Who Would Like This Book:
If you’re fascinated (or baffled) by how internet conspiracies can infiltrate everyday households, this book will keep you turning the pages. Jesselyn Cook approaches a tough topic with empathy, weaving together real family stories in a way that’s both readable and deeply moving. You don’t need to be a policy wonk to enjoy this - anyone interested in human psychology, modern politics, or current affairs will get a lot out of it. It’s especially helpful for those who know someone affected by QAnon and are trying to make sense of it all.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers might find this book frustrating if they’re looking for a completely neutral or apolitical take - it does not shy away from criticizing certain right-wing figures and media, which might feel off-putting to conservative readers. Also, if you’re after a straightforward explainer about QAnon, rather than emotional family stories, this might not be the deep dive into internet rabbit holes you’re hoping for. And, the stories can be emotionally heavy, so be ready for some tough, sometimes unresolved endings.
About:
The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family by Jesselyn Cook explores the harrowing impact of QAnon on several families in America. Cook carefully outlines the stories of five individuals, showcasing the unexpected ways in which they were drawn into conspiracy thinking. Each family’s experience highlights the vulnerabilities that can lead people to radical beliefs, often driven by loneliness, despair, or the quest for a sense of purpose and community.
Cook's writing style is engaging and compassionate, drawing readers into the emotional depths of each story. She avoids being overly judgmental, focusing instead on the personal journeys and the efforts of family members trying to help their loved ones escape the grip of QAnon. The narrative provides both insight and empathy, making it a thought-provoking read that seeks to illuminate the consequences of conspiracy theories on personal relationships.
Genres:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers and content warnings include discussion of mental health issues, manipulation, cult involvement, family strife, and societal division.
From The Publisher:
The "gripping" ( The Atlantic ) story of five families shattered by pernicious, pervasive conspiracy theories, and how we might set ourselves free from a crisis that could haunt American life for generations.
"Excellent . . . This is the intimate side of the cold civil war America has been stuck in for nearly a decade."-Michelle Goldberg, The New York Times
"SHED MY DNA": three excruciating words uttered by a QAnon-obsessed mother, once a highly respected lawyer, to her only son, once the closest person in her life. QAnon beliefs and adjacent conspiracy theories have had devastating political consequences as they've exploded in popularity. What's often overlooked is the lasting havoc they wreak on our society at its most basic and intimate level-the family.
In The Quiet Damage , celebrated reporter Jesselyn Cook paints a harrowing portrait of the vulnerabilities that have left so many of us susceptible to outrageous falsehoods promising order, purpose, and control. Braided throughout are the stories of five American families: an elderly couple whose fifty-year romance takes a heartbreaking turn; millennial sisters of color who grew up in dire poverty-one to become a BLM activist, the other, a hardcore conspiracy theorist pulling her little boy down the rabbit hole with her; a Bay Area hippie-type and her business-executive fiancé, who must decide whether to stay with her as she turns into a stranger before his eyes; evangelical parents whose simple life in a sleepy suburb spirals into delusion-fueled chaos; and a rural mother-son duo who, after carrying each other through unspeakable tragedy, stop speaking at all as ludicrous untruths shatter a bond long thought unbreakable.
Charting the arc of each believer's path from their first intersection with conspiracy theories to the depths of their cultish conviction, to-in some cases-their rejection of disinformation and the mending of fractured relationships, Cook offers a rare, intimate look into the psychology of how and why ordinary people come to believe the unbelievable. Profound, brilliantly researched, and beautifully written, The Quiet Damage lays bare how we have been taken hostage by grifters peddling lies built on false hope-and how we might release our loved ones, and ourselves, from their grasp.
Ratings (2)
Loved It (2) |
Reader Stats (9):
Read It (3) | |
Want To Read (4) | |
Not Interested (2) |
What can you read after
The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family?
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
