Not the Camilla We Knew

Behind every act of domestic terrorism there is someone's child whose life took a radical turn for reasons that often remain mysterious. Camilla Hall is a case in point: a pastor's daughter from small-town Minnesota who eventually joined the ranks of radicals in the notorious Symbionese Liberation Army before dying in a shootout with Los Angeles Police in May 1974. How could a "good girl" become one of the most wanted domestic terrorists in the United States? Rachael Hanel tells her story here, revealing both the deep humanity and the extraordinary circumstances of Camilla Hall's life. Her path from her Minnesota home to her final, radical SLA family featured years as an artist and activist—in welfare offices, political campaigns, union organizing, culminating in a love affair that would be her introduction to the SLA. Through research and interviews, Hanel pieces together Camilla's transformation. Camilla Hall's story is of interest for what it reveals about the forces of radicalization. But as Hanel ventures ever further into Camilla's past, her book becomes an intriguing, disturbing, and ultimately deeply moving journey into the dark side of America's promise. Contains mature themes.