Good books/pamphlets/articles to give to people interested in anarchism
Jul 31 2007 21:42
So, this topic springs from the 5 books thread:
Asher wrote:
Anarchism: Arguments For And Against by Albert Meltzer
Feighnt wrote:
hey! that's one of mine, didnt think anyone else would mention that one.
Asher wrote:
Heh, I first read it a while ago at the local anarchist bookshop (which I later ended up doing shifts at wink )- I thought the arguments against were a bit piss-poor and involved a fair bit of misrepresentation, but the arguments for were decent. Ended up buying a copy last year, as something to lend to a friend that was becoming interested in anarchism. Which reminds me of a good topic to start, I'll do that now.
The question is, what books/pamphlets/articles/films/whatever would you reccomend to a friend/aquaintance that is becoming interested in anarchism - I'm thinking something easy to read, without too many acronyms or incomprehensible academic terms. It could be a basic overview of anarchism, or a short and inspirational history or whatever.
A couple that spring to mind for me (both of which I've given to friends and had decent feedback from) are the aforementioned Anarchism: Arguments For & Against by Albert Meltzer and Anarchy: A Graphic Guide by Clifford Harper.
So, what suggestions do people have?
Jul 31 2007 22:08
#2
I wouldn't give anyone interested in anarchism a book, tbh -- not first off, anyway. I'd have a few drinks with them, maybe invite them along to something that my group was doing, talk to them about why we do what we do.
I think that whole "Interested in anarchism? Read this!" thing's fairly fucked, frankly.
[/grumpy bastard]
Jul 31 2007 22:16
#3
Well, I learned my anarchism from reading the Manifesto of the Communist Party (some forum members may have suspected as much), and using it to critique the (then) Soviet Union. It's pretty short and only about 60p (or in my case free, from a fascist who'd got it off his grandad).
Of course, I later realised that Stalin wasn't a marxist, which meant a certain amount of theoretical re-evaluation, but that's another story.
Jul 31 2007 22:41
#4
Quote:
I wouldn't give anyone interested in anarchism a book, tbh -- not first off, anyway.
Oh, I agree with this, for sure. To give an example of what I'm talking about - the person I gave the two books I mentioned to was already a friend, who'd been involved in a broad-based campaign with a number of anarchists and from that learnt a little about anarchism. We'd had a number of discussions about it (both him asking me questions and actual discussions), and he'd decided from that interaction that he wanted to find out more. It was at that stage that I offered to lend him the books.
Quote:
maybe invite them along to something that my group was doing
And therein lies the frustration of not being a part of any active explicitly anarchist group...
Jul 31 2007 23:52
#5
Like everyone else I don't think a book would turn somone on to anarchism on its own but they do help - one pamphlet that I'd have no problem reccomending to anyone is Parliament and Democracy. Its produced by the WSM and outlines the case for anarchism while debunking the idea of representative democracy really wel I think.
IMO we don't have enough pamphlets like this. Zabalaza do a good job though - this pamphlet is also pretty good (it is platformist though which everyone won't agree with...):What is anarchism?
Jul 31 2007 23:54
#6
Quote:
And therein lies the frustration of not being a part of any active explicitly anarchist group...
Things could be worse. You could be a member of an active anarchist group that's got Jack in it. 
Jul 31 2007 23:56
#7
I don't give people books or pamphlets anymore. I give them Flint's email address.
Aug 1 2007 02:03
#8
the aforementioned book by meltzer was actually the first book specifically on Anarchism i read, the first book that explained Anarchism to me (in brief). it's quite true what button said - just telling someone who's interested to read some book isnt a great thing to do, but it's useful if someone has already become a bit interested and wants to find some literature which shows things a bit better.
i've heard Guerin's "Anarchism: From Theory to Practice" has helped at least one person in this regard before.
Aug 1 2007 02:39
#9
"The Bakuninists At Work" 
Aug 1 2007 02:51
#10
i might also say, history books which have Anarchists in them (in any slightly decent role) strike me as good, too. the first thing that actually got me thinking of Anarchists and Anarchism as serious and decent in any way was a history of the japanese socialist movement. and, of course, spain left a strong impression too.
Aug 1 2007 05:51
#11
If they have any background in political philosophy, esp. the sorta liberalism that you get in most intro to political theory classes in university, you can't beat Kropotkin.
Hell, I'd encourage anyone to read Kropotkin...he's fucking fantastic!
Aug 1 2007 07:42
#12
Aug 1 2007 10:47
#13
Mm, good suggestion Joseph! I first came across that only about 3 months ago in the local anarchist library, and was pretty impressed. I like prole.info's style - nice design and quality, accessible writing.
Aug 1 2007 10:58
#14
For films I would recomend:
"The Living Utopia," Is the single best film on anarchism. Its a Spanish TV production covering the history of anarchism and the civil war/revolution, hard to find though but excellent.
"The Free Voice of Labour", This is the only thing on anarchism I have showed my mom, its a history of Jewish labour circle in the early 1900's, nohing like a cute old granny telling you about anarchism...
The Book "The Poll Tax Rebellion" By Danny Burns is a good example of self organized mass movements in a semi up to date context.
Also "The Bolsheviks and Workers Control" is the single best text to give Bolsheviks your looking to "liberate" in my opinion.
Autobiographies tend to go over well, people can more often relate to an individuals motivations and experiences rather than long winded theory.
But its always best to start off with some conversations.
Aug 4 2007 11:18
#15
There's a cool litle pamphlet (can't remeber who did it) , I know Norwich Anarchists used to have it on their stall, Everything You Wanted to know About Anarchism.... I'd have thought something really basic, accessable, simple, broad and easy to read like that would be the obvious choice.
Aug 4 2007 20:19
#16
I'd say anything about spain, that's what got me interested to begin with. Then conversations and maybe some reading after them.
Aug 4 2007 21:19
#17
stinkerbell wrote:
There's a cool litle pamphlet (can't remeber who did it) , I know Norwich Anarchists used to have it on their stall, Everything You Wanted to know About Anarchism.... I'd have thought something really basic, accessable, simple, broad and easy to read like that would be the obvious choice.
Aug 4 2007 22:19
#18
John Flood wrote:
stinkerbell wrote:
There's a cool litle pamphlet (can't remeber who did it) , I know Norwich Anarchists used to have it on their stall, Everything You Wanted to know About Anarchism.... I'd have thought something really basic, accessable, simple, broad and easy to read like that would be the obvious choice.
It had a different cover, but if it ain't that it was something very similar. I'd say anything like that would be good, IIRC they were quite useful to have on information stalls.
Aug 4 2007 22:43
#19
Aug 5 2007 10:17
#20
I've not had a look myself, but my friend's first encounter with Anarchism was on wikipedia. He read all the articles and that gave him a foot hold in it's ideas and theory. If it's half way decent it might be a place to start.
Aug 5 2007 12:42
#21
"Zenarchy" by Kerry Thornley. IllumiNet Press 1991
Aug 5 2007 17:10
#22
stinkerbell wrote:
John Flood wrote:
stinkerbell wrote:
There's a cool litle pamphlet (can't remeber who did it) , I know Norwich Anarchists used to have it on their stall, Everything You Wanted to know About Anarchism.... I'd have thought something really basic, accessable, simple, broad and easy to read like that would be the obvious choice.It had a different cover, but if it ain't that it was something very similar. I'd say anything like that would be good, IIRC they were quite useful to have on information stalls.
The book has been re-written in the last couple of years and has benefitted greatly for it. The new version is the one in the above post. I wasn't a fan of the older version, I felt it was aimed more at subcultural types whereas I've left a copy of the new one at my mams house. Not that she's interested in Anarchism but it'll at least answer a few questions for her when I'm not about to argue the toss.
Aug 7 2007 10:30
#23
'Educating Who About What' (Black Economy Books 1996) 
Aug 8 2007 01:41
#24
Hagbard Celine wrote:
"Zenarchy" by Kerry Thornley. IllumiNet Press 1991
Hmm. While I was at one point (many years ago) way into Discordianism, and do still enjoy it and love that smutty trilogy about the golden submarine and the eye in the pyramid, I can't say that it in any way prepared me or otherwise educated me on Anarchism. Indeed, I had to unlearn most of that to be of any use to anyone other than myself and my hippie friends. I.e., Simon Moon's father was right.
Aug 8 2007 08:54
#25
Thornley may have been a paranoid nut job (or maybe his brain transplant slipped), but Zenarchy is a good anarchist text in the same way that Larry Law's 'Revolutionary Self Theory' is, i.e. it helps to ensure that our political philosophies remain fluid and adaptable, there is nothing less libertarian than dogma and rhetoric.
Whilst we're on the subject I'd like to recommend 'Revolutionary Self Theory' as the best 'anarchist' publication of all time, it fits into just about any pocket!
Aug 8 2007 13:24
#26
"The Enemy is Middle Class" by Andy Anderson & Mark Anderson (Openly Classist 2001)
I can supply copies for £3 inc. p&p in the UK.
Aug 11 2007 00:41
#27
An Anarchist FAQ. Soon to be published by AK Press.[/url]
Principles of Syndicalism by Tom Brown
"At the Cafe" by Errico Malatesta. For that matter anything by Errico Malatesta
"Workers' Councils and the Economics of a Self-Managed Society" by Solidarity (basically a translation of On the Content of Socialism II by Cornelius Castoriadis. The Solidarity version has great pictures though, although its hard to find. I've got a pdf of it from a copy I scanned in, which I might post on the net somewhere.
"Anarchy in action" by Colin Ward
Aug 12 2007 23:25
#28
Malatesta's Anarchy, but books can only convey so much...
I gave my mother a copy of Naomi Klein's No Logo not long after it came out to give her an insite into the whole anti-globilisation/corporation thing - not specifically anarchist but you have to start somewhere.
Yeah I think the graphic guide as about as good as it gets, nothing else immediatly springs to mind,