White American Youth

April 15, 2018

Picciolini, a wayward teen born and raised in Illinois, is drawn by the authority and righteousness of a local skinhead gang, the Chicago Area Skinheads, and easily recruited by its leader. Through the medium of music, Picciolini is slowly indoctrinated into the extremist ideology and urged to protect the white race from extinction by whatever means necessary. Slowly rising through the ranks of the white power movement, he eventually becomes a national (and perhaps international) figure and recruiter; however, he is jarred into recognizing the effects of the movement (and of his own actions) by a tragic loss. Picciolini narrates his work, and listeners can truly hear his emotions as he relives his often heartbreaking story.VERDICT This is a difficult listen (owing to explicit descriptions of violence and hatred), but it's well worth it for those curious about the origins of hate.--Jeremy Bright, Georgia State Univ. Lib., Atlanta

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From his introduction to a white supremacist group to his ascendance and eventual rejection, Picciolini explores how he and many other white youth unquestioningly drink the lies and misrepresentations of white supremacist ideology as a means of making sense of their own lives, building kinship, and finding charismatic father figures. Picciolini's narration proves steady and largely enjoyable. Sometimes, though, he seems as if he's intentionally voicing those in the wrong to sound a bit more obnoxious in tone and delivery than might actually be the case. His voice sounds a bit congested, but his deliberate pace adds some sincerity and weight to his narration. The introduction, which is both written by and narrated by rocker Joan Jett, proves a strong endorsement of Picciolini's growth. L.E. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine