An apocalyptic tale of genocide, The Turner Diaries has been referred to as “the bible of the racist right,” “the handbook for white victory,” and “the blueprint for revolution.” William L. Pierce, the head of the National Alliance—a neo-Nazi group—published the book in 1978 under the pseudonym Andrew Macdonald. It had first appeared in serial form in the National Alliance's publication, Attack!

A former physics professor at Oregon State University, Pierce was a follower of George Lincoln Rockwell, the founder of the American Nazi Party. Although Pierce claims to doubt the book's impact, The Turner Diaries has been credited with influencing the terrorist and criminal activities of groups and individuals such as the Order, and most notably Timothy McVeigh. The publication and distribution of the book by Lyle Stuart, a large publishing house, shortly after McVeigh's arrest in 1995, sparked a heated public debate about ...