Anarchist Books

[Nikolay]

Any good Anarchist books out there (that are cheap)?

Also, is "An Anarchist FAQ" on anarchism.ws in book form?

[¿Que?]

The Coming Insurrection is coming from an autonomous perspective. It's short and free on the internets. Get you some!

[Os Cangaceiros]

The Coming Insurrection is coming from an autonomous perspective. It's short and free on the internets. Get you some!

My work here is done!

[Jimmie Higgins]

Black Flame: the revolutionary class politics of anarchism and syndicalism

http://www.revolutionbythebook.akpress.org/black-flame-the-revolutionary-class-politics-of-anarchism-and-syndicalism-%E2%80%94-book-excerpt/

[Os Cangaceiros]

Black Flame: the revolutionary class politics of anarchism and syndicalism

http://www.revolutionbythebook.akpress.org/black-flame-the-revolutionary-class-politics-of-anarchism-and-syndicalism-%E2%80%94-book-excerpt/

I usually recommend that one for people when they ask for anarchist books, especially since most of the other writings people recommend were published 80-100 years ago (Kropotkin, Malatesta, Rocker, etc.)

It's very good, although not without it's faults...the authors really pick and choose who they consider "anarchists", when in reality it's questionable whether you can really expel someone like Proudhon from the "broad anarchist tradition" (in their words). I think though that the real value of BF: TRCPOAAS is the meticulous history it lays out in regards to syndicalism and anarchist organization.

[F9]

Any good Anarchist books out there (that are cheap)?

Also, is "An Anarchist FAQ" on anarchism.ws in book form?

Ok here we go, ABC of Anarchism-Alexander Berkman a must have book
Violence and Anarchism-Errico Malatesta
Conquest of Bread-Kropotkin

this 3, will help you a lot, seeing that you are new to this.

[Nikolay]

Ok here we go, ABC of Anarchism-Alexander Berkman a must have book
Violence and Anarchism-Errico Malatesta
Conquest of Bread-Kropotkin

this 3, will help you a lot, seeing that you are new to this.

I'm actually reading the ABC of Anarchism (how ironic) (though it's called ABCs of Communist Anarchism for some reason) and I'm loving it. :)

[F9]

though it's called ABCs of Communist Anarchism for some reason

Its the same thing, those say different, just dont know what they are talking about.The difference on title probably just comes from the different publishers etc, but its not the title the point;)

[x359594]

...The difference on title probably just comes from the different publishers etc, but its not the title the point.

The book is in the public domain and exists in two versions: one with the chapters on the Russian Revolution and one without. It's original title was Now and After: the ABC of Communist Anarchism.

Drawing the Line (a collection of essays) and People or Personnel by Paul Goodman are both excellent. Goodman was a 20th century Kropotkin.

Anarchism by Daniel Guerin is concise but with a slight bias toward anarcho-syndicalism. Also good is The Flood Gates of Anarchy by Stuart Chirstie and Albert Meltzer.

Anarchist FAQ is published in book form by AK Press.

[NoOneIsIllegal]

I usually recommend that one for people when they ask for anarchist books, especially since most of the other writings people recommend were published 80-100 years ago (Kropotkin, Malatesta, Rocker, etc.)

It's very good, although not without it's faults...the authors really pick and choose who they consider "anarchists", when in reality it's questionable whether you can really expel someone like Proudhon from the "broad anarchist tradition" (in their words). I think though that the real value of BF: TRCPOAAS is the meticulous history it lays out in regards to syndicalism and anarchist organization.
I loved it. But, like you said, the author(s) can be picky. That didn't bother me though, except Proudhon's exclusion. I was surprised by that one.
I just finished it a few days ago, but I can't seem to find Volume 2. I'm assuming it has not been published yet? Kind of annoying, since the book occasionally said things like "refer to volume 2" or "later in volume 2" ggaaahhhhhh!

On topic:
Like Explosive Situation said, it's a great book if you're looking for somewhere to start.

[Manifesto]

The Coming Insurrection is coming from an autonomous perspective. It's short and free on the internets. Get you some!
I'm sorry I had too. -__- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKyi2qNskJc

[revolution inaction]

I usually recommend that one for people when they ask for anarchist books, especially since most of the other writings people recommend were published 80-100 years ago (Kropotkin, Malatesta, Rocker, etc.)

It's very good, although not without it's faults...the authors really pick and choose who they consider "anarchists", when in reality it's questionable whether you can really expel someone like Proudhon from the "broad anarchist tradition" (in their words). I think though that the real value of BF: TRCPOAAS is the meticulous history it lays out in regards to syndicalism and anarchist organization.

I don't have that much of a problem excluding proudhon, he wasn't an anarchist by modern standards, but i think they also include people like de leon, who wasnt an anarchist either

[NoOneIsIllegal]

I don't have that much of a problem excluding proudhon, he wasn't an anarchist by modern standards, but i think they also include people like de leon, who wasnt an anarchist either
I think they justified De Leon's inclusion pretty well. Although the man didn't go by the title, and maybe even insulted Anarchism, I think his later years were just a stone's throw away from syndicalism/anarchism. I think people don't consider DeLeon an anarchist because his theory did involve electoral politics. However, the purpose of the electoral tactic was to dissolve parliamentary control. If anything, I think it just the result when you flirt syndicalism with political socialism.

I was totally fine with the book excluding people like Godwin, Tolstoy, and Stirner.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I loved it. But, like you said, the author(s) can be picky. That didn't bother me though, except Proudhon's exclusion. I was surprised by that one.
I just finished it a few days ago, but I can't seem to find Volume 2. I'm assuming it has not been published yet? Kind of annoying, since the book occasionally said things like "refer to volume 2" or "later in volume 2" ggaaahhhhhh!

On topic:
Like Explosive Situation said, it's a great book if you're looking for somewhere to start.
Yeah I don't think the next part is out yet.

[The Idler]

Also, is "An Anarchist FAQ" on anarchism.ws in book form?
Yes, ISBN 1902593901, published by AK Press in 2008.

[Os Cangaceiros]

I don't have that much of a problem excluding proudhon, he wasn't an anarchist by modern standards, but i think they also include people like de leon, who wasnt an anarchist either

It's not so much that I consider Proudhon to be an especially important part of anarchism as it exists today, it's more to do with the fact that I'm not sure if you can just go through your ideology's history and excommunicate historical figures who you find embarrassing.

[praxis1966]

This may or may not be the place to ask this, but can any of you refer me to a work by or about Emile Pouget? I'm looking for the "If you never read anything else by him, read _______," type of recommendation. Rocker makes reference to him as do others (even going so far as to accuse Marx of plagiarizing him), so I'd really like to read something by him just to get things straight from the horse's mouth as it were.

[Os Cangaceiros]

He co-wrote a rather over-exhuberant work about a hypothetical revolution...it's mentioned in Black Flame. I think it's called "How We Will Do The Revolution"...? He talks about annihilating class enemies with chemical weapons and other things of that nature.

I don't think that he wrote much in the way of actual literature...I think his work was mostly confined to propaganda in anarchist publications and pamphlets.

[praxis1966]

I don't think that he wrote much in the way of actual literature...I think his work was mostly confined to propaganda in anarchist publications and pamphlets.

Yeah, that's been my estimation of his oeuvre as well. I was just kind of hoping someone here might know something I didn't. It looks like Black Flame is the one to get hold of next then. That is, as soon as I'm done with God and the State and this Mexican-American history reader compiled by one of my girlfriend's professors for a class on the subject.

[Nikolay]

Could someone give me some links of books (that I can read on the internet) that are about Anaracho-Communism (I'm looking at around 5-10 books).


I've almost read all the books Fuserg9 has recommened, and I am enjoying them
a lot.

Thank you in advance. :lol:

[Magón]

Has no one read Anarchism and It's Aspirations by Cindy Milstein!? It's also published by AK Press, and what I thought to be a very insightful book. It's only $12.00 on their site.

[fa2991]

Could someone give me some links of books (that I can read on the internet) that are about Anaracho-Communism (I'm looking at around 5-10 books).


I've almost read all the books Fuserg9 has recommened, and I am enjoying them
a lot.

Thank you in advance. :lol:

Everything you need you can find here:

http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_archives/index.html


Also, is "An Anarchist FAQ" on anarchism.ws in book form?

Yes, but I wouldn't recommend it. It's only about half of the FAQ, and the AFAQ is constantly being updated and improved, so I don't really see the point of buying a book that will be repeatedly obsoleted in the near future.

[The Idler]

Yes, but I wouldn't recommend it. It's only about half of the FAQ, and the AFAQ is constantly being updated and improved, so I don't really see the point of buying a book that will be repeatedly obsoleted in the near future.
How is the AFAQ being constantly updated and improved?

[fa2991]

How is the AFAQ being constantly updated and improved?

Well, five new versions/revisions have been released since Vol. 1 was printed, each revision an improvement in my opinion.

[The Idler]

Where can I see these revisions?

[JacobVardy]

I would recommend The Dispossessed by Ursula le Guin. A novel that gives an anarchistic critique of some of the problems that might occur within an anarchist society. Also The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks, where the protagonist goes from anarcho-communism to state capitalism. Its a pretty searing criticism. And they're both fun to read.

For contemporary anarchist theory you should try David Graeber. Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology and Direct Action: an Ethnography both suggest that anarchism is as much a theory of practice as a theory of society. Fragments is downloadable, DA is available from AK Press.

[fa2991]

Where can I see these revisions?

http://anarchism.pageabode.com/afaq/new.html

[Velkas]

I second The Dispossessed, and many of the other great works mentioned here, especially The Conquest of Bread and ABC of Anarchism.
I have the print version of An Anarchist FAQ, and I think it's a pretty good resource.

My favourite anarchist authors would have to be Kropotkin, Malatesta, and Makhno.

It's from a Marxist website, but this (http://www.marxists.org/archive/index.htm#anarchism) has lots of good anarchist texts.

[Manifesto]

Does anyone else feel that the "Conquest of Bread" was kinda redundant for half of the book?

[fa2991]

Does anyone else feel that the "Conquest of Bread" was kinda redundant for half of the book?

Nope.