“Anyone who thinks the John Birch Society died decades ago needs to read Wrapped in the Flag. Author Claire Conner knows they’re back and the Tea Party that’s controlling the Republicans is carrying the banner. Because she grew up in a family at the center of the John Birch Society from its beginning, she sees clearly what most political pundits miss. As she tells her compelling story, she captures the readers from her first line to the last one.” ~ Ted Coulson, Ph.D., WOW! How Did They Think of That: The Principles of Creativity, President, Applied Creativity, Inc., Seminole, FL
“Growing up in the radical right, Claire Conner shows us how easily certain politicians can turn cruelty into policy. Wrapped in the Flag is a wake-up call for all people who seek social justice.” ~ Chengiah Rogers Ragaven, Apartheid Studies: Memories of a Political Prisoner, former member, African National Congress
“Wrapped in the Flag gives readers a bird’s-eye view of the damage done to a young girl living in the grip of John Birch Society extremism. Claire’s intimate personal history offers valuable lessons for all Americans today, lessons about the dangers of fanaticism and its threats in our own time.”~ Karen Casey, Dallas Public Schools, Retired, Dallas, TX
“Wrapped in the Flag makes it perfectly clear that the John Birch Society still has its ripping claws in us all.”~ Betsy Draper, National Education Consultant, BLD Management and Training, Dunedin, FL
“Not since I read Eric Hoffer’s The True Believer in the early 60s has a book changed how I viewed the political scene as much as Claire Conner’s Wrapped in the Flag. Her poignant story of growing from childhood to womanhood in a family ensnarled in the fanatical beliefs of the John Birch Society shine a clarifying light on the Republican Party’s lurch to the right and the rise of the Tea Party.” ~ Alison Strickland, Teacher, writer and editor, Co-author of Harvesting Your Journals, Seminole, FL
“Wrapped in the Flag should have been published yesterday. Claire Conner’s personal journey through the paranoia, repression, and small-mindedness of The John Birch Society is a much need primer on the techniques and conspiracy theories dominating the cable networks and right-wing zealots of today. What she experienced growing up in a family that adhered to the teachings of Robert Welch and revered the memory of Joe McCarthy will alarm anyone concerned about the tactics and impact of today’s Tea Party movement. As Claire lays out step-by-step, there is a shadowy line running directly from this movement in the 50s and 60s to the one rattling our country today. This is a well told and gripping story no one can afford not to know, and we need to know it before it’s too late.” ~ Judy Huge, Wellfleet, MA
“Claire tells her story with honesty and forthrightness. Wrapped in the Flag illustrates the power wielded by parents and the resilience of children to grow beyond them into persons in their own right.” ~ Karen Pell, Ph.D., VIA Consulting, Columbia, MD
“I found Wrapped in the Flag hard to put down. It carried me back to a period in America’s history when everything was only black or white. A must read for every gender and every generation.” ~ Major John E. Thomas, United States Marine Corps, retired, Lutz, FL
“Wrapped in the Flag makes the political history of the turbulent 1960s personal. Claire Conner takes us deep into her life, revealing parents so fierce in their beliefs that family becomes a personal and political battlefield. With vivid detail, Claire gives warning: the seeds planted by the John Birch Society have taken root in our time.” ~ Julie Miller, Tampa, FL
“I’ve known Claire for over twenty years; reading her life experience is fascinating. She’s able to connect the 1960s with today’s right-wing ideology. Wrapped in the Flag is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary American politics.” ~ Robert Michalski, Marshfield Public Schools, retired, Gilbert, AZ
“Claire shares her journey from the beginnings of the John Birch Society and the evolution of the radical right to the current political movement. Her book is important for anyone wanting to understand how this movement has polarized the political climate in the country. ~ Betty Ptacek, Marshfield, WI
“As a conservative Republican, the ultra-right groups have always been of interest, though not of my liking. This history of the people behind one of the major organizations was very informative. If my relatives had been like them, and had any influence on me, my political leaning would probably be different today. Claire’s story flows smoothly and is an easy, interesting read.” ~ Frank Mann, Safety Harbor, FL
“Wrapped in the Flag is a book for our times – the true story penned by a young girl grown up. Claire Conner shows what it’s like to be brought up in fear, hatred and fanaticism. This is a powerful story, one to help us all recognize and rise out of our own prejudices and combat the terror in our own families and our own country.” ~ Caroline H. Fenderson, M.A., FAPA, BDPC, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Palm Harbor, FL