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Them: Adventures with Extremists
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Journalist and broadcaster Jon Ronson's first book Them: Adventures With Extremists is a mostly hilarious, occasionally chastening romp through the shadowy world of paranoid conspiracists. It proves a neat conceit. Ronson, a consummate faux-naïf, inevitably treads similar ground to Louis Theroux, though perhaps with a lighter, more disingenuous patter, which sustains him in encounters that veer from the extraordinary to the mundane at dizzying pace, and blur the space between. He meets Omar, the infuriatingly likeable Islamic fundamentalist organising a jihad from a North London semi, despite a more real struggle with the reprographic world, and PR-conscious Klu Klux Klan leader, Thom Robb, who unaccountably has Jewish mannerisms. Others who allow Ronson to share a window in the life, and possibly into their soul, include David Icke, still believing that the world's ruling elite are descended from reptiles (no, really), Dr Ian Paisley, and Tony Kaye, a Hollywood director, determined to sabotage his own movie, American History X, rather than see it publicly released without his approval. These are easy pickings, but Ronson picks them with unobtrusive and gentle irony.
His main mission, though, is to track down the Bilderberg Group, who reputedly comprise the world's leading figures, and who, it is believed by the likes of Slobodan Milosevic, Saddam Hussein and "Soho Bomber" David Copeland, want to enforce global capitalism. As if. However, the alleged sighting of Peter Mandelson, attending a Bilderberg gathering, surely portends more for the British reader. Ronson's escapades--"I am a humorous journalist out of my depth", he informs the British Embassy in Portugal when his car is tailed--uncovers more truth than one would expect, though none greater than the depressing but crushingly realistic notion that even the most powerful public figures are, at play, little more than preppies or undergraduates, who enjoy worshipping owl effigies, wearing false breasts and urinating in public. Luckily, Ronson tires of the corkscrewing paranoia and subterfuge before the reader, leaving a rich impression of a world affirmingly varied and absurd, if endearingly familiar. But, having attended a Bilderberg meeting, perhaps he would, wouldn't he?--David Vincent --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
‘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
‘A funny and compulsively readable picaresque adventure through a paranoid shadow world’ Louis Theroux, Guardian
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read Jon Ronson's book in an abridged Swedish edition. I expected the book to be comic relief, and it's certainly marketed that way. Instead, I found the book to be disturbing, tragic and (at best) tragicomic. Sometimes, it made me sympathize with the extremists!
The Muslim fundamentalist Omar Bakri may have been a clown, but his antics are less entertaining today, after the London metro bombings (something Ronson also acknowledges in a foreword to the Swedish edition). The attacks on David Icke in Canada raise the question who is more insane: Icke or the people harassing him? As for Randy and Vicki Weaver, they were obviously the victims of a set up, to put it mildly. The paranoid crypto-Nazis who chase the Bilderbergers are disturbing, but so are the Bilderbergers themselves. One of the Bilderbergers, Dennis Healy, doesn't understand what on earth the fuzz is all about when interviewed by Ronson: "Sure we have secret meetings. So what? That's how it works. That's how thing are done".
So that makes it alright, then?
The high point of "Them" is Ronson's successful infiltration of the Bohemian Grove, where he manages to watch the secret ritual and mock sacrifice to the owl god. The "ritual" turns out to be a ridiculous, pseudo-Masonic college fraternity stunt. The thing looks more pathetic than menacing. Indeed, somebody suggests to Ronson that the Bilderbergers might actually *like* all the conspiracy theories about them. It boosts their egos. Today, nobody controls anything anymore.
Perhaps the full-length original version of "Them" is more entertaining. Or perhaps the Swedish translation is to blame?
I don't know, but I walked away from this book more convinced than before that the extremism of the conspiracy theorists is fuelled by the insanity of the real world...
The Muslim fundamentalist Omar Bakri may have been a clown, but his antics are less entertaining today, after the London metro bombings (something Ronson also acknowledges in a foreword to the Swedish edition). The attacks on David Icke in Canada raise the question who is more insane: Icke or the people harassing him? As for Randy and Vicki Weaver, they were obviously the victims of a set up, to put it mildly. The paranoid crypto-Nazis who chase the Bilderbergers are disturbing, but so are the Bilderbergers themselves. One of the Bilderbergers, Dennis Healy, doesn't understand what on earth the fuzz is all about when interviewed by Ronson: "Sure we have secret meetings. So what? That's how it works. That's how thing are done".
So that makes it alright, then?
The high point of "Them" is Ronson's successful infiltration of the Bohemian Grove, where he manages to watch the secret ritual and mock sacrifice to the owl god. The "ritual" turns out to be a ridiculous, pseudo-Masonic college fraternity stunt. The thing looks more pathetic than menacing. Indeed, somebody suggests to Ronson that the Bilderbergers might actually *like* all the conspiracy theories about them. It boosts their egos. Today, nobody controls anything anymore.
Perhaps the full-length original version of "Them" is more entertaining. Or perhaps the Swedish translation is to blame?
I don't know, but I walked away from this book more convinced than before that the extremism of the conspiracy theorists is fuelled by the insanity of the real world...
41 of 47 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
I have been a little hesitant in reviewing the Kindle version of 'Them' as Amazon will, frustratingly, include this review with all versions of the item. I also own the 2002 paperback edition, and found it replicated none of the errors I cross-referenced from the Kindle version. The book itself was a really enjoyable read, mixing investigative journalism with a great deal of humour.
The Kindle version, however, is rather disappointing. I noticed a large number of typing and formatting errors, particularly words pushed together without spaces between them. An accent symbol on a person's name, repeated many times in chapter 11, is presented as (what appears to be) an image rather than actual text. This causes lines containing this name to have huge gaps above and below. Frustratingly, this Amazon review will also not correctly display the accented character! However, I typed the word - with the accent - into a personal document, which I have subsequently viewed as plain text on my Kindle without any problems. It is definitely a character recognised by the Kindle so I have no idea why the publisher has chosen to present the work in this way.
I would not want to imply that the errors in the Kindle edition render it entirely unreadable. However, it does not do justice to Ronson's writing, and I would advise against rewarding the publisher for such a lazy and sloppy conversion into the digital format.
The Kindle version, however, is rather disappointing. I noticed a large number of typing and formatting errors, particularly words pushed together without spaces between them. An accent symbol on a person's name, repeated many times in chapter 11, is presented as (what appears to be) an image rather than actual text. This causes lines containing this name to have huge gaps above and below. Frustratingly, this Amazon review will also not correctly display the accented character! However, I typed the word - with the accent - into a personal document, which I have subsequently viewed as plain text on my Kindle without any problems. It is definitely a character recognised by the Kindle so I have no idea why the publisher has chosen to present the work in this way.
I would not want to imply that the errors in the Kindle edition render it entirely unreadable. However, it does not do justice to Ronson's writing, and I would advise against rewarding the publisher for such a lazy and sloppy conversion into the digital format.
25 of 29 people found the following review helpful
By David Cross
Format:Paperback
I remember Jon Ronson from when he used to write the back pages essays in "Time Out" many years ago. If this book is anythnig to go by, he's come a long way since.
It starts as more "humourous journalism" when Jon decides to spend time looking at various political and religious extremists. Strangely many of the people Jon meets - from completely different backgrounds and nationalities - tell a very similar story about a secret group of powerful men who control the world.
Jon decides to track down this group (known as the Bilderberg group). Amazingly he finds them. He even gets to speak to them. And attends one of their secret countryside retreats.
They may not turn out to be 12 foot lizards or a secret Jewish conspiracy, but they _do_ exist. And they _are_ important. Even people who hate conspiracy theories have been convinced by this book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Who are they and what are they up to (part2)
Ronson circulates among a rag-bag collection of misfits, non-starters and the messianic. With his nebbishness kept under wraps, Ronson brings the sharp eye of an investigative... Read more
Published 11 days ago by spellbinder
5.0 out of 5 stars
Scary but inspirational
Really loved this book. Just like Jon Ronson himself, it was witty, smart and very human.
Having watched Jon's documentaries on Channel 4 (Secret Rulers Of The World... Read more
Having watched Jon's documentaries on Channel 4 (Secret Rulers Of The World... Read more
Published 16 days ago by ABC Tyler
4.0 out of 5 stars
enjoyable reading about scary, but somehow ordinary, people
This book is about people who hold views which most of us would consider to be extreme, to say the least. Read more
Published 26 days ago by markr
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Read
I liked this book and found it an easy engaging read. It is not a serious study by any means but perhaps a gentle thought provoking introduction to the subject. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Carol Mapley
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating and compulsive reading
'Them' is compulsive and engaging reading for several reasons: Jon Ronson has chosen a cast of fascinating and deeply conflicted people to study, and each chapter extensively airs... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Benminx
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant!...
The world is a mad place.... This book more than proves that it's people that are the most bizarre!
I loved it.....
I loved it.....
Published 2 months ago by MattTheBeever
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very readable: equal parts funny and sinister
I read this book very quickly. It deals with some sinister subject matter (such as the murders of members of a family in Idaho by the US government) and some subject matter that... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Culture Vulture
4.0 out of 5 stars
The extraordinary humorously grounded in reality
Jon Ronson's journey into the shadowy world of extremism has to be read to be believed. Through meetings with a British Muslim, gun fanatics, David Icke, the Grand Wizard of the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by N. Addy
3.0 out of 5 stars
Them
Great read. Ronson does it again. Can't wait for next investigation he does. Each book I read is better than the last.
Published 4 months ago by Gibert Mckissock
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dispells well known paranoid myths
This is a great book, its really engaging and each encounter Jon makes is a fascinating window into the fanatical and super powerful arenas. Read more
Published 4 months ago by D. B. KLEIN
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