cover image Nazis, Communists, Klansmen, and Others on the Fringe: Political Extremism in America

Nazis, Communists, Klansmen, and Others on the Fringe: Political Extremism in America

John George, Laird M. Wilcox. Prometheus Books, $34.95 (523pp) ISBN 978-0-87975-680-2

In four essays followed by short but detailed profiles of more than 35 extremist groups on the left and right, the authors survey the history of extremism in America. Extremism, they argue in bland but clear prose, is less a matter of ideology than an ideological style consisting of such traits as the advocacy of double standards and a Manichaean world view. They survey the motivations of extremists before launching into their profiles, which should prove a useful resource for scholars and students. However, a few of the entries, such as the one on the Communist Party USA, are outdated, and the authors should have better delineated which groups continue to be active, since some of those listed are not. An intriguing appendix catalogues fabricated documents and fake quotes; several are attributed to Lenin. George ( They Never Said It ) is professor of political science at the University of Central Oklahoma; Wilcox assembled a collection of extremist literature now housed at the University of Kansas. (Dec.)