Homegrown

Title: Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism

Author: Jeffrey Toobin

Genre: NF

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I grew up in Oklahoma City and know exactly where I was the moment I heard about the bombing. It was my freshman year at Oklahoma State, and the radio on my alarm clock woke me up. I heard a reporter talking about “multiple casualties” and thought there had been a car crash. As I listened further, it became clear that something catastrophic had happened. Turning on the television, I was immediately transported into chaos.

I’ve watched many documentaries about McVeigh and the bombing, but this was the first book I had ever read. I am a fan of Toobin’s writing, namely his book about OJ Simpson, and knew this one would be well-researched. Not only does Toobin trace McVeigh’s childhood, time in the military, and role in the bombing, that’s just the first 30% of the book. The investigation, trial, and impact make up the bulk of the book. I was captivated by this book, especially since the story is already so familiar to me.