Them: Adventures with Extremists

By: Jon Ronson

Narrated by: Jon Ronson

Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

Them began as a book about different kinds of extremists, but after Jon had got to know some of them - Islamic fundamentalists, neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klansmen - he found that they had one oddly similar belief: that a tiny, shadowy elite rule the world from a secret room. In Them, Jon sets out, with the help of the extremists, to locate that room. The journey is as creepy as it is comic, and along the way Jon is chased by men in dark glasses, unmasked as a Jew in the middle of a Jihad training camp, and witnesses international CEOs and politicians participate in a bizarre pagan ritual in the forests of northern California.

Them is a fascinating and entertaining exploration of extremism, in which Jon learns some alarming things about the looking-glass world of ‘them’ and ‘us’. Are the extremists on to something? Or has Jon become one of Them?

©2012 Jon Ronson (P)2012 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

"A funny, superbly controlled account of [Ronson’s] wanderings through the wonderland of fanaticism and delusion." (Brian Appleyard, New Statesman)

"This book is chilling and hilarious by turns. Ronson’s trademark laid-back attitude is a delight." ( Independent)

"A funny and compulsively readable picaresque adventure through a paranoid shadow world." (Louis Theroux, Guardian)

"Ronson plays up to his charming buffoonery... But he is an acute social commentator. He is compelling." ( Times Literary Supplement)

The Lunatic Fringe

Around 20 years ago, gonzo journalist Jon Ronson embedded himself with a series of figures on the lunatic fringes of politics and society, including a young radio host specializing in extreme conspiracy theories by the name of Alex Jones. Ronson went in with Jones to expose Bohemian Grove, a forest retreat for the world's rich and powerful, where supposedly pagan rituals took place as the participants planned their means of world domination.

Cut to today, where Jones has become mainstreamed, helped elect a president, and came full circle by getting himself banned from social media platforms for his continued espousal of lunatic and fringe ideas, most notoriously saying that the Sandy Hook massacre was staged by actors. Fortunately, other figures Ronson wrote about in 2001 got nowhere near that far, like the self-proclaimed son of god claiming that the world was run by giant shape-shifting alien lizards.

What makes these stories work so well is the way Ronson inserts himself into the world of people who should be wary of him. He has a way of portraying himself as naive, and he has a way of seeming sympathetic enough to be trusted, even though some of the people he embeds with should hate him for being Jewish, like the would-be pre-September 11 jihadist, a klan leader, and the aforementioned lizard guy, the belief being that when he says lizards he really means, you guessed it.

Add to that Ronson's own narration of his work, which perfectly conveys the tone that wins the trust of his subjects. He is always engaging, often hilarious. His books really are a treat, even if some of it is, beneath the humorous tone, quite scary.

The right book for the right time

Someone recommended this book to me in late 2019. I’m only upset that I didn’t hear it sooner! Jon Ronson shares a variety of perspectives with empathy and low-key humor. I can’t say I ever laughed out loud, but I was constantly amused at his point of view and interested to hear what happened next. In a time of extreme views, echo chambers and Covid, this book helped me remember that we didn’t start the fire and things aren’t always as they seem. Enjoy!

The Them review

Any additional comments?

For those of you who are uninitiated with Jon Ronson I would advise you not to start with this book as it was written before 9/11 and considering the subject matter is rather dated now. I am a huge Jon Ronson fan and strongly recommend that you check out his books, but maybe start with Lost at Sea or The Psychopath Test.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I especially liked the interviews with Rachael and Randy Weaver of Ruby Ridge fame. I’ve read some books on the Ruby Ridge catastrophe in the past and consider it one of the most outlandish acts of government tyranny in American history. So, to hear from the people involved in that event was edifying.

Ronson’s attempted infiltration of a secret Builderburg meeting in Portugal was exciting and scary, yet somehow comical in a way that only Jon Ronson can pull off. That’s what I love about him. He gets himself in some of the most intense and harrowing situations and relates them in a humorous and almost deadpan way. It’s hard to explain. You just have to listen to his books to understand.

The best part of this book was the last chapter. I don’t like giving spoilers. So, I’ll just say that what he and his strange companions discover wasn’t what was expected. Their different reactions upon witnessing the exact same thing is really in essence what the whole book is about. It’s probably the best ending to any of Ronson’s books.

Great Listen.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Ronson's writing itself is worth the credit. His understated sense of humor and self-deprecating tone are refreshing without being too cute. I would probably listen to a book about wallpaper if he'd written it so the fact that this book deals with outlandish people and tension-filled situations makes the listen all the more enjoyable.

What does Jon Ronson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I prefer audio books read by their authors, particularly when the authors have a deadpan delivery and are not over-polished readers. I think others have mentioned this: there is some similarity between Ronson and Bryson in terms of tone, both in speaking and in prose. Bryson fans might appreciate this work and other Ronson-read Ronson books.He inserts a lot of information and opinion between the lines; His narration makes it is easier to pick up on these subtleties.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

Not so much a tidbit -- more like a life lesson ... Equanimity is the best defense against madness. Ronson's relative evenness and disinclination to be drawn into defensive rhetoric or shouting matches, throw the madness of some of his subjects into greater relief than could ever be achieved through righteous anger or spirited criticism. It is interesting to me that his brand of faux naivete, his almost willful refusal to condemn anyone or anything wholesale, allows him to gain so much access to the inner workings of some extremely strange and some extremely dangerous minds.

A Levelheaded Approach to Uniquely Human Condition

Listening to Jon Ronson's account of his time with extremists was both amusing and educative. It showed how often the monsters and bogeymen of the current political climate are often far more banal than we are lead to believe. The book also highlights the way in which lack of good communication and lack of acknowledgement of our shared humanity carries people out to the fringes of thought as well as behavior.

Fascinating us or them?

I thought this might be dated, but it isn't. It's relevant disturbing and at times very funny. Jon's reading is brilliant as always. As with so much of John writes, you can't help but asking yourself questions when reading. We thing we know the extremists, the "them" but maybe we are the "them".

Silly, but Serious

Any additional comments?

I've been a huge fan of Louis Theroux for many years, and to me Jon Ronson's book strikes the same tone as one of Louis' shows.

By building a rapport with people who have very extreme beliefs and opinions, they are humanized. One can even empathize to a degree. This is a much more productive policy than simply demonizing or disregarding them.

In most extremists there is a grain of something real that should be considered and built in to our own thinking. However, that is not to overlook the fact that many of these people are essentially delusional and even dangerous.

That is the most important aspect of Jon's book and Louis' shows - whilst opening our minds to empathize and relate, they also illuminate where the reasonable become unreasonable and the understandable become outrageous. And best of all this demarkation is often hilarious and self-evident when exposed by a reasonable person repeating the ludicrous words back to the ludicrous people who just spoke them.

It is genius and a service to the world in my opinion.

I am sure that Jon's book would have lost much of the humor and nuance had it been read by another narrator, so well done Jon.

Interesting

I found this book a fun way to look at the things from the other perspective. I still believe most of these people are crazy but it was interesting to see some of their suspected ideas were true.

Always excellent

I've never been disappointed by the content of a Jon Ronson book and he's also very pleasing to listen to. I read this book several years ago and it is still relevant, interesting, informative, and darkly funny on occasion.

Insight into the not-quite-so-crazy extreme

After "Shamed" I had to hear more Ronson, and this was another fascinating set of stories. This time he goes semi undercover into the heart of Islamic jihadist organization, the spectrum of white supremacist groups, am elite world of Jewish movie moguls, he shadows a mysterious wealthy eccentric, and visits what appears to be a secret drunken summer camp for would--be and world leaders. He's personable and only semi under cover -- most of the time he reveals himself as a journalist. Extremists of all stripes seem generally to like him, which makes these encounters more intimate and revealing.

Ronson's perspective on all this is measured, balancing nuances pro and con all the way. He puts himself in the most uncomfortable places protected by nerves of steel and a good heart. And he can tell a good story.

I gave it 4 because I found fewer parallels and connections between the stories, as I did moreso with "Shamed." It was an enlightening listen, and entertaining, with food for thought. I'm looking forward to hearing more from Jon Ronson; he has a unique gift.