The MAGA Diaries

My Surreal Adventures Inside the Right-Wing (and How I Got Out)

By: Tina Nguyen

Narrated by: Tina Nguyen

Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

An explosive first-person account chronicling the rise of the MAGA movement from acclaimed political journalist Tina Nguyen, who began her career—and her education—on the ground levels of the conservative recruiting machine.

Her very first job was working for a little-known journalist named Tucker Carlson. She’s chugged Mountain Dews with the first Breitbart writers, poured over conspiracy theories from COVID-19 deniers, and visited the apocalyptic Patriot Church deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. The right is now a MAGA cult. And Tina Nguyen knows because she was raised by it, back when it wasn’t one.

In 2008, in the weeks leading up to the election of Barack Obama, Nguyen was a history-loving, politics-obsessed college student at Claremont McKenna College, drawn there by a boyfriend—and a research institute called the Salvatori Center for the Study of Individual Freedom. Swept up by pro-America rhetoric and promises of a career in journalism, Nguyen was drawn into the world of right-wing student activism, and the early days of the movement now known as MAGA. In The MAGA Diaries, she tells not only her story of loving and leaving the conservative movement (well before Trump), but the history of the right-wing, painting a shocking picture of how they recruit, train, and indoctrinate generations of young people in search of opportunity—think dinners with Peter Thiel, conventions that rival Coachella, and the ever-elusive promise of future job security—and shape them into the influential leaders and supporting cast of tomorrow’s Republican party. They are ruthless in building robust networks of power, even if it means demolishing entire civic institutions, from women’s rights to fair elections—and staging a coup when it doesn’t work out.

In The MAGA Diaries, Nguyen pulls back the curtain on the conservative machine for the first time, shining a light on the systematized on-ramp for young Republicans. These are the new leaders of the right, and it’s urgent we start paying attention.

©2024 Tina Nguyen (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Soooooooo Insightful!

I learned so much about the MAGA movement and its antecedents. I follow the author’s reporting in Puck. So good.

Not as interesting as it was hyped up to be

Mostly kind of boring… on and on about insignificant gatherings and events. Not nearly as interesting as I thought it would be from all the hype it got..

And her voice (like the skit with the back of the throat growing barista girl) is really annoying after time…

Get Enough, by Cassidy Hutchinson
Way better insider story

How the author expressed herself. I loved it! I'll have to re-listen because it was so interesting.

I wished we had more. please let us know how your life turns out. I hope you continue to grow. I still an too.

Loved this

I listened to the audio book here. I recommend you do the same. / This is the first audio book that I did as much binge-listening to. Finished it in a day, which is uncommon for me. / Plus, I actually felt challenged by passages in a way that I believe move me forward in a way I think I’ll be processing for at least a little while. I’m tempted to tell you which chapters made me think (13, but only after reading the context). / While very engaging, I hold back on the 5th star on the basis that a lot of people are locked into their personal ideology and won’t appreciate being challenged about that. I’ll enthusiastically tell my liberal friends about my experience listening to this book. But I’ll also feel obliged to tell them it’s the story of alternate versions of reality to what they’ll want to hear. And the epilogue could have been held for the prologue of a sequel. Which I look forward to. Shit is happening so fast, it’s problematic to try to catch up by adding a forced addendum.

Not sure what to think.

I suppose I was expecting to understand the "and how I got out" byline better by listening to this book.

While there was a wealth of information on the rights early grooming techniques and sources (which was fascinating), I'm not sure the " how I got out" is addressed. There are career path choices made for normal reasons like making a living, but I don't think the term " how I got out " was addressed. As someone desperately trying to understand family Magas (why I chose to purchase it) it wasn't very insightful.

While the attempt is appreciated and the information on the workings on the far right is also appreciated, I'm not any closer to understanding the Maga movement. How you get pulled in as well as how you can get out.

An Engaging Story from A Brave Young Journalist

First, let me start by addressing previous comments about not understanding the purpose of her detail in the cocktail parties, events etc. Typically, that’s a way to provide color and bring the reader into the moment so they can experience what the writer is going through. It’s unfortunate for those who failed to see the bigger reason I’m guessing she does this throughout the book. She likely takes you into the room to illustrate the interconnectivity of those responsible for this insane movement. She bridges the gaps often left by authors on the subject who report from the outside. Context is important. Pay attention. Google the names if you have to. She paints a really accurate on picture of just how deep and far back this goes. MAGA isn’t a result of Trump; it’s a symptom of an underlying illness/issue that’s always been here. As a former Republican who worked in the halls of state government and now identifies simply as pro-democracy, it clarified a lot of things that didn’t quite add up for me. That part about the Convention of States still has me shook. Excellent job, Tina. Your mother would be proud! 💕

insights from a different point of view

Tina Nguyen is one of the few writers/ pundits to have moved from the right to the center in her writing career. she admits that it may be the height of hubris to write a memoir in one's early 30s, but the inside she provides more than justify the exercise. A great review of the evolution of journalism, and celebrity over the past 10 years

Vindicating for anyone accused of being alarmist

Through Nguyen’s vivid narration, I can recall where I was during events in this memoir, right up to attending an event booked at the Gaylord Resort the very same weekend of The Heritage Foundation’s shindig. Despite labeling the Democratic Party as left-wing (a common error), I appreciate her breakdown of their sloppy ground game, and how the GOP’s carefully cultivated long-term plans came to fruition, and provided fertile ground for the MAGA movement. I won’t say more – dive right in!

A Unique Perspective and a Compelling Story

The author offers an angle into the conservative movement few others can offer, coming up as an insider in their academic sphere and then drifting away into mainstream journalism before Trump's entry onto the political landscape.
Tina's perspective becomes especially informative in the final chapters, where she draws connections between the academic conservatives she grew up with and more visible MAGA leaders. She clarifies events from the past decade and does it with style.

Excellent Insight Into The Personalities And Ecosystem Of The Right

From dating Chuck Johnson in prep school and college, to her white supremacist mentor John Elliott at IHS, to working for and wanting to be Tucker Carlson, Tina Nguyen writes about her journey through the right, her escape from the right-wing media ghetto and her career chronicling the American right with a depth of insight gained from knowing the people and institutions involved.

Another plus is she narrates her own story rather than relying on a professional reader. 5 stars.