Strange People on the Hill: How Extremism Tore Apart a Small American Town

The general take

Molly Conger is promoting her book Strange People on the Hill on Behind the Bastards, encouraging listeners to pre-order it ahead of the April 7th, 2026 release and support local bookstores and libraries. The quote provided is promotional material rather than a substantive take on the book's content or quality.

About

A gripping story that reveals what happened to a small American town when an influential white nationalist group relocated its headquarters there, illustrating how radical changes in American politics impact our psyches and divide our communities. “A timely and engagingly written account by an expert on extremism and hate groups.” ―Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of Strongmen When the white nationalist group VDARE used dark money to purchase a historic castle overlooking Berkeley Springs in West Virginia, America’s “cold civil war” spilled into this scenic tourist town. From behind the imposing stone walls of their castle, VDARE’s Peter and Lydia Brimelow spread propaganda focused on the “great replacement” conspiracy theory, sowing discord in the once peaceful town below. In an attempt to restore civility, a group of neighbors banded together to oppose VDARE’s presence in Berkeley Springs.

Who said what

• MC

  Molly Conger👍 Recommends

  …interview with Michael Edison Hayden about his new book on Peter Brimlow and Berkeley Springs

  “But today we're talking about his new book, Strange People on the Hill, How Extremism Tore Apart a Small American Town. It comes out April 7th, 2026, but you can go ahead and pre-order it now anywhere you buy books, and make sure you ask for it at your local library and your local independent bookstore.”

  Behind the Bastards — It Could Happen Here Weekly 226at 55:00

Bought Strange People on the Hill: How Extremism Tore Apart a Small American Town after hearing about it? Tell everyone how it went.

Discussion