To Catch a Fascist

A searing, provocative investigation into the rise of white nationalist and neo-Nazi movements in the United States, centered on the anti-fascist groups working to expose and stop these hateful factions.

Demonized as “extremist” by conservatives and liberals alike, “antifa” became a bogeyman during Donald Trump’s first term. But few Americans understood the dangerous work antifa was doing to disrupt and unmask a new generation of white supremacists or listened when antifa sounded the alarm about these white supremacists taking positions of power. Now this underground network of militant anti-fascists is determined to stop the rising tide of fascism in America. No matter the cost.

In the tradition of in-the-room investigative classics such as The Smartest Guys in the Room and Bad Blood, To Catch a Fascist follows different factions of antifascists as they work to unmask hateful extremists before they commit devastating acts of violence. With searing detail and exclusive reporting, To Catch a Fascist paints a vivid picture of the stakes in this ongoing, often unseen war between opposite ends of the political spectrum, highlighting the scrappy resourcefulness and resilience of anti-fascist movements against their increasingly violent adversaries. Utilizing razor-sharp storytelling and eye-opening insight, this timely and necessary book reveals the human cost, moral dilemmas, and unwavering determination involved in fighting white supremacy.

Both a call to action and a pulse-raising look at the powerful work being done to combat today’s gravest threat to democracy, To Catch a Fascist will inspire you to fight for your community.

About the Author :
Christopher Mathias is a journalist covering the far right. Previously a senior reporter at HuffPost, he’s done work for MSNBC, Zeteo, and WNYC. His reporting chronicled the rapid radicalization of the GOP, and has helped unmask white supremacist cops, soldiers, teachers, and politicians. Mathias was a Deadline Awards finalist for feature writing. He lives in New York and goes by @LetsGoMathias on BlueSky and X.

Review :
“Detailed and disturbing . . . A timely and troubling account of anti-fascist goals and methods.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Christopher Mathias has written an investigation of an underground political world that reads like a spy thriller—exposing the ups and downs of antifascist activists infiltrating and undermining fascist groups, as a far-right tide grows across America. No one knows this subterranean war better than Mathias, who has gained unprecedented access to this rarely seen community and their neo-Nazi foes. To Catch a Fascist is both a gripping read and one that's more urgent than ever.”
—Will Sommer, author of Trust the Plan: The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Unhinged America
 
“A thoughtful, urgent and tightly researched exploration of antifascism in America beyond scaremongering headlines—one that reflects the principles and investigative skills of one of the best reporters on the far-right beat in the US. A riveting must-read from one of our most important writers that could not be more timely.” 
—Talia Lavin, author of Wild Faith
 
“A gripping, clear-eyed account of the courageous Americans who took it upon themselves to infiltrate, document, expose, and hold to account extreme right-wing radicals bent on taking the United States back to the Nineteenth Century. There is no both-siding here, no equivocating, no compromise with authoritarian politicians and their Neo-Fascist foot soldiers like so many of this country’s ‘august’ media, academic, and private institutions. These Americans do not forgive, and they do not forget.” 
—Ali Winston, co-author of The Riders Come Out at Night
 
“It's never been more important to understand what it means to be anti-fascist. Mathias' book is an illuminating look at a largely untold history, deftly written with a journalist's immediacy and moral clarity.” 
—Marisa Kabas, independent journalist at The Handbasket