Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World explained

Author:Naomi Klein
Isbn:978-0-374-61032-6
Preceded By:How to change everything
Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World
Country:Canada
Language:English
Published:2023
Publisher:Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pages:350

Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World is a 2023 memoir and political analysis by Canadian author, social activist, and filmmaker, Naomi Klein. In it, Klein examines the current climate of political polarization and conspiracy thinking, by contrasting Klein's worldview with that of Naomi Wolf, for whom Klein is often confused.[1]

History

Development

Naomi Klein is a Canadian author known for her generally left-leaning political views and analysis.[2] Klein is often confused with Naomi Wolf, an American author who originally rose to prominence as a notable third-wave feminist, with generally center-left views. However, by the time of writing, Wolf had become known for her right-wing political opinions, especially those related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the anti-vaccination movement, and other conspiracy theories.[3] [4] The Washington Posts Laura Wagner described the two as both being "White Jewish women" who "published big-idea bestsellers in the '90s" (Wolf wrote The Beauty Myth, Klein No Logo), writing that the two had been casually confused for each other for several years, prior to the publication of Doppelganger. The claim that Wolf and Klein were confused for each other was backed up by other commentators, including those in New York, The New Yorker, and Wired.[5] [6] [7]

In the early stages of writing the book, Klein kept it secret and used the writing process to make sense of the confusion others experienced. Klein intended the book to be different from her previous works, The Shock Doctrine and This Changes Everything, which were structured like a traditional thesis defense. Instead, Klein structured Doppelganger in a more narrative way. Despite several contact attempts by Klein, Wolf was not involved in the writing of the book.

Publication history

Doppelganger was published in the United States by Farrar, Straus and Giroux on 12 September 2023.[8] [9] It was published in the United Kingdom by Allen Lane.

Reception

Doppelganger was positively received by critics. Kirkus Reviews described the prose as being "tight and urgent, almost breathless" and praised Klein's blend of cultural criticism and biographical research into Wolf's life.[10] The New Republic published a positive review, describing the story of Klein and Wolf's mistaken identities as being riveting and praising the book for explaining "how so many people have...broken with conventional left-right political affiliations and shared understandings of reality".[11] The Evening Standard was also positive, saying that Klein wrote with lucidity and noting that the book was much more personal than Klein's earlier work.[12]

The Irish Independent praised the book for those personal moments but criticized the book's depth, writing that "the scope is so wide-ranging that, at times, the reader can wonder how everything is linked".[13] The Washington Post criticized the book's argument that leftists ought to reconsider their approaches to conflict, language, and identity politics, writing that "it's the only argument in the book not bolstered by specifics". New York magazine was critical, as well, with Jacob Bacharach writing that the book did not substantially engage with the doppelgänger concept, instead, using it as a jumping-off point to a range of different topics. The result, according to Bacharach, was that too many concepts seemed to fit into Klein's framework, without sufficient analysis to justify their inclusion.

By contrast, the Los Angeles Times praised the book for tying its disparate concepts together, describing it as "both timely and timeless". William Davies, writing in The Guardian, praised Klein's analysis of conspiracy theories and the book's attempt to understand and empathize with conspiracy theorists.[14] The New York Times Michelle Goldberg wrote that no text "better captures the berserk period we're living through", while Katie Roiphe positively described Klein's hopeful tone.[15] [16]

It debuted at number eight on the New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover nonfiction works.[17]

On June 13, 2024, Doppelganger won Klein the inaugural Women's Prize for Non-Fiction.[18]

Notes and References

  1. News: Wagner . Laura . 2023-09-11 . In Naomi Klein's Doppelganger, Naomi Wolf is more than a gimmick . limited . 2023-09-11 . The Washington Post.
  2. Encyclopedia: Dobson . Kit . 2023-09-01 . Naomi Klein . 2023-09-11. Encyclopædia Britannica. 2023-08-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230809130722/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Klein-Naomi . live.
  3. News: Vognar . Chris . 2023-09-05 . She followed her 'doppelganger' down the rabbit hole. What Naomi Klein found there . limited . 2023-09-11. . 2023-09-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230910155611/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2023-09-05/she-followed-her-doppelganger-down-the-rabbit-hole-what-naomi-klein-found-there . live.
  4. Featherstone. Liza. Liza Featherstone. 2021-06-10 . The Madness of Naomi Wolf . 2023-09-11 . . 2023-09-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230906134127/https://newrepublic.com/article/162702/naomi-wolf-madness-feminist-icon-antivaxxer . live.
  5. Bacharach . Jacob . 2023-09-06 . Is Naomi Klein's Doppelganger Weird Enough? . 2023-09-11. . 2023-09-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230913062212/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/09/is-naomi-kleins-doppelganger-weird-enough.html . live.
  6. Tolentino . Jia . Jia Tolentino . 2023-09-10 . Naomi Klein Sees Uncanny Doubles in Our Politics . 2023-09-11 . . 2023-09-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230911031937/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/naomi-klein-sees-uncanny-doubles-in-our-politics . live.
  7. Knibbs . Kate . 2023-09-07 . Unhinged Conspiracies, AI Doppelgangers, and the Fractured Reality of Naomi Klein . 2023-09-11 . . 2023-09-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230910121617/https://www.wired.com/story/covid-conspiracies-ai-doppelgangers-naomi-klein/ . live.
  8. Web site: Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World. 2023-09-11 . . 2023-09-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230925154206/https://bookmarks.reviews/reviews/doppelganger-a-trip-into-the-mirror-world/ . live.
  9. Web site: 2023-05-17 . Naomi Klein has new, more personal book out in September, Doppelganger. 2023-09-11 . . 2023-09-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230905125531/https://apnews.com/article/naomi-klein-doppelganger-september-book-e48d558ea1b2b617441befc939b25414 . live.
  10. Web site: 2023-06-26 . Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World. limited . 2023-09-11 . . 2023-09-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230923014948/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/naomi-klein/doppelganger-mirror-world/ . live.
  11. Marsh . Laura . 2023-09-05 . Naomi Klein's Journey Into the Unnerving World of Naomi Wolf . 2023-09-11 . . 2023-09-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230910061920/https://newrepublic.com/article/175254/naomi-klein-naomi-wolf-doppelganger-journey-unnerving-world . live.
  12. News: Jones . Alexandra . 2023-09-05 . Doppelganger by Naomi Klein: a compelling portrait of the apocalyptic mindset . 2023-09-11. . 2023-09-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230910033559/https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/books/doppelganger-naomi-klein-review-post-truth-apocalyptic-b1104529.html . live.
  13. News: Barry . Aoife . 2023-09-04 . A conspiracy queen? You're confusing me with the other Naomi . 2023-09-11. . 2023-09-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230908192950/https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/book-reviews/a-conspiracy-queen-youre-confusing-me-with-the-other-naomi/a941409837.html . live.
  14. Web site: Davies . William . William Davies (political writer) . 2023-09-09 . Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein review – a case of mistaken identity . 2023-09-11. theguardian.com. . “The problem in the age of big tech, the climate crisis, Covid lockdowns, online influencers and collapsed trust in “mainstream” politics and media is that everybody has their suspicions that they are being lied to and manipulated – and they’re right. Where they disagree is on the identity of the liars and the purpose of the manipulation”. 2023-09-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230910225221/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/sep/09/doppelganger-a-trip-into-the-mirror-world-by-naomi-klein-review-a-case-of-mistaken-identity . live.
  15. News: Goldberg . Michelle . Michelle Goldberg . 2023-09-04 . Naomi Klein, Naomi Wolf and the Political Upside Down . limited . https://web.archive.org/web/20230905074528/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/04/opinion/columnists/naomi-klein-wolf-doppelganger.html . 2023-09-05 . 2023-09-11. The New York Times.
  16. News: Roiphe . Katie . Katie Roiphe . 2023-09-07 . A 'Mirror World' Where Leftist Disdain Feeds Right-Wing Paranoia . limited . https://web.archive.org/web/20230910001009/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/07/books/review/doppelganger-naomi-klein.html . 2023-09-10 . 2023-09-11. The New York Times.
  17. News: Hardcover Nonfiction Books – Best Sellers – Books. The New York Times. 2023-09-21. 2023-09-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230925154600/https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/hardcover-nonfiction/ . live.
  18. Web site: Naomi Klein wins first Women's Prize for Non-Fiction. Emma. Saunders. bbc.com. BBC News. 2024-06-13. 2024-06-14.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.