy of Basic Instinct.

I stabbed it pretty hard.

Episode: Part Two: The Bastard Who Invented Homeopathy

A VHS copy of the book was used during a makeshift experiment on a podcast guest. The book was also used as a surface to hit for an experiment about using a machete to treat earaches.

"

The copy of based instinct that you're going to hit just so you know where it is.

Now, I'm going to guide your hand down again to the copy of Basic Instinct.

Note: The book recommendations on this page are discovered automatically from podcast transcripts, and may be incorrect or incomplete.