Claire Conner

“Prompted by the rise of the modern-day tea party, Conner writes of her experiences as the child of leaders in the radical right-wing John Birch Society. “My parents are back.” That was the author’s response to the rise of the …

“This passionate, personal history of the John Birch Society is timely and important.  At a moment when Tea Party activists have embraced many of the Birchers’ most outrageous notions, Claire Conner has performed a great service by reminding us of …

“Both of Claire Conner’s parents were deeply involved in the cult of far right politics: they knew that Eisenhower was a secret Communist and they idolized Francisco Franco. Wrapped in the Flag is at once the heartbreaking and intermittently hilarious …

“The John Birch Society had a huge impact on American politics. They were responsible for the lurch into insanity. The religious right, the Tea Party and the takeover of the Republican Party by extremists can’t be understood unless you understand …

“Experiencing this splendid volume is like reading a history book inside out: events you only knew about from afar are revealed anew, with the striking ground-level intimacy of a fine family memoir. I’ve been waiting for a book like this: …

From Publishers Weekly   “[A] combination of personal and political can be found in Claire Conner’s Wrapped in the Flag: A Personal History of America’s Radical Right. Based on records, documents, and firsthand knowledge (her father was the first Chicago member …