The best book I read this month was not a feel-good read. In fact, I found it profoundly disturbing. The Undertow by Jeff Sharlet is a collection of essays about the MAGA movement. It was, to say the least, an eye-opening read.

Published in 2023, The Undertow blends a cross-country roadtrip with political commentary. As Sharlet travels across the United States, he stops to attend Trump rallies and meet Trump supporters. He records these interactions in a series of essays that touch on the legacy of Ashli Babbitt and the January 6th insurrection, the worship of Donald Trump by his MAGA followers, and the depth of those followers’ devotion.

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, I found it all extremely disturbing. My main takeaway is that MAGA is a cult and Trump is its leader. I believed that before, and this book reinforced my conclusion. Trump’s followers follow him blindly. He can do no wrong. They believe he possesses secret knowledge and that he communicates with them in code. They believe he is divinely inspired. They believe—if I may quote the Blues Brothers—they “are on a mission from God.” They are truly divorced from reality.

Most frightening of all is their delight in and thirst for violence. More than once, Sharlet feared for his own safety in their presence. These are people who all seem eager for a fight, who yearn for bloodshed, who feel justified in using violence against those who disagree with them. They worship their guns as much as they worship Trump.

The whole book left me feeling very unsettled and very worried about what will happen in November’s election. But now, at least, I have a better idea of what we’re up against.