Year of the Rat

An ‘important and courageous’ (James O’Brien) undercover investigation into the British far right

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Year of the Rat

By: Harry Shukman

Narrated by: Harry Shukman

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Summary

**WINNER OF THE SUNDAY TIMES YOUNG WRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD**

The British far right is working to dismantle our democracy. This shocking, eye-opening undercover journey reveals who they are, how they operate and how they are normalising extreme ideologies including eugenics.

In summer 2024, riots swept England in the biggest wave of far-right violence in the post-war period. But far-right activity takes many other forms as well, all of them dangerous.

Journalist Harry Shukman knows the dangers all too well: he’d gone undercover to infiltrate these groups. For over a year, he carefully attached his hidden lapel camera and pretended to be an extremist named Chris.

We follow Shukman as he hangs out in the pub with a secretive community network, canvasses with political party Britain First and attends a neo-Nazi conference. We meet a circle of Holocaust deniers, a race science organisation with a major Silicon Valley investor and right-wing think tanks supported by Conservative policymakers. What we witness is hard to believe, or stomach.

Year of the Rat is a gripping and urgent exposé – nail-bitingly tense, darkly absurd and utterly chilling. Risking his safety and sanity, Shukman has removed the far right’s terrifyingly everyday mask. Now, we must ensure it stays off.

‘Important and courageous’ James O’Brien

‘Compelling…[Shukman] is to be commended for his efforts, which must have taken courage and determination’ Observer

‘A horribly compelling account…What he exposes is both petrifying and sometimes surprising, and is related with admirable compassion, humanity and even humour’ The Bookseller

Harry ShukmanHarry ShukmanVintage DigitalHistoryLength: 9 hrs and 10 minsRelease date: 08-05-25Unabridged AudiobookLanguage: English

Anthropology

Europe

Great Britain

Politics & Government

Racism & Discrimination

Social Sciences

Scary

Inspiring

Thought-Provoking

Anthropology Europe Great Britain Politics & Government Racism & Discrimination Social Sciences Scary Inspiring Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

‘Important and courageous’

[A] courageous and diligent book… a close and gripping inspection of the character of the far right and threat it poses… Shukman’s reporting is bold and assiduous, and provides rare documentary insight

Boldly and bravely, Shukman achieves something only the best novels manage. He sits with far-right activists long enough to understand them, and in doing so, makes the movement far more frightening and far more human than any polemic ever could (Lea Ypi)

Brave and humane, Harry Shukman delivers a nuanced and insightful portrait of a world many of us would prefer not to see (Graham Norton)

Year of the Rat reads like the perfect thriller. Nail bitingly tense, darkly funny, unexpectedly compassionate and urgently important. I was caught up with it from the first page (Esther Freud)

The rise of the far-right is one of biggest and most challenging stories around, and Harry tells it with clarity, compassion and humour. There are episodes in the book that could be set pieces in a fine novel, they really stay with you. And I found his personal bravery humbling and inspiring (Sathnam Sanghera)

Year of the Rat is that rare thing: investigative journalism with the nerve of a thriller and the wit of a great piece of reportage… Courageous, sharply observed and very timely (Johanna Thomas-Corr)

'Anyone who wants to understand British politics has to read this book.'

[An] excellent investigation into the underworld of the British far right… There is…an immense value in the intimacy of Shukman’s account

‘This undercover expose of far right extremism in the UK is truly gripping. Unputdownable.’

Most relevant

I have lived abroad and was accepted as a local. We are all happy to go on holiday to far destinations and most do not learn basic local languages to help or try to be polite. Why do we all do that? We are not special, we are not on a higher level. We certainly are not born to hate.

Be polite, that is what British were famous for. It’s free, one of many things we can use without needing to buy or pay to use.

Everyone has a reason to be where they are, extend a hand to help.

Great book.