First published in the mid 1970’s as a serialisation for the National Alliance’s tabloid paper ‘Attack!’, the former leader of the white nationalist organization, William Luther Pierce (under the pseudonym Andrew Macdonald), saw his unashamedly white supremacist fantasies brought to life in his fictional work entitled ‘The Turner Diaries’. After receiving a massively positive response from a pocket of fellow-minded Americans, the tale was released as a standalone paperback in May of 1978. A further re-printing in 1980 brought the storyline forward by ten years, as well as losing the illustrations by Dennis Nix. This is now the final version that is in print today.
DLS Synopsis:
Earl Turner is an active member to the white supremacist movement dubbed the ‘Organization’. Because of his leading role, Turner has a unique insight into the guerrilla warfare that leads to the eventual overthrowing of modern day America (and indeed the entire world). An insight that he shares in his diary. The Turner Diaries.
It all begins on the 9th November 1989, eighteen months after the ‘Cohen Act’ outlawed all private ownership of firearms in the US, where upon the federal government (hereafter referred to as the ‘System’) begins its ‘Gun Raids’ against large proportions of the white population. Earl Turner is one of those raided and found in possession of an illegal firearm.
After an unprecedented number of firearm offenders are caught in the Gun Raids, the government backs down on fulfilling the full prosecution process. However, Turner, together with a number of similarly minded white Americans, take the decision to abandon the overly oppressive ‘Big Brother’ society and exist secretly as an underground sect, away from the System’s prying eyes.
Re-united with their impressive firearm cache, the group begin a campaign of guerrilla warfare against the System, the media, and the now controlling Jewish economy. Turner’s small group is just one such faction of the Organization that is embarking on such terrorist acts as bombing, assassination, economic sabotage and the distribution of racist propaganda.
The struggle against the System is a slow and painful one. Society has become lazy and brainwashed into their comfortable lifestyle. Race has become diluted and no longer an issue for the American population. To overthrow the System, the Organization must hit the government hard. To win over the public they must spread fear. And to ultimately win the war, each member must show their complete and utter dedication to the cause. Those that have given so much will be forever remembered as exclusive members to the inner-circle known as the ‘Order’. Turner must sacrifice everything to finally find his way within their highly revered ranks...
DLS Review:
Where to begin with the review? For a controversial and sickening viewpoint from a deluded racist’s ultimate fantasy, this novel cannot be outdone. Bursting at the seams with slatherings of gun-porn, racial hatred and misguided patriotic murder; this novel is the brainchild of a truly frightening individual.
Should it be banned? Certainly not! To ban the novel is to stand against the whole notion of freedom of speech. To do this would be to dictate what society can and cannot read; in effect, overly controlling society. If someone wants to read this piece of literature, then they’ll find a copy, whether it is banned or not. The principals of banning such media are ultimately a counterproductive measure. For those that wish to expose themselves to this unrelenting barrage of high-octane racism and White Power fantasy on steroids, it should be left for their choice to be made, and no one else’s.
To be honest, aside from the constant (and I really do mean constant) tide of racial slander, the story is actually a gripping, entertaining and action packed tale. Pierce throws in such wildly over-the-top ideas of racial stereotyping, that no amount of ‘preaching’ can induce the reader to take any of the racist suggestions even remotely seriously. We are led to believe that given the window of opportunity, ‘blacks’ would revert to their natural desires of violence, rape, murder, deceit and even cannibalism. The novel would be laughable if it wasn’t for the prevailing undertone that this is actually an idea that is giving the author and his (surely minimal) like-minded readers a thrill to read.
As the action mounts, so any reservations to subtlety towards racism are abandoned. Pierce lunges ahead with idolising Hitler’s radical but ‘honest’ understanding of the modern day problems with race. Turner’s thoughts, as the fast-paced storyline powers ahead, are obviously mere reflections of the author’s own fundamental ideas. The more you read, the more flamboyant and inconceivably ludicrous the basis of the novel’s claims on racial blueprinting are.
Turner as a character is likeable in his honesty. His affections for his militant comrade, Katherine, does make the character more endearing. The reader is obviously urged to bond with this narrator and principal protagonist. However, this is never really accomplished, due to the constant litany of racial hatred that is so patriotically spouted from the narrator’s pen, which ultimately overwhelms any connection that the reader may have been harbouring for the character.
The novel is shocking and vile in its outrageous racism and unabashed intolerance and violence for supremacy. Quite simply put – this is nothing but racist porn. Its messages are as clear as they are vulgar. Its delight at depicting the violence against the supposed System and those of a different race is downright harrowing. There is no mistaking the fact that this is an atrocious piece of political and bigoted fiction. But it was written, and it is everybody’s choice whether or not they choose to read it.
Rating the book is possibly the hardest task yet. How do you rate something that is so horrendously repellent in its underlying messages of racial hatred? Do I leave it unrated? Do I give it just half a skull for merely existing? After much consideration I have chosen not to take this ‘easy’ moral high ground. ‘The Turner Diaries’ is an exciting, provoking, engaging, powerful, energetic and impactful novel. It keeps the reader gripped throughout. It is shocking and hateful, but still a novel that keeps the reader (however self-loathingly) intrigued. It’s a book that I am glad I read, but I very much doubt that I will ever revisit. So I have rated it accordingly.
The novel runs for a total of 211 pages, with the more recent releases including a five page introduction (supposedly justifying its publication) by the publishers.
© DLS Reviews
