Maddow's new book, Prequel, chronicles the the ultra right-wing groups that sided with Hitler's Germany and plotted to overthrow the U.S. government before World War II. The plot led to the largest sedition trial in American history. The book is also about sitting members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives who colluded with a Nazi agent to spread Nazi propaganda to millions of Americans with the help of American taxpayers money. Prequel is based on Maddow's hit podcast series, Ultra. Also, Justin Chang reviews The Boy and the Heron, by Hayao Miyazaki. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
On the Ted radio hour, linguist Ann Curzan says she gets a lot of complaints about people using the pronoun they to refer to one person.
I sometimes get into arguments with people where they will say to me, but it can't be singular.
And I will say, but it is.
The history behind words causing a lot of debate.
That's on the Ted radio hour from NPR.
This is FRESH AIR.
I'm Tanya Moseley.
Rachel Maddow has a new book titled Prequel where she explores the little known story about an ultra right wing pro nazi movement that plotted to overthrow the us government before World War two.
It's also the subject of her hit podcast series Ultra.
George Vierek was an agent from Hitler's government.
He also colluded with over 20 sitting members of the US Senate and House of Representatives to launder and spread nazi propaganda, often at taxpayers expense.
The congressmen were associated with the America first movement, a group opposed to the US entering World War two.
The plots in 1944 led to the largest sedition trial in us history.
Maddow says there's a reason to know this history now because calculated efforts are now underway to undermine democracy, foment a coup, and spread disinformation.
The overt actions don't just involve a radical band of insurrectionists, but actual serving members of Congress.
Mat Al for 14 years hosted MSNBC's flagship show before cutting back last year to devote more time to deeply reported long form projects like Ultra at the time.
When Terry Gross spoke with Rachel Maddow last December, it had been announced that Stephen Spielberg's production company optioned the movie rights for Ultra.
Rachel Maddow, welcome back to FRESH AIR and congratulations on the news that Steven Spielberg optioned your podcast for a movie, which makes perfect sense because it's about World War Two and it's about anti Semitism.
Oh Terry, thank you so much for having me.
It is even just hearing you say those words, the word Steven Spielberg associated with something that I'm working on, it's very overwhelming.