Radical Thought Books - Page 2

Reveille for Radicals

Saul Alinsky

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

First published in 1946 and updated in 1969 with a new Introduction and Afterword, this volume represents the fullest statement of the political philosophy and practical methodology of one of the most important figures in the history of American radicalism. Like Thomas Paine before him, Saul Alinsky, through the concept and practice of community organizing, was able to embody for his era both the urgency of radical political action and the imperative of rational political discourse. His work and writing bequeathed a new method and style of social change to American communities that will remain a permanent part of the American political landscape.

"Alinsky is that rarity in American life, a superlative organizer, strategist, and tactician who is also a social philosopher."

-- Charles E. Silberman

"He cannot be bought; he cannot be intimidated; and he breaks all the rules."

-- The Economist

(London)

"I consider him to be one of the few really great men of our century."

-- Jacques Maritain

How The World Really Works

Alan B. Jones

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Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

More and more Americans are coming to feel that something has gone fundamentally wrong in our society. We have suffered repetitive wars, big and small, some won and some lost, but with the peace always lost. Our society has been drained of around $5 trillion in welfare costs since LBJ's War on Poverty was declared, but with no diminution in the incidence of 'poverty'. Our 'War on Drugs' has also been lost, with its societal costs running around $500 billion per year. The cost of fixes for runaway environmentalism has reached about $1 trillion since the birth of the EPA in 1970. Our national debt is over $5 trillion and still going up. Two breadwinners per family has become normal, just to keep bread on the table.Americans feel put upon, and they are right, but they don't know who's doing it to them or why. Such issues have been pondered by researchers for many years, but the historical facts are finally bringing the pieces of the puzzle together. This book paints a picture of that largely completed puzzle, and lays out who the culprits are, why they are doing what they are doing, and how they are managing to pull off what is probably the biggest mass robbery of wealth and individual freedom in human history. Your reading this book will help to expose and stop the destruction, and help to guarantee a future of freedom rather than slavery for your children.

Guerrilla Warfare (Latin American Silhouettes)

Thomas M. Davies Jr.

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Total reviews: 57 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Che Guevara, the larger-than-life hero of the 1959 revolutionary victory that overturned the Cuban dictatorship, believed that revolution would also topple the imperialist governments in Latin America. Che's call to action, his proclamation of invincibility-the ultimate victory of revolutionary forces-continues to influence the course of Latin American history and international relations. His amazing life story has lifted him to almost legendary status.

This edition of Che's classic work Guerrilla Warfare contains the text of his book, as well as two later essays titled Guerrilla Warfare: A Method and Message to the Tricontinental. A detailed introduction by Brian Loveman and Thomas M. Davies, Jr., examines Guevara's text, his life and political impact, the situation in Latin America, and the United States' response to Che and to events in Latin America. Loveman and Davies also provide in-depth case studies that apply Che's theories on revolution to political situations in seven Latin American countries from the 1960s to the present. Also included are political chronologies of each country discussed in the case studies and a postscript tying the analyses together.

This book will help students gain a better understanding of Che's theoretical contribution to revolutionary literature and the inspiration that his life and Guerrilla Warfare have provided to revolutionaries since the 1960s.

This volume is an invaluable addition to courses in Latin American studies and political science.

Milestones

Qutb Sayyid

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Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 2.5 of 5

Making the World Safe For Sharia 2 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

By now most of you have heard about Sayyid Qutb's influence on Osama bin Laden, and it was that connection which I hoped to investigate by reading Milestones. In short, Qutb preaches - a term that accurately captures the style of the book as it is basically a collection of simple themes repeated often - that because a true (i.e. one that follows sharia) Islamic society no longer exists and cannot exist in the presence of "worldly influences", all those who practice Islam should assist in bringing it about by any means necessary.

Qutb's notion of an ideal Islamic state one might characterize as anarcho-Islam, as he condemns the "rule of men over men", which he believes is in conflict with the first tenet of Islam, "there is no deity except God." He makes no distinction between temporal and spiritual lordship. Beyond that, he doesn't specify the exact form an Islamic society would take, other than its' compliance to Quranic principles. Probably the closest analog with which a Westerner might be familiar is the Millennial Reign disclosed in Revelations, a favorite book of Christian fundamentalists.

And in Milestones we find other fundamentalist parallels. Qutb uses the First Generation as a model for how Muslims should behave, while we in America have similar examples in Christianity (the Pentacostals and early Christian martyrs such as Stephen) and in secular politics (the near-deified "Founding Fathers" or the more politically correct term "Framers"). The method of their lives are similar as well - they began only with faith and little knowledge, revealed to them as God saw fit, a depiction Qutb spends considerable time justifying - contrasted with what he believes is the modern tendency of Muslims to indulge in a superficial piety based on analysis and discussion. And it's the watering down of the faith that has left Islam weak before the iniquity of "The World", which Qutb calls Jahiliyyah.

Some surprises I found in Milestones include Qutb's grudging admiration for the West's technical progress -- where he refers to the West as "Europe", presumably because he wishes to distinguish Enlightenment Europe from the American-dominated Modern Western Civilization - and his repeated emphasis as to which bodies of knowledge fall under Quranic scope (e.g. ethics, politics) and which do not (e.g. physics, mathematics, engineering). Qutb's motives are not clear on the distinction - is he a "strict constructionist" of the Quran, or does he recognize the "hard sciences" as a necessary source of power? Maybe both...

And while it would be easy for one to interpret his writings as a call to bring "scorched earth" to the heathen, Qutb outlines conditions for co-existence with "worldly" societies, albeit stringent and probably grudgingly given conditions. But at least Qutb had some capacity for realpolitik -- which may be the most striking similarity between him and the fundamentalists who exert influence in the USA.

The most disturbing part for me was Qutb's overindulgence in moral superiority - a trait not uncommon among believers of any religion or ideology, especially fundamentalists - but his exposition seems especially crass.

Letters to a Young Contrarian (Art of Mentoring)

Christopher Hitchens

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Total reviews: 40 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

In the book that he was born to write, provocateur and best-selling author Christopher Hitchens inspires future generations of radicals, gadflies, mavericks, rebels, angry young (wo)men, and dissidents. Who better to speak to that person who finds him or herself in a contrarian position than Hitchens, who has made a career of disagreeing in profound and entertaining ways.This book explores the entire range of "contrary positions"-from noble dissident to gratuitous pain in the butt. In an age of overly polite debate bending over backward to reach a happy consensus within an increasingly centrist political dialogue, Hitchens pointedly pitches himself in contrast. He bemoans the loss of the skills of dialectical thinking evident in contemporary society. He understands the importance of disagreement-to personal integrity, to informed discussion, to true progress-heck, to democracy itself. Epigrammatic, spunky, witty, in your face, timeless and timely, this book is everything you would expect from a mentoring contrarian.

Sing a Battle Song: The Revolutionary Poetry, Statements, and Communiqus of the Weather Underground 1970 - 1974

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Editorial Review:

Outraged by the Vietnam War and racism in America, a group of young American radicals announced their intention to "bring the war home." The Weather Underground waged a low-level war against the U.S. government through much of the 1970s, bombing the Capitol building, breaking Timothy Leary out of prison, and evading one of the largest FBI manhunts in history.

Sing a Battle Song brings together the three complete and unedited publications produced by the Weatherman during their most active period underground, 1970 to 1974: The Weather Eye:Communiques from the Weather Underground; Prairie Fire:The Politics of Revolutionary Anti-Imperialism; and

Sing a Battle Song:Poems by Women in the Weather Underground Organization

.

Sing a Battle Song

is introduced and annotated by three of the Weather Underground's original organizers-Bernardine Dohrn, Bill Ayers, and Jeff Jones-all of whom are all still actively engaged in social justice movement work. Bernardine Dohrn, who during her years underground was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list, today is a child advocate and professor of children's law and international human rights. Bill Ayers, education professor and author of numerous books on democratic education is the author of a memoir, Fugitive Days. Jeff Jones, an environmentalist, fights global warming and other environmental threats that disproportionately harm the lives of the world's poor.

Idealistic, inspired, pissed-off, and often way-over-the-top, the writings of the Weather Underground epitomizes the sexual, psychedelic, anti-war counterculture of the American 1960s and 1970s.

Recipes for Disaster: An Anarchist Cookbook

CrimethInc. Workers' Collective

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

very interesting 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

i read this after reading "days of war, nights of love" and found it very interesting...it sets out step by step instructions on how to utilize the information you got from DOW,NOL...its also great for anyone who would like to change up the scenery of their neighborhood...as i said for days of war...this book isnt for everyone...i would recommend this book to much fewer people than days of war, and mainly save this recommendation for those who may be interested in activism, or anyone who knows an activist

Editorial Review:

Beautifully designed A-Z of the totality of revolutionary politics. This brand new Crimethinc book is the action guide - the direct action guide. From affinity groups to wheatpasting, coalition building, hijacking events, mental health, pie-throwing, shoplifting, stenciling, supporting survivors of domestic violence, surviving a felony trial, torches, and whole bunch more. Incredible design, and lots of graphics give it that hip situ feel. Loads to read, to think about, and to do. At 650 pages, you could always throw the damn book at a suitable target. What are you waiting for?

Chomsky on Anarchism

Noam Chomsky

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Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

We all know what Noam Chomsky is against. His scathing analysis of everything that’s wrong with our society reaches more and more people every day. His brilliant critiques of—among other things—capitalism, imperialism, domestic repression and government propaganda have become mini-publishing industries unto themselves. But, in this flood of publishing and republishing, very little ever gets said about what exactly Chomsky stands for, his own personal politics, his vision of the future.

Not, that is, until Chomsky on Anarchism, a groundbreaking new book that shows a different side of this best-selling author: the anarchist principles that have guided him since he was a teenager. This collection of Chomsky’s essays and inter-views includes numerous pieces that have never been published before, as well as rare material that first saw the light of day in hard-to-find pamphlets and anarchist periodicals. Taken together, they paint a fresh picture of Chomsky, showing his lifelong involvement with the anarchist community, his constant commitment to nonhierarchical models of political organization and his hopes for a future world without rulers.

For anyone who’s been touched by Chomsky’s trenchant analysis of our current situation, as well as anyone looking for an intelligent and coherent discussion of anarchism itself, look no further than Chomsky on Anarchism.

Noam Chomsky is one of the world’s leading intellectuals, the father of modern linguistics, an outspoken media and foreign policy critic and tireless activist. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

The Libertarian Reader: Classic and Contemporary Writings from Lao Tzu to Milton Friedman

David Boaz

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Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The first collection of seminal writings on a movement that is rapidly changing the face of American politics, The Libertarian Reader links some of the most fertile minds of our time to a centuries-old commitment to freedom, self-determination, and opposition to intrusive government. A movement that today counts among its supporters Steve Forbes, Nat Hentoff, and P.J. O'Rourke, libertarianism joins a continuous thread of political reason running throughout history.

Writing in 1995 about the large numbers of Americans who say they'd welcome a third party, David Broder of The Washington Post commented, "The distinguishing characteristic of these potential independent voters—aside from their disillusionment with Washington politicians of both parties—is their libertarian streak. They are skeptical of the Democrats because they identify them with big government. They are wary of the Republicans because of the growing influence within the GOP of the religious right."

In The Libertarian Reader, David Boaz has gathered the writers and works that represent the building blocks of libertarianism. These individuals have spoken out for the basic freedoms that have made possible the flowering of spiritual, moral, and economic life. For all independent thinkers, this unique sourcebook will stand as a classic reference for years to come, and a reminder that libertarianism is one of our oldest and most venerable American traditions.

Taking America Back: A Radical Plan to Revive Freedom, Morality, and Justice

Joseph Farah

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Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

More jingoist claptrap 1 out of 5 stars.
9 of 29 people found this review helpful.

And for a second I thought I was going to read a book that challenged me with some dynamic ideas. All I got out of it was just some crotchety conservative waxing nostalgic about the days when America was 80-90% white christians.

So far the only thing I agree with Farah was the disgust of our consumerist culture, that is true. But it was just yet another right-wing chest thumper proclaiming about how America must become a theocracy. The typical "We need to bring this country back to god!" and "America was founded on Judeo Christian values"

Guys, just what are you implying when you say this? Do you want to kick the rest of us nonbelievers out of your new blessed christian country? Are we not good enough for you? Does God favor white christian republicans more than others? Do you honestly believe America's christian heritage is under attack? I come from straight out of the Bible Belt(South Carolina) and I can tell you Christian culture and values are not going anywhere.

And I can also tell you us "heathens" aren't going anywhere either. Quit blowing the "plight" of your sacred ways out of proportion. Was this country founded on christian principles by god-fearing men? Maybe, but Jefferson put the seperation of church and state there for a reason. If the day comes when government troops kick down your door and confiscate your Bibles and arrest you for illegal religious practices, I'll take your arguments seriously.

Editorial Review:

According to the author, Americans are faced with an unresponsive and unaccountable one-party political system, an establishment propaganda machine posing as a free press, and cultural institutions - educational, charitable, entertainment, religious, medical, and others - seduced by the materialistic gods of an all-powerful secular state. Even more important, the crisis this represents cannot be resolved through the political system by electing new politicians to office. A much more profound, long-term, and fundamental shift is needed. According to Farah, "The choice is simple: the world of standards and morality, of marriage, order, the rule of law, and accountability to God or the world of anything goes, aberrant behaviour, do-your-own-thing lifestyles and moral codes that change with the speed of the latest public opinion polls."