Anarchist Books

[luk3r3r]

Hi, I don't know much about leftism and I want to learn about anarchism so I did a search on my college library database and it came up with:

GOODWAY, David- For anarchism : history, theory and practice
KROPOTKIN, Peter- Anarchism & anarchist communism
ROOUM, Donald- What is anarchism? : an introduction

Are these worth reading?
Also, are any of these:

ALI, Tariq & EVANS, P- Trotsky for beginners
MARX, Karl & ENGELS, Friedrich- The communist manifesto

If not, what should I read?

[Absolut]

Kropotkin is always a good read, and definitely the manifesto. Other than that, Id recommend you try to find something by Errico Malatesta, everything Ive read by him so far has been really good. Also, Daniel Guerin wrote a book on anarchism, which I thought was pretty good as an introduction, so if you can find it, Id suggest you read it. For anarcho-syndicalism, read Rudolf Rocker's Anarchism and Anarcho-syndicalism. Ive never heard of Rooum or Goodway, so I cant really say anything about them.

[CELMX]

Yes, definitely, Kropotkin is wonderful, and quite an easy read. Those books your library database came up with is also great.
There's an awesome website full of anarchist literature, if you would like to read them for free: anarchy archive (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/).
Also, Marxist Archive (http://www.marxists.org/)is great for a HUGE variety of leftist stuff. You should check it out for great reads on communism (and some anarchist stuff).
:)

[revolution inaction]

kropotkin is good, see if they have anything else by him, don't know anything about the others, the communist manifesto is irrelevant to anarchism, i don't know if its worth reading or not, i'v never got round to it.

theres lots of good stuff about anarchism/communism here http://libcom.org
for anarchist communism this isn't to bad a place to start http://libcom.org/thought/anarchist-communism-an-introduction

there is also the anarchist faq http://anarchism.pageabode.com/afaq/index.html

[comradshaw]

Hi, I don't know much about leftism and I want to learn about anarchism so I did a search on my college library database and it came up with:

GOODWAY, David- For anarchism : history, theory and practice
KROPOTKIN, Peter- Anarchism & anarchist communism
ROOUM, Donald- What is anarchism? : an introduction

Are these worth reading?
Also, are any of these:

ALI, Tariq & EVANS, P- Trotsky for beginners
MARX, Karl & ENGELS, Friedrich- The communist manifesto

If not, what should I read?

I think the following are essential for any anarchist as well as anyone who wants to learn about anarchism:

An Anarchist FAQ: this one is certainly for beginners, but it's also a great resource for all anarchists. The bibliography is extensive, and includes a great number of anarchist writers as well as other leftists. It is an excellent summation of the social anarchist program, and articulates why anarchists are opposed to capitalism, the State, and domination/oppression in all its forms.

Anarchy Alive by Uri Gordon: this is a light read, and will give the reader a good analysis of what's going on in the contemporary anarchist movement from a thoughtful anarchist scholar.

Direct Action by David Graeber: this is an ethnographic study from an anarchist anthropologist that talks about his own participation in the anarchist movement. This gives one an understanding about how anarchist organization and anarchist activism is radically different from progressive groups, as well as other revolutionary left groups.

No Gods No Masters (an anthology) edited by Daniel Guerin: this is one of my favorite collections of classical anarchist writings. It starts with figures like Max Stirner and Prodhoun, and goes all the way to militants like Nester Makhno and Durruti. It's really thorough and includes anarchist perspectives on such events as the 1848 revolutions in France, the Paris Commune, the Russian Revolution, and the Spanish Civil War, all from people who were actually there.

Anarchosyndicalism by Rudolf Rocker: This book is obviously a dissertation of anarcho-syndicalism, the sect of social anarchism that advocates radical unionism and overthrowing capitalism by advocating general strikes and workers' councils. It's also a great history of the radical labor movement throughout the 19th and 20th century.

The Conquest of Bread by Peter Kropotkin: This is a blueprint and description of what anarcho-communism would look like.

I think these would all be good intros to anarchism. There's a vast array of literature on anarchism, though. It could be a lifelong endeavor. That's what I'm shooting for.

[x359594]

...
GOODWAY, David- For anarchism : history, theory and practice
KROPOTKIN, Peter- Anarchism & anarchist communism
ROOUM, Donald- What is anarchism? : an introduction

Are these worth reading?...

The first two are worth reading (I'm not familiar with Donald Rooum's book.)

Goodway's book is an anthology meant as an answer to Althusser's For Marx. There are a variety of articles by several authors in For Anarchism.

I also recommend The ABC of Anarchism by Alexander Berkman as well as the other titles already mentioned in this thread.