About the Book.
In this timely book, Butler transports readers to a pivotal moment of division and dissent in American history: the late 1960s. Readers will immediately notice the parallels to today’s political activism. Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and a nation grappling with internal conflict, Brooklyn-based writer Jonathan Butler shares the compelling story of George Demmerle, a local factory worker whose political odyssey encapsulates the era's tumultuous spirit. From his roots as a concerned citizen wary of his country's leftward tilt, Demmerle's journey takes a dramatic turn as he infiltrates the most radical fringes of the anti-war movement.
Based on personal interviews and the author’s access to long lost archives and documents, JOIN THE CONSPIRACY reveals Demmerle's complex role in a society at war with itself, where his deepening ties to an increasingly dangerous bombing collective forces him to confront his loyalties. The narrative, enhanced by a rare trove of more than a hundred illustrations, including candid photos, period memorabilia, and art from the underground press, not only charts Demmerle's personal odyssey but also reflects the broader story of a nation struggling to find its moral compass amidst chaos.
As Demmerle navigates the dangerous waters of political extremism, readers are invited to ponder the price of ideology, the nature of loyalty, and the fine line between activism and extremism as JOIN THE CONSPIRACY becomes not just a recounting of historical events but a vibrant portrait of a man and a movement that sought to reshape America.
About the Author.
Jonathan Butler is a Brooklyn-based writer and entrepreneur. A financial journalist earlier in his career, Jonathan launched the local real estate and architecture blog Brownstoner.com in the earliest days of online and social media, growing it into the largest website in Brooklyn before selling it ten years later in 2015. In 2008, Jonathan co-founded the Brooklyn Flea, New York City's biggest flea market business, and three years later launched Smorgasburg, the artisanal food festival that supports hundreds of diverse mom-and-pop businesses and has attracted millions of visitors from all over the world to its weekly locations in Brooklyn, Los Angeles and Miami. Jonathan has received awards for his writing and civic work from the Brooklyn Historical Society, the Historic Districts Council, and the Municipal Art Society. He received his BA in American History from Princeton University in 1992 and an MBA from New York University in 1998. He resides with his wife and two children in Clinton Hill.
About the Moderator.
Jeremy Varon is a Professor of History at The New School and author of Bringing the War Home: The Weather Underground, the Red Army Faction, and Revolutionary Violence in the Sixties and Seventies. He is also author of the forthcoming book, Not in Our Name: The Movement to Stop Bush’s Post-9/11 War, published by the University of Chicago Press.