There are two books here. One is a well-researched compendium of the (actual) radical left (as opposed to what Fox and its ilk refers to today as the radical left) from Weatherman to the SLA to the BLA to the FALN and the Family. Tons of good info all in one book.

The other book is a snide, sneering, condescending pile of the writer's opinions of these groups and their actions, including his opinions on which of the women were attractive, and which ones were open to sex with men other than their partners. Burrough has some kind of bug up his ass about Bernardine Dohrn, who is *never* mentioned without some salacious comment, and it is noticeable that Burrough goes out of his way to sneer at Bill Ayers, her partner of many years, implying that he I don't know doesn't deserve her or something? Come on, Burrough, let it go. She's not going to fuck you.

It is also exhausting to read this book, largely due to Burrough's breathless recounting of the law enforcement actions (I honestly lost count of the number of manhunts that were the largest in the history of the FBI or this or that state agency. They can't all have been the largest ffs). And I got so tired of reading that everyone thought that this group had disbanded, but they would only come back stronger than before!!! or that this action seemed audacious but their most daring action was yet to come!!! or that this was planned meticulously but they forgot one important detail which would haunt them forever!!!

Look, I like the true crime genre and I freely admit that it is rare for a true crime book to be written well, but I thought I was settling down to read a political history. What a waste of a fascinating subject.