A journalist who specializes in conspiracy theories draws on interviews with QAnon converts and victims, as well as psychologists, sociologists, and academics to explain the origin and growth of the movement, its embrace by right-wing media and politicians, and why it is important to understand it rather than mock it.

Introduction: the plan to save the world -- Origins. Learn to read the map: the basics of QAnon ; The calm before the storm: how QAnon started ; You have more than you know: QAnon hits the big time ; Boom week coming: the scams and conspiracy theories that begat QAnon ; We are the news now: QAnon has a big 2019 ; God wins: why people believe in QAnon -- Escalation. This is not a game: the many crimes of QAnon followers ; Save the children: QAnon transforms in 2020 with the pandemic ; Memes at the ready: the war between QAnon and social media ; Change of batter coming? QAnon and the 2020 election -- Fallout. The only cult that teaches you to think for yourself: what experts think QAnon is (and is not) ; Mathematically impossible: debunking QAnon and its prophecies ; Where we go one: how to help people who want to get out of Q -- Epilogue: friends and happy memories -- Acknowledgments -- Appendix: glossary of QAnon terms.