Leni Zumas's writing crackles. Her books are sharp, bleak, funny, and possibly dangerous. When her collection of short stories, Farewell Navigator,...
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It is great to have this book available in English. It is a very interesting look into the ways communities (mainly indigenous) in Bolivia are organizing themselves separate from the state. Some tactics discussed include dealing with, and preventing, anti-social behavior, education, and creating groups to take on a specific community need while staying accountable to the whole. This investigation is thought provoking at the very least, and at its best is a signpost for those who want to see a world in which decisions are made by the people whose lives are impacted by the outcomes of those decisions.
At a talk centered around this book Berger said that, "The '70s were the '60s grown up." This collection really serves to illustrate that point. Some of the movements covered include prison abolition, indigenous land struggles, the Sixth Pan-African Congress, Puerto Rican independence, gay liberation, community responses to police murder, the pacifist underground, and many more. It is fascinating that all these struggles were taking place around the same time, and to gain a sense of the collective impact they had on each other and society at large. Since these struggles are ongoing this book is beneficial both for its historical significance, as well as a source of inspiration and strategy for current organizing.
Hands down the best book on the Weather Underground Organization! Berger went to great lengths to provide a nuanced analysis of an organization that tends to be portrayed in a two dimensional manner--whether positively or negatively. Furthermore, most reports of the Weather Underground tend to focus on Bill Ayers or Bernardine Dohrn. I really enjoyed reading about some activists I'd never heard of, and gaining a better understanding of what was actually a pretty large organization. He also does a great job of contextualizing the WUO in the larger historical context, which makes this book very interesting for anyone interested in '60s and'70s radical politics.
This August (2011) marked the 40th anniversary of George Jackson's murder. He is largely responsible for developing the analysis of the Prison Industrial Complex being an outgrowth of slavery and a genocidal colonial tool. A social prisoner who was politicized while incarcerated he contacted Huey P. Newton requesting to join the Black Panther Party. Huey readily agreed, and gave him the rank of general. Through this book of letters we witness his evolution and maturing. For example, in her autobiography Angela Davis recounts giving this book to some of her fellow inmates, and Jackson worried how they would receive it, "In the past he had seen Black women as often acting as a deterrent to the involvement of Black men in the struggle. He had since discovered that this generalization was wrong, and was deeply concerned that the other women in the jail be informed of this." Saying Jackson is a controversial figure is putting it mildly, so with so much information, and misinformation, about him available this book, in which we hear directly from him, is not to be overlooked.
I can't imagine anyone left of center not finding this book at the very least interesting. It is a multifaceted snapshot of social/political movements circa 2010. With authors such as Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz and Michael Hardt, organizations including Roadblock Earth First! and Starbucks Workers Union, and interviews with Ashanti Alston and Grace Lee Boggs it accounts for many issues, perspectives, and approaches. Come to think of it, those right of center would likely find it interesting too--in a know your enemy sort of way. Basically if you are someone who cares about current politics and social movements in the U.S. check out this book.
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Dispersing Power: Social Movements as Anti-State Forces by Raul Zibechi
BE, September 9, 2011
It is great to have this book available in English. It is a very interesting look into the ways communities (mainly indigenous) in Bolivia are organizing themselves separate from the state. Some tactics discussed include dealing with, and preventing, anti-social behavior, education, and creating groups to take on a specific community need while staying accountable to the whole. This investigation is thought provoking at the very least, and at its best is a signpost for those who want to see a world in which decisions are made by the people whose lives are impacted by the outcomes of those decisions.The Hidden 1970s: Histories of Radicalism by Dan (edt) Berger
BE, September 4, 2011
At a talk centered around this book Berger said that, "The '70s were the '60s grown up." This collection really serves to illustrate that point. Some of the movements covered include prison abolition, indigenous land struggles, the Sixth Pan-African Congress, Puerto Rican independence, gay liberation, community responses to police murder, the pacifist underground, and many more. It is fascinating that all these struggles were taking place around the same time, and to gain a sense of the collective impact they had on each other and society at large. Since these struggles are ongoing this book is beneficial both for its historical significance, as well as a source of inspiration and strategy for current organizing.Outlaws of America: The Weather Underground and the Politics of Solidarity by Dan Berger
BE, September 3, 2011
Hands down the best book on the Weather Underground Organization! Berger went to great lengths to provide a nuanced analysis of an organization that tends to be portrayed in a two dimensional manner--whether positively or negatively. Furthermore, most reports of the Weather Underground tend to focus on Bill Ayers or Bernardine Dohrn. I really enjoyed reading about some activists I'd never heard of, and gaining a better understanding of what was actually a pretty large organization. He also does a great job of contextualizing the WUO in the larger historical context, which makes this book very interesting for anyone interested in '60s and'70s radical politics.Soledad Brother: The Prison Letters of George Jackson by George Jackson
BE, September 2, 2011
This August (2011) marked the 40th anniversary of George Jackson's murder. He is largely responsible for developing the analysis of the Prison Industrial Complex being an outgrowth of slavery and a genocidal colonial tool. A social prisoner who was politicized while incarcerated he contacted Huey P. Newton requesting to join the Black Panther Party. Huey readily agreed, and gave him the rank of general. Through this book of letters we witness his evolution and maturing. For example, in her autobiography Angela Davis recounts giving this book to some of her fellow inmates, and Jackson worried how they would receive it, "In the past he had seen Black women as often acting as a deterrent to the involvement of Black men in the struggle. He had since discovered that this generalization was wrong, and was deeply concerned that the other women in the jail be informed of this." Saying Jackson is a controversial figure is putting it mildly, so with so much information, and misinformation, about him available this book, in which we hear directly from him, is not to be overlooked.Uses of a Whirlwind: Movement, Movements, and Contemporary Radical Currents in the United States by Team Colors Collective
BE, September 1, 2011
I can't imagine anyone left of center not finding this book at the very least interesting. It is a multifaceted snapshot of social/political movements circa 2010. With authors such as Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz and Michael Hardt, organizations including Roadblock Earth First! and Starbucks Workers Union, and interviews with Ashanti Alston and Grace Lee Boggs it accounts for many issues, perspectives, and approaches. Come to think of it, those right of center would likely find it interesting too--in a know your enemy sort of way. Basically if you are someone who cares about current politics and social movements in the U.S. check out this book.1-5 of 7next