Definitely one of the top five books of the twentieth century on the subject of legal entrapment. Easy to read, horrifying. I'd be interested in seeing the traces of the Aryan Nations that Walter claims was decimated in the late 90s connected to the neonazi mass culture that we're now currently consuming. ( )

Excellent coverage from a reporter who was in the thick of the story during the Ruby Ridge standoff. Jess Walter is a very good writer with credible chops when it comes to telling a story and organizing a lot of complex information into a story we can follow. He does his best to remain neutral in his reporting... investigating the local cops, the FBI response, and the Weaver family history and dynamics to make this a very honest portrait of a moment in American history that remains pertinent and prescient. ( )

This is a terrific accounting, balanced and very thorough, of the Weaver family and the disastrous standoff at Ruby Ridge that resulted in the deaths of three people (four, if you count the restaurateur who had a total nervous breakdown when he saw what the American government was willing to do to its citizens).

There's plenty of trauma to go around in this story, but the last few pages of this book are (unintentionally) completely goddamn horrifying. It feels like the whole messy edifice came down at once - Kevin Harris got his settlement, the Aryan Nations compound was destroyed, the Ninth Circuit Court finally ruled that it was possible to indict a federal agent for murder, Timothy McVeigh was executed. The Radical Right was in retreat, and the seemingly-invincible federal law enforcement agencies were being held (somewhat) accountable. In June of 2001. The gulf between that time and this one is almost unfathomable. ( )

This was actually Jess' first book, a work of non-fiction. It was about the Weaver family who had very strong religious and anti-government beliefs. They moved to a cabin in the middle of the woods of Idaho. Their extreme views and actions led to a stand-off between the family and the FBI. Mrs. Weaver and her son were killed during the fight. This book describes the tragedy and details what happened in that cabin on Ruby Ridge. It was tragic and enthralling. ( )

Fanaticism, in all of its forms and origins, makes for fascinating reading. Walter tells the story of Randy and Vicki Weaver, two ordinary Americans, who drop out of society to live off the grid with their children on a rugged Idaho mountaintop. The two are driven to the path by an unusual, fanatical faith, largely of their own making, which combined aspects of Orthodox Judaism, Aryan Christian Identity movement, and fundamental Christian theology. As the family distances themselves more and more from the mainstream, they are drawn to radical and violent groups popular in the area at the time. In the course of associating with members of these groups, Randy makes himself a target of an ATF weapons investigation. After being arrested, Randy is released from jail and he then refuses to appear for his court date. When the US Marshall service tries to bring him in, they realize that he is not going to come off the mountain. By the time the story ends, dozens of lives are ruined and lost.

Walter has a knack for getting inside the heads of the members of this unusual family. He is able to evoke empathy and understanding for people who are truly on the margin. Walter also pinpoints how poor communication and a lack of common sence turn a simple fugitive investigation into a very public and very tragic ordeal. There is blame a plenty for all involved, including the law enforcement agencies involved. The book, however, is fair, not laying the blame solely at any one participant's doorstep, though a writer could easily have done so.

The book is well written and a good read. It doesn't get a better rating because it didn't grab my attention. It was a good read but not great. Certainly an interesting recommendation for anyone interested in true crime, law enforcement, or fanaticism.

3 1/2 bones

Largely based on Walter's uncanny ability to get inside the Weaver family and make them more than fringe fanatics. ( )