I was guilty of exactly what this book is about. Initially, I saw this and sighed that the lunatic anti-vaxxer had another book out. Obviously, that’s not the case and this clever and intriguing book delves into conspiracists, the cult of the internet, and truth in our Information Age.

"Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World" by Naomi Klein is a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of the online underworld of conspiracies and misinformation, political doubling, as well as a reflection on the author's own experience of being mistaken for Naomi Wolf, a feminist turned conspiracy theorist.

With insightful political analysis, cultural examination, and personal contemplation, Klein draws us into a concept she dubs the "mirror world." This realm is a distorted reflection of our reality, a place where conspiracy and misinformation flourish, magnifying societal divides.

Klein taps into the dynamics of this online underworld of right-wing paranoia, a space that exists in a pervasive sense of disorientation, amplifying the most extreme beliefs. She scrutinizes the erosion of political discourse, revealing how the blurring lines between truth and fiction contribute to an ever-widening societal chasm. Her analysis extends to the allure of online clout and the seductive power of the attention economy, shedding light on the complex interplay between online validation and the deeper, sometimes shadowy motivations within us. This dynamic significantly warps our perception of reality, fuelling increased divisions and conflicts among groups and individuals.
Naomi Klein also assesses the left's reaction to today's complex political environment. The erosion of political resistance language has further fuelled societal polarization. Traditionally, such language has been a tool for articulating dissent against power structures, fostering collective action, and advocating for systemic change. Its loss signifies not just a dilution of political discourse but also a weakening of the mechanisms through which societies negotiate differences and seek common ground. Without a language to challenge injustices or criticise corporate influence, the capacity for constructive opposition diminishes. This vacuum is readily filled by the extreme and divisive rhetoric of the "mirror world," where simplified, us-versus-them narratives replace nuanced discussion and critical thought.

This sheds light on the concept of "political doubling" that is reshaping the landscape of global politics over recent decades. This phenomenon included the emergence of polarized narratives within countries, the increasing formation of political echo chambers, and the presence of political figures or movements mirroring each other across different cultures or countries. Consider, for example, the deepening ideological rifts in the United States, the rise of populist leaders in both Europe and America who champion similar anti-establishment and nationalist agendas, and the widespread adoption of political strategies and misinformation tactics on a global scale. These instances underscore a significant shift in political discourse and dynamics, where mirrored ideologies, strategies, and divisions are often amplified by digital media and global interconnectedness.

Klein finishes her analysis with an extended discussion of Israel/Palestine, which she reveals to be a potent site of "doppelganger politics." She argues that Israel has created its own "double" of the European nationalism that has oppressed many Jews, allowing it to project everything it cannot bear to see about itself onto the Palestinian Other. Klein explores the way that "doubling" structures what we see and don't want to see, what we project and what we hide, particularly in the context of contemporary dynamics around settler colonial denialism. She also delves into the journey of Israel from oppressed to oppressor, indicating that it is indicative of a larger global story, where "pools of trauma being with yesterday’s victims enlisted as today’s occupying army.”

The author takes a thoughtful approach, prioritizing understanding over judgment. But she also confronts our own role in sustaining this mirrored reality. She emphasizes the need for self-reflection, to realize the true source of their problems and to grasp the allure of the narratives spun by conspiracy theorists. She suggests that hyper-individualism and capitalism are at the root of many societal troubles, and a shift away from this mindset is necessary to acknowledge our complicity in the "mirror world. "

Klein's exploration of the "mirror world" is not just about the world of conspiracy theorists, but also about our world, serving as a metaphor for the media logic that encompasses all of us. Through this lens, she advocates for deeper comprehension and engagement with the forces that shape our perceptions and responses to the political world around us.

Doppelganger is a strong contender for book of the year for me. It's an amazing exploration of the modern world, with a focus on culture and politics, all seen through the lens of mirror images and doppelgangers. I was blown away with Klein's sharp assessments and keen insights and I feel like this book will require a re-read for me to truly appreciate every detail she has put in here. A must-read, for everyone!

Wow! Thought provoking stuff written in such an engaging way. Klein is a skilful writer, she always presents a well researched narrative with plenty to unpack. In this case , the sense of who we are and how we define our public personas, and more troublingly how our personas and belief systems are defined for us by the online world we live in. I was fascinated by Klein’s unpicking of how previously and seemingly incongruous and unrelated beliefs and political stances have been realigned and now sit together in what is becoming an increasingly uncomfortable new world order.

First off, I apologise for my late review on this one. There was something wrong with the file I received which led to words and sentences cut out of the page. I couldn’t read that so I waited for my library hold instead. All I will say is, Naomi Klein continues to offer light, reason and FACTS in areas that so often seem to miss them. I have read every single one of her books and her research is so thorough, so well-put and always prompts me to further agency. In doppelgänger, I was especially captivated by the chapter about being the parent of a child with autism and the chapters devoted to Palestine and Israel, which now more than ever, or maybe always, feel incredibly urgent. I want to shove it into everyone’s hands and shout (kindly) READ IT AND LEARN.

In a world which feels it has moved past the need for privacy, the rise in social media use and almost constant surveillance - ''Doppelgänger by Naomi Klein offers up a hard to define part-memoir/part-social critique.

Naomi Klein is confused with Naomi Wolf's, an individual who traverses the political spectrum from 'far-left' to 'alt-right' conspiracy theorist (vaccine denials) and in doing so Klein tries to dismantle Woolf's fellow 'alt-right' friends and collaborators. Such discussions seems to be what polarises readers of this book, especially the discussions of Wolf's fellow 'alt-right' friends inc. Steve Bannon (note - I am not American and I am on the left politically). This becomes the jumping point for the rest of the book (which is considerably longer than I expected) Klein discusses the new digital world from AI, Populist News, COVID-19 deniers, and to me shows how anyone can fall down the rabbit hole of changing viewpoints.... at moments 'alt-right' and 'far-left' viewpoints can be similar (see discussion of Bannon's podcast by Klein).

One criticism for this book is that in moments it felt a bit disjointed, perhaps in part because of part-memoir aspect of this book. I will recommend (and have) recommended to friends and buyers across the politically spectrum - I would say you have to like non-fiction.

Brilliant, razor sharp writing on such interesting, clever concepts. Like nothing I’ve ever read before and definitely one I’m recommending to everyone. I’ve also downloaded the audiobook to re-read which I’m looking forward to!

Doppelganger is a wide reaching book. Initially focussing on the mistaken identity of the author Naomi Klein and the author Naomi Wolf and their vastly different world views.

However, the book also branches out and looks at the populist news media, the resurgence of anti-semitism, the coverage of world conflicts, the attitudes towards autism and many other areas of interest. As such, Doppelganger at times is a disjointed read, following the train of thought of the author. Unlike her other books, the reader is left unclear as to what agenda Naomi Klein is trying to explore.

Ultimately, Doppelganger is an informative read, but perhaps should be seen more as a collection of essays or thoughts rather than a cohesive whole.

Absolutely terrifying, whilst simultaneously bl++dy funny. As always, she writes beautifully and with passion and whilst this is a more personal book than normal for her, it touches on some major themes for our modern online social media world.

An intriguing read into a case of mixed identities, a doppelgänger situation where one person is associated with another online identity and takes on a whole life of its own.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book it certainly gets you thinking. Plus a little nervous 😬

This is an incredibly gripping, non fiction book that is very relevant and timely for our lives as we live them now.

Whilst this wasn’t exactly what I was expecting when I picked it up, it really was fascinating to explore how someone (who might view themselves as progressive) can so easily become involved with extreme ideologies and conspiracy.

Ian interesting book for anyone who enjoys socio-psychology.

DNF- I’ll admit I went into reading this expecting something quite different and unfortunately this type of book just isn’t what I’m looking for right now. Will definitely try to give it a go again in the future as it has had such a positive response.

her first name, but had radically different, harmful views, was getting chronically mistaken for her, it seemed too ridiculous to take seriously. Then suddenly it wasn't. She started to find herself grappling with a distorted sense of reality, becoming obsessed with reading the threats on social media, the endlessly scrolling insults from the followers of her doppelganger. Why had her shadowy other gone down such an extreme path? Why was identity - all we have to meet the world - so unstable?

To find out, Klein decided to follow her double into a bizarre, uncanny mirror world: one of conspiracy theories, anti-vaxxers and demagogue hucksters, where soft-focus wellness influencers make common cause with fire-breathing far right propagandists (all in the name of protecting 'the children'). In doing so, she lifts the lid on our own culture during this surreal moment in history, as we turn ourselves into polished virtual brands, publicly shame our enemies, watch as deep fakes proliferate and whole nations flip from democracy to something far more sinister.

This is a book for our age and for all of us; a deadly serious dark comedy which invites us to view our reflections in the looking glass. It's for anyone who has lost hours down an internet rabbit hole, who wonders why our politics has become so fatally warped, and who wants a way out of our collective vertigo and back to fighting for what really matters.

Doppelganger proved to be an eye-opening read, surpassing initial expectations. Anticipating a comparison between the two Naomis, the book instead provided insight into the phenomenon of people undergoing sudden shifts in political stances. The narrative delved into the causes behind these transformations, shedding light on how individuals' beliefs can align with real events.

While initially feeling like a mash-up of diverse events, the story masterfully weaved them together, creating a cohesive and meaningful narrative by the end. The book serves as an educational resource, particularly for understanding how individuals can transition from relatively 'normal' perspectives to extreme positions such as anti-vax sentiments, racism, and anti-government sentiments.

Overall, "Doppelganger" is recommended for those seeking a deeper understanding of how the general population can swiftly transition into polarized beliefs and ideologies.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

A really thought provoking book on Klein's own experiences following her doppelganger, Naomi Wolf, whose career began in much the same way as Klein's until it took a turn into the mirror world of conspiracy theory. She follows the growth of conspiracy theory culture, fuelled by Trump and the pandemic, and sees how these ideas grow and are validated in the mirror world.

Doppelganger took me quite a while to get through. Partly because my kindle copy also contained the same formatting errors and irritating absences of letters that some other reviewers here have mentioned (though on my laptop, strangely, the document was fine.) And also because I found that many of the ideas, people, events, titles and the like referenced within sent me scurrying off to look them up and I’d duly come back to the book an hour or so (plus several internet rabbit holes) later. So… that’s my fault, really. I lacked the discipline to stay focussed on the reading task at hand.

Given I’ve just now seen some of the other reviews already posted, I suppose I might mention my astonishment that more than one of my fellow reviewers (my reading Doppelgangers? Perhaps not exactly in this case) had no idea who Naomi Klein is, or for whatever reason thought they would be embarking on a work of fiction. The mind boggles…

…And as for the book, well, my mind was rather boggled again, albeit in a far more positive sense. I thought it was brilliant, one of the most interesting, thoughtful and, indeed, nuanced pieces of extended-form writing I’ve read in some time. NK (as opposed to NW…) has managed to craft a series of interlocking chapters and sections that, the more I thought about them, move with impressive elegance from the highly personal to the societal and geopolitical, often in the widest possible sense. Concepts, facts/data and historical interpretations are woven together into a smooth, if troubling, tapestry which requires thought and attention, but which I found to be a most stimulating and rewarding assembly of ideas. Consequently, and a bit regretfully, I might as well then comment it clearly won’t be for everyone. Such is reading life.

After skimming other reviews here on Netgalley, I then thought to trot over to Amazon for one of my favourite pastimes: a quick peek at the 1* reviews of a book I admire (gratifyingly these are hugely outnumbered by the infinitely more positive - and dare I say it, perceptive - 4 and 5* reviews). I’m not exactly surprised Doppelganger has provoked an eruption of derision and mockery from a few; as the book illustrates very plainly, some people really don’t like it when their own personally curated framework of cherry-picked, tendentious, evidence-free etc beliefs and notions are systematically dismantled and disproved. (“Just sheeple unable to handle the real truth and instead accepting lamestream lies!” might be their counter-criticism. Such is modern life.)

For this is rather where we collectively seem to find ourselves at the end of 2023, clicking through snapshots of polarised societies found and mirrored all over the globe, and NK’s depiction of two (or more?) - at times parallel, on other occasions rather more perpendicular - worldviews constitutes a depressing precis of present-day debate, and the gloomy direction in which we will likely further head. Will something crack and duly break at some point? Hard not to believe that something’s gotta give, or arguably is giving and breaking already. And not perhaps in especially peaceful or positive ways; time will tell, as it usually does.

'Humankind cannot bear very much reality’ (T.S. Eliot) springs to mind.

Some of her ideas were new to me; some less so for a variety of reasons. I didn’t agree with everything NK writes, but found many of her ideas persuasive, and was impressed by the generosity of spirit she displayed in seeking to understand, as much as possible, those who think (extremely) differently. Overall, I found it to be an impressive piece of work, one that starts out rather whimsically and ends up staring into the abyss. I also liked the fact she doesn’t tack on too many upbeat thoughts at the end as sometimes happens with these kinds of serious, rather downbeat books (very possibly at the publisher’s behest.) True, there is a bit of that, but presumably NK realises how hollow and unlikely it all sounds after what she’s documented, so she keeps any positivity in the final chapter fairly brief and abstract.

Unreservedly recommended for those prepared to put the time, effort and reflection in.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Press, and the author Naomi Klein.
DNF - I didn't finish this book for a number of reasons. Primarily, the advanced reading copy provided had a publishing glitch that meant 10-20% of words on a page were missing a duo of letters, commonly 'th' or anything in combination with an 'f'. I can see that this is a common theme in the other early reviews. For that reason, it was a very frustrating experience.
Additionally, it felt long and was hard work, with some interesting observations but otherwise, a bit of a slog. Not for me. 2.5 stars rounded up.

I really thought I'd love this book, it sounded really interesting. I just couldn't get into it. Sad to say I did not finish.

Thank you netgally for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review

it’s taken me a while to write this review i have mixed views on this book.

It was immensely informative and the ideas of us having doppelgängers were really interesting and maybe a little bit terrifying.

It was well written, thought out and researched. There was clearly a lot of hard work taken for this book to be written.

The writing style was accessible and despite the heavy topic, I found the content easy to follow.

I think the thing I struggled with was that the basis was the author being annoyed that she was constantly mixed up with another person because they have the same first name and are both authors. I found it interesting that this book had stemmed from the author getting fed up and it seemed like this led to her spending enormous amounts of time and effort to write this to repeatedly make the point about how annoying it was.

I think for that reason I struggled with it a little. Yet it was an interesting book and I definitely learnt a lot so overall a four star for me

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review

Being constantly mistaken for Naomi Wolf, Naomi Klein writes how confusion with this other woman manifests itself and how it has troubled her in her life. This was particularly so when Wolf became a celebrity as a vaccine and lockdown sceptic.

Kelin starts looking into the world of conspiracy theories and delves into our own culture during this strange moment in history and refers to Trump and Biden.

Get reading and start thinking about your own Doppelganger!