About the Book: In Charlottesville: An American Story, Deborah Baker delivers a taut, immersive account of the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville—where violent far-right factions converged to protest the removal of a Confederate statue, culminating in the death of Heather Heyer. Rather than focusing solely on extremist leaders, Baker reframes the narrative around the city itself: everyday citizens—clergy, activists, and neighbors—who forewarned and protected their community despite official inaction or indifference. By weaving in a similar episode from the 1950s—when a fascist emissary aligned with Ezra Pound sparked racial tensions—she exposes how deeply embedded and recurring these threats are in American civic life. The result is a powerful, historical reckoning that explores how national myths of the past continue to shape contemporary conflicts over memory, race, and democracy. Charlottesville is essential reading—a political thriller rooted in real events that reflects on both persistent dangers and grassroots resilience.