Going Dark The Secret Social Lives of Extremists by Julia Ebner

"Never before have extreme actors and movements been more internationally networked than today."

This might sound like an odd choice for a relaxing read and granted it was not at all relaxing. It was reviewed in The Guardian, and the premise sounded particularly interesting, so I grabbed a copy.

One can only posit at the intense balls ( for lack of a better word) of the author, whose dicing with death antics include posing as a would be convert to gain insight into the worlds of some rather scary extremists. I mean the word extremist would predictably imply that they were scary. Working at an anti-extremist think tank, Julia Ebner, poses as a would be nazi and a would be jihadi bride to gain a clearer perspective of what goes on behind the scenes of these groups and it makes for fascinating and at times frightening reading. The biggest revelation is that people are people. Even those filled with hatred still go on dates, enjoy the social norms of being part of a group and it is that sense of belonging which often persuades people to take ever darker turns as their perception of what is acceptable shifts.

4 out of 5 - research can be deadly.