The Shock Doctrine

[JAH23]

I need to read a book for my AP Government class, and I thought I would read The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein. Has anyone read this book, or have an opinion of it?

Also, does anyone have any suggestions for a contemporary non fiction book that focuses on leftist/socialism/anti-capitalism? I would love recommendations.

[Invincible Summer]

How "contemporary" do you need it to be? Just 20th century? Howard Zinn's A Peoples History of the US would be good. Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent is excellent as well.

[Liberateeducate]

Hearing that there are classes in high school where teachers bring materials like this and have kids read it, gives me hope in becoming a teacher and bringing in truly revolutionary material.

[JAH23]

Hearing that there are classes in high school where teachers bring materials like this and have kids read it, gives me hope in becoming a teacher and bringing in truly revolutionary material.

The teacher just said for us to read anything we want that is political in nature and related to the US. So I wanted to read something that would interest me. Something leftist in nature. The teacher himself skewered the definition of Marxism...but he's a cool guy, I guess.

[mo7amEd]

I got 'the chock doctrin' as a gift a couple of years ago... havent read it yet. but it was a lot of fuss about the book when it was published, is it really that read-worthy?

[JAH23]

I don't know I haven't read it yet.

[ZeroNowhere]

I found this to be an accurate summary of my view on the book:


Now, it’s one thing for Klein to project a tone of this-will-be-big-news-for-you-sunshine regarding capitalists (they are self-interested profit-makers!) or capitalist state machineries (they can, like, trample over your rights!), but it’s another story when Klein’s mish-mash of Keynesian nostalgia, hostility to conviction politics and fear and loathing of dramatic social change is considered by intellectuals to be big, bold and radical. In truth, The Shock Doctrine is like being trapped in the Guardian’s Weekend section forever, with only activists from the European Social Forum for company.


In short, it’s not very good.
-Neil Davenport

[Os Cangaceiros]

That sounds about right.

[JAH23]

Thanks. I think I'll be reading Howard Zinn anyways.