The crazy little man with the mustache in the bierkeller promised to solve a problem of the other beer drinkers, living in a depressed country. one way or another.
The bearded man in the Pennsylvania basement promised to end the long wait for the messiah's return, or the problem of one's death. or both.
The big man with ample blond hair promised to the workers in the US with their bargain basement wages, a relief from competition by highly intelligent asian and motivated latino immigrants, and their cultural influence, one way or another.
Interest groups have a way of asserting themselves, often condensing around a leader that shows up.
safety sometimes depends on the distance you can keep from such concentrations. and their camps or campuses.
PS: I did not see this was about books. how about Mein Krampf or Das Kapital? all hirsute writers too.