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  • Them: Adventures with Extremists

  • By: Jon Ronson
  • Narrated by: Jon Ronson
  • Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (3,158 ratings)
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Them: Adventures with Extremists

By: Jon Ronson
Narrated by: Jon Ronson
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Summary

Them began as a book about different kinds of extremists, but after Jon had got to know some of them - Islamic fundamentalists, neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klansmen - he found that they had one oddly similar belief: that a tiny, shadowy elite rule the world from a secret room. In Them, Jon sets out, with the help of the extremists, to locate that room. The journey is as creepy as it is comic, and along the way Jon is chased by men in dark glasses, unmasked as a Jew in the middle of a Jihad training camp, and witnesses international CEOs and politicians participate in a bizarre pagan ritual in the forests of northern California.

Them is a fascinating and entertaining exploration of extremism, in which Jon learns some alarming things about the looking-glass world of ‘them’ and ‘us’. Are the extremists on to something? Or has Jon become one of Them?

©2012 Jon Ronson (P)2012 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

"A funny, superbly controlled account of [Ronson’s] wanderings through the wonderland of fanaticism and delusion." (Brian Appleyard, New Statesman)
"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)
"Ronson plays up to his charming buffoonery... But he is an acute social commentator. He is compelling." ( Times Literary Supplement)

What listeners say about Them: Adventures with Extremists

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great but left me wanting more

Usual Jon Ronson style. Very entertaining and covered a range of people and events I wasn’t aware of. I would have liked some more background and detail on each of the people involved but the book in itself was very enjoyable and thought provoking

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Fascinating & hilarious

Would you consider the audio edition of Them: Adventures with Extremists to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version of this book but the audiobook completely gripped me from the get go! I had heard Ronson recant some of his stories on a podcast; so obviously I had to find out more and boy was i not disappointed!!! This audiobook is not only hilarious but completely addictive! Ronson writes about his encounters with various Islamic, right-wing, and left-wing extremists and others. There are moments of peril but mostly his meetings are so ridiculous and laugh out loud funny that I sometimes had to double check he wasn't making this up! I honestly recommend this audiobook! Ronson also performs very well on the audiobook.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wallace meets the bad guys

I'm not sure if this is a comic novel or a serious undercover investigation into the Bilderberg Group and random "terrorists".

Jons' narration is funny and irritating in equal measure, I find it very difficult to take him seriously because of his delivery. But it is hilarious to hear "I'm going to give you 60 lashes" in the voice of Wallace from The Wrong Trousers.

It does end rather abruptly

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Journalism at its finest. Brilliant.

This book is based on years of contact with people branded as extremists (some deserving the title, others not as much), and direct research of the claim they have in common: that a group of elitists/NWO/Jews/illuminati/satanists/lizards/etc meet in secret and rule from the shadows.
Jon has a sane, candid, funny attitude and a great narration style. His journey is thrilling, scary, and surprisingly informative. Must read.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good, but not as good as Lost at Sea

Very enjoyable, some great stories told with wit and intelligence, but having started with Lost at Sea and the Butterfly Affect, this is not as strong. Wish I would have started with this first and built up to the mentioned. True fans won’t be disappointed.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Jon Ronson is so engaging

a peek into the real world can be much more interesting than any fiction, if you know where to look. Jon Ronson is so good at this, and he's a great storyteller and reader.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic insight on critical thought

This book has a very interesting and at times hilarious story but also does a great job showing how peoples beliefs are easily mislead by lack of critical thought and holds the mirror right back up to us. So many things we believe, we take on faith and do less research than a conspiracy theorist, knowledge requiring expertise is mostly, by the public taken on faith rather than critical analysis as we lack the expertise. This book points that out via Jon's own self reflection but it also shows the pitfalls of having no faith in the institutions we trust. It is shown quite clearly through Jon's time with them, that we just as easily gobble up sensationalis garbage about these groups the same way they do. This story is an excellent showcase of how we so easily give in to confirmation bias, conspiracy theorist or not.

I found myself saddened that people opt to ridicule THEM and feel intellectually superior instead of reaching out to understand as Jon has. If more people did that, there would be a lot less conspiracy theorists and extremists in the world. A prime example being David Ike. before this book I thought he was just some crazy nutter who believed giant lizard people ruled the world, and while he does hold those very strange beliefs, how he came to them is rather tragic, essentially finding solace in that belief as a way of dealing with being publicly bullied and humiliated for a clear moment of mental illness on television.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Fascinating

I could listen to Jon Robson all day, and believe him. He highlights the futility of most human activity.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Ronson at his zenith

Ronson doing what he does best. Well written, amazing characters, funny and a really good read.

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Well with a read

Quality Ronson as always. Witty, intriguing, and a pleasure to listen to. It adds to the experience with the man himself reading it.

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