I requested this book because I am one of those people that when in a bookshop suddenly can't remember if it's Naomi Klein or Naomi Wolf who I enjoy reading books by. I was fascinated by Klein's perspective on how the confusion has arisen and how it has affected her over time. I can see why it is a problem for her but there are sections of this book that seemed a stretch in how it connected to her central premise. Having sad that there were other sections that were so interesting and I was engrossed by. This was a mixed bag of a read for me but I am glad I read it and I would recommend it.

A fascinating book exploring the very real confusions that may arise on social media where two individuals have similar names - and the consequences this may have for individuals set in a well-written wider discussion of our digital society. Thanks to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC

Imagine you discover you have a doppelgänger, now imagine that person has controversial and radical views on the world which are being attributed to you online and no matter how much you sought to correct the narrative the algorithms proved more powerful, what would you do?

This was the situation Klein found herself in for the best part of a decade and this book is the result of her self confessed obsessive tumble into the mirror world of conspiracy theories and anti vaxxers where wellness influencers join hands with far right propagandists.

Klein’s book is in equal parts fascinating and terrifying. It seeks to explain the current state of the world and she contextualises this brilliantly by breaking down the theories and motivations by looking both into the future and the past.

It’s scope was outstanding from the rise of Trump as a political figure to autism as a precursor to the campaigns against Covid vaccinations, climate propaganda, 5G conspiracy theories, Hitler and fascism in context with colonialism and touches on the Israel / Palestine conflict, although it’s worth noting this was written before October 7th, to name just a few because I don’t believe I have the caption space to name them all.

Klein’s work is incredibly complex (admittedly I didn’t understand all of its parts) far reaching and utterly terrifying in its portrayal of the shadow world operating not particularly in the shadows anymore.

A worthy @womensprize non fiction shortlister it made me fear for the future but also a vital read for all. Strongly recommend.

I'm still not sure how Klein managed to pull this off but she did and it (mostly) worked. Some chapters lost their way a bit, but generally this is a great read for anyone who looks at the current political landscape and freezes with despair. I found the last chapter in particular extremely motivating and inspiring, which made up for some of my earlier confusion at how the threads of Klein's narrative created a whole.

This is a phenomenal book, which starts from the author's experience of having her 'personal brand' trashed by everyone getting her confused with the 'other Naomi' who seemed to flip from a feminist academic to a gun-toting, right wing conspiracy theorist and friend-of-Bannon.

In trying to understand how such a thing can occur, Naomi Klein researches the "mirror world" of the internet, exploring how feelings are used to 'inform' in an information vacuum and how anxiety, fracture, and vertigo are actually completely valid responses to our times. In not having answers to how we can manage ourselves and our communities as systems crumble, temperatures increase, and the rich get so-much-richer, the political left have enabled these proprietors of mass-misinformation on the right to thrive.

But rather than focusing on the 'left' and the 'right' and driving further wedges and isolation between people, her analysis instead contemplates how 'the system' is actually what is causing these problems. Our salvation instead could be found in coming together and being better caretakers of each other and the world around us.

The current 'system' is built on falsehoods, so it's no wonder that it is not working; it is this that needs to change. We can't continue to blame each other and expect things to improve. As individuals, we can only make small changes, but collectively and at system-level, we can get closer to a more fair and caring world. Even if that means putting our 'personal brands' lower on the priority scale.

I would recommend this book to any 'thinker' and/or 'canary', as well as to those who look at the world and feel sad. I would rate 4.5 stars, because it was very wordy in parts (says she with the wordy review). Stick with it, though - it's worth the time.

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this from NetGalley because it was on the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction Longlist, and it was also one of the choices that I had seen as predicted to end up on the longlist. The author sounded familiar, but I hadn't read any of her previous work.

This book is about Naomi Klein, and Naomi Wolf, and how they ran in parallel lines of journalism for so long that they got mistaken for each other. But as Naomi Wolf slowly became radicalised, for lack of a better word, Klein found herself more and more interested in how this happened in the first place.

The first part of this book, which discussed Klein and Wolf's respective works and the various ways they had been mistaken for each other, as well as Klein wanting to find out exactly how Naomi Wolf went from liberal feminist to conspiracy theorist in the vein of 'vaccine shedding is definitely a real thing'. This I found really interesting because I liked the discussion about how someone can end up in that world and why they wander into it in the first place. It was at that point at the book when I realised I did know who Naomi Wolf was, because I heard about the interview she did about her book where she was corrected on a main point of her book during the interview (I haven't listened to the full thing because the secondhand embarrassment was too strong). And yes, Klein made the very good point that if you find yourself laughed out of a leftist space, a supposedly tolerant place, then where else would you be welcome?

I even enjoyed Klein talking about why it mattered to her so much, what Wolf was up to, even when her family were getting tired of her interest. Her discussion about personal brands and our different selves on social media really hit home, especially as it talked about our double selves on the internet and the blurring of the lines.

Then, however, is when the book when off the rails for me. Klein talked about vaccines and autism and how that led to the COVID vaccine reaction, which made sense when it was brought back to Wolf eventually. But then she went into talk about the shadow world of politics and that is why some of the racist/ignorant fears being voiced sound so familiar, because they have already happened during the Holocaust, to indigenous people when colonised, during slavery and so on. Okay, I'm seeing the link here. But we moved on very quickly to Israel-Hamas and how Wolf spoke up against them and the double self of being Jewish and against Israel at the same time. And the trouble with all of this, is that it was put in the last quarter of the book. Really interesting discussion points but it felt like they were only very loosely tied together under the 'doppelganger' theme, not really connected that well to the first three quarters of the book and not enough time was spent on them at all. A whole other book was needed to properly go into the points Klein was making in that part of the book.

So I did like it overall, but the last part of the book dragged for me and I felt as if the book was far less cohesive overall because of it.

3.5 stars!

Doppelganger is a deliciously dark and twisted read that oozes dark humor and is an utterly compelling read. It's a book you become so engrossed in that you don't want it to end.

A difficult book to describe what it’s about. It begins from Klein’s frustration with often being confused with the ‘other Naomi’, Naomi Wolf particularly over the latter’s comments about the pandemic and other issues. I have read both authors books and have never confused them myself, but I realised reading this that Wolf hadn’t been in my mind at all over this period and I had no idea that she was regularly appearing on Steve Bannon’s show and was now aligned with the far right.
But in many ways for me the stuff about Wolf was the least interesting part of the book. Klein looks at doubles in all sorts of forms from literature and film, culture and society, politics, conspiracy theories, the individual versus the collective and much more. Some of the bits I found particularly interesting: the idea that the folktales about changelings may have been based on neurodivergent children; the doctor Asperger and his history; Red Vienna; antisemitism and Zionism. She covers a lot, I’m not always in agreement with her but there was lots to think about presented here. (Although I’m not sure I needed to know that Tucker Carlson once did a documentary in ‘ which he recommended that men regularly tan their testicles with a special infrared light in order to increase testosterone levels in preparation for the “hard times” ahead.’)

Naomi Klein is a voice that needs to be heard.

Where the world labels This or That, she points out nuance.
Where the world spouts rhetoric, she preaches community.

The book takes some pretty weighty, polarized topics (climate change, Israel/Palestine, Covid mandates) and, with the utmost clarity and kindness, and calls for understanding

Does the book pinball from topic to topic? Sure. Is the term Mirror World slightly off-putting? Yes. But anyone who can hold tension between the miracle of medicine and science, whilst still side-eying Big Pharma, can lead me just about anywhere.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Press UK for this oblique ARC.

Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein covers a lot of ground about some important issues.

With thanks to Netgalley and the author Naomi Klein for letting review Doppelganger

Sadly Doppelganger will be a one star review. I just could not get into this book, no matter how many times I tried. I felt like I was been shouted at and told my own views where wrong.

In Naomi Klein's latest work, I found myself grappling with a premise both unsettling and strangely familiar: the existence of a doppelganger, a distorted reflection of oneself perpetuating ideologies diametrically opposed to my own. As I immersed myself in Klein's exploration of this concept, I couldn't help but draw parallels to my own encounters with confusion and disorientation in today's tumultuous cultural landscape.

Klein's narrative unfolds like a descent into a Mirror World, where rational skepticism has been warped into outlandish conspiracy theories, leading individuals astray in a labyrinth of misinformation. Through her meticulous analysis, she illuminates the pervasive influence of doppelgangers in media, politics, and personal identity, compelling me to confront the unsettling reality of our times.

Reflecting on Klein's insights, I was struck by her astute observations on the convergence of seemingly disparate forces, such as the intertwining of New Age wellness trends with extremist ideologies. Her exploration shed light on aspects of contemporary discourse that I had previously overlooked or misunderstood, prompting a deeper introspection into the complexities of belief and identity.

As I delved deeper into the book, I found myself captivated by Klein's blend of political commentary, social critique, and environmental advocacy. Her meticulous research and incisive prose painted a vivid portrait of a world teetering on the brink of absurdity, yet tinged with a profound urgency to confront the realities of our time.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly endorse Klein's book as essential reading for anyone grappling with the tumultuous landscape of modern society. Through her narrative, I found not only a mirror reflecting the dissonance of our times but also a beacon of hope, urging us to confront our doppelgangers and chart a path towards a more just and equitable future.

Did not finish, read up to 30% but felt like author was shouting at me from the pages about American Politics. Just not for me.

This is an absolute beast of a book and Klein has mastered her craft perfectly with this release, I am not at all surprised to find it on the Women's Prize for Non-Fction long list.

Doppelganger deep dives into the world of doubles, of doppelgangers and the mirror world and begins when Naomi Klein begins to get confused for another Naomi . The Naomis share a name only, they have very different views and values and this mistaken identify sets Klein off on a journey that takes herself (and the reader) across time, lands and religion and tries to find the answers she seeks.

I read this book very slowly so as to absorb every little bit that I could and found myself thinking, and often talking, about the book daily. So many points are relevant to everyone in society now and I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I would not be surprised if this won the prize, if not then most certainly it will be on the short list. A must read.

The title and cover got me intrigued to read and I didn't realise how far down the rabbit hole it would take me.
When it sometimes feels like the pandemic was only last year, this book reminds you of how long ago it seems, how much has changed since then. For better, or for worse? Very eye opening to the view of the pandemic from different backgrounds across the globe, and to a whole new load of conspiracy theories. Including chapters on science, psychology, politics - there isn't much this book doesn't actually cover.
"It all would be so ridiculous - if it weren't so serious"

Ooof this was a hard read. This is not what you think it is when you first read it. When I started this book, it read like a prolonged whine about the annoyance of being confused for someone else, but it slowly (yet also suddenly) became a book about how the "mirror world" of the internet, the anti-vaxers, the conspiracy theories are both like the liberal elite, and yet not.

This is not a light hearted read, this is also not an EASY read. It is a fecking fascinating one.

For the sheer difficulty of getting through this (as it can be quite academic at times), I can't rate it high on my list of non fiction. But will definitely recommend for specific people who I know will find the topic interesting.

I tried my hardest, but failed miserably.

I did get at least a third of the way through, and actually found some enjoyment and value when I first started the book. But a rabbit hole of politics, covid, and conspiracies (and slanted towards being US centric) led me to an eventual DNF.

The book might have its unique merits, and perhaps my Doppleganger in his/her mirror world might have loved it, but I feel time would be best spent on something I would enjoy.

Thanks NetGalley and Penguin Press UK for a Review Copy

Brilliant, timely, and important. The central premise at times feels tenuous, but otherwise Klein's writing is typically rousing and intelligent, pulling together seemingly disparate ideas in a clear narrative. I will read anything she writes and feel smarter with every page.

A gripping psychological thriller that explores the consequences of a seemingly innocent encounter, with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end.

I've never read a book like Doppelganger. What an interesting concept. The funny thing for me was I was only vaguely familiar with Naomi Klein and Naomi Wolf. I actually have a copy of the Beauty Myth but didn't make the connection. And also, the morning I began reading this book, I had just seen someone repost on twitter the Naomi Wolf tweet about Belfast having fresh air due to not having 5G. Really excellent stuff.
SO I was actually invested in this book before even beginning it, without realising it. The concept was really well executed, gives the reader a lot of food for thought and is quite in depth. I think some of the content of the book could have been cut or summarised a bit but overall, unlike anything I have ever read and I will remember thsi one for sure. And I will not get the Naomi's mixed up|!!