Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Going Undercover with the 'Mongols'

Detail from 'Under and Alone'
Detail from 'Under and Alone'

From 1998 to 2000 William Queen went undercover for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and rode with the Mongols, a southern California motorcycle gang. His new book is Under and Alone.

Queen so immersed himself in the culture that his own sense of self became blurry. He left after 28 months, testifying against the gang.

Copyright 2023 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air.

Combine an intelligent interviewer with a roster of guests that, according to the Chicago Tribune, would be prized by any talk-show host, and you're bound to get an interesting conversation. Fresh Air interviews, though, are in a category by themselves, distinguished by the unique approach of host and executive producer Terry Gross. "A remarkable blend of empathy and warmth, genuine curiosity and sharp intelligence," says the San Francisco Chronicle.