basic reading list for an anarcho communist

Off the top of my head:
The Platform... and Malatesta's criticisms
Malatesta's Life and Ideas - Vernon Richards ed
Post Scarcity Anarchism - Murray Bookchin
Easiest to read is Berkman's What is Communist Anarchism plus ABC of Anarchism
Also, Malatesta's Fra Contadini is easy but good
I quite like Bourgois influences on anarchism by Luigi Fabbri

Get some history down you as well:
History of the Makhnovist Movement - Peter Ashinov
Kronstadt Uprising - Ida Mett
Wilhelmshaven Revolt - Icarus
Durruti: a people armed - Abel Paz

It's not technically anarchist, but it is libertarian communist, and I really recommend it as quite early reading:
Capitalism and communism by Gilles Dauvé:
http://libcom.org/library/capitalism-communism-gilles-dauve

it has a much clearer understanding of capitalism than many anarchist texts.

The AF text Introduction to anarchist communism is also really good:
http://libcom.org/library/introduction-anarchist-communism-anarchist-federation

I would also heartily recommend the AF texts against nationalism and Work and the free society

I also agree with Serge's recommendation of reading history alongside theoretical texts. Those he lists are all good

How could I have forgotten the AF's excellent pamphlets?

For theory, the above suggestions are great. For a bit of practice and seeing where workers organised in a consistent manner with A-C (and often not consciously) def go for Zinn's A People's History and Brecher's Strike!

Hi the croydonian,

I thought that this would be a good book. Although it's not really an explanation of what libertarian communism / anarcho-communism is, I found it excellent when I was first finding out about the ideas and histories.

Cheers, Dan.

Hungary '56 by Andy Anderson.

Hungary '56 in the Libcom library

Here's an excerpt from the introduction:

"The Hungarian Revolution was the most important event in working class history since October 1917. It marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. It irrevocably destroyed any moral advantage the Kremlin and those who support it may ever have had. But it was much more than this. It was a very positive event. From the Hungarian Revolution can be drawn lessons of the utmost importance for all who wish to bring about the change to a classless society in Britain or anywhere else in the world."

"In 1956 the Hungarian working class inscribed on its banner the demand for workers' management of production. It insisted that Workers' Councils should play a dominant role in all realms of social life. It did so in a society in which the private ownership of the means of production (and the old ruling class based on it) had been largely eliminated. And it did so in a society in which political power was held 'on behalf of the working class' by a self-styled working class party. In putting forward these two demands under these particular circumstances, the Hungarian workers blazed a trail. In the second half of the twentieth century their ideas will become the common heritage of all workers, in all lands."

Hey Croydonian,
ABC of Anarchisms by Alexander Berkman is a great book to read when it comes to anarchist classics. Not really a great fn of Emma Goldmans stuff, Berkman had more flare.