Realizing the Impossible

As part of the Friends of AK Press program I received a copy of Realizing the Impossible: Art Against Authority, a book whose time had come.

Editors Josh MacPhee and Erik Reuland have compiled interviews and essays with artists of all kinds involved in anti-authoritarian movements throughout the globe.  What follows is an in-depth and interesting look at the history of this type of art and where it is at today.  Printmaking, video, graffiti, puppet theatre and more is covered in its pages, along with plenty of great photographs.

It is easy for a book of this type to become nothing but a cheerleader for anti-authoritarian and anarchist art.  It's not.  In fact, one of the best pieces takes the activist films to task for be substandard pieces of work that fail to hold an audience simply because they don't do what is proven to work.  It is a critical and insightful piece that needs to be read by anyone involved in activist film.  This isn't the only piece that challenges the norm, either.  Throughout the book are people questioning the form, meaning and effect of the art they and others do.  That's what makes this a book well worth checking out for anyone interested in the arts, subversive or otherwise.

The end of the book is a series of essays examining one subject or another in dept.  Of note, there are two great pieces dealing with Haymarket and culture jamming.  Those two works alone make this worth its cover price.  Any serious student of culture will want to read these.  There will be plenty to argue about, but also plenty with which you will agree.

If the book has one fault it is that it is too short.  You know this has merely scratched the surface of what is out there.  It could've been twice its size and still run into the same problem, however.  What is needed is new volumes, and while I don't know if that is something AK Press is planning, I do hope someone does it as this type of art is important in its own right and needs to examined by those involved and those who are witnesses.


Mandatory FTC Disclaimer:  I received this book as part of the Friends of AK Press program.  It was not sent to me to review, but I did it anyway.  If you don't know what that is, go to the link.  Take that, FTC.  Also, clicking on a link may earn me a small commission.

God and the State

God and the State, Mikhail Bakunin's dissection of the church, government and socialism, is standard in any anarchist's library.  I know plenty of atheists and political science majors who have read it, as well.

At this stage in the game of life, you would think most people with any sort of governmental mistrust and those who question the authority of religion would have at least given this a glance.  Yes, it's incomplete (Bakunin died before he could finish it, and it is published that way), but it is one of the more influential books on the subject.  The foundations of the current anarchist movement are laid here.  The argument against the church is made clearly ... more clearly than a lot of the atheist movement's own literature (which, in its fervor, gives organized religion more power credence than it has on its own).

In other words, this should be standard reading for those who question the status quo.  What I have found is that it is not.

I can't really blame "free thinkers" for not knowing about the book, let alone reading it.  While referenced in plenty of other books on political history and theory, it is far from a household name.  You would really only have a working knowledge of it if you read a lot of anarchist history or read a lot of political theory.  Most of the people I know who question the order of things get their knowledge through The Daily Show.  (Which is on par with those who only get their knowledge through Fox.)  Few seek out anything really in-depth.  Fewer still seek out books published in 1882.  That doesn't make it any less historically important, however, and not just to anarchists.

 With America becoming even more polarized (something that seemed almost unimaginable six years ago), this book's message could not be more timely.  It teaches one how to critically challenge those in authority, and it sets the basis for the not only the current anarchist movement, but for every current movement that professes a desire to be free from government (including the Tea Party, the members of which would probably gasp if they read it).  Will it change the world?  I'd say it already has.

AK Press Sale!

I received this e-mail.  Seems like a good time to stock up.




In This Email Monthly Review Sale Discounted AK Titles Forthcoming AK Titles Friends of AK Press Quick LinksAK Press - HomeNew Titles at AK PressDirt Cheap Sale ItemsFriends of AK
Revolution by the Book (AK Blog)
Save on Monthly Review Books All Month!
We had so much fun with last month's Mayday Spectacular sale, we've decided to keep up the discounting action. So from now on, we're going feature a different publisher each month and put ALL their books on 25% discount for the whole month. That way you'll get a sense of all the great publishers we work with, and you'll save money at the same time! Doesn't that sound fun?

So, to kick things off, our featured publisher for the month of June is Monthly Review Press-an independent socialist publisher, and the publishing arm of Monthly Review magazine. They're known for their books on political economy, history, ecology, and labor, among many other essential topics.

Check out all the Monthly Review titles, in their discounted glory, or read on for a few highlights...
Monthly Review: Recent & Recommended  [Image]The ABCs of the Economic Crisis: What Working People Need to KnowMichael D Yates & Fred Magdoff
Sale price: $8.96 (list price $11.95)
The economic crisis has created a host of problems for working people: collapsing wages, lost jobs, ruined pensions, and the anxiety that comes with not knowing what tomorrow will bring. Compounding all this is a lack of reliable information that speaks to the realities of workers. In this short, clear, and concise book, Fred Magdoff and Michael D. Yates explain the nature of the economic crisis as a normal and even expected outcome of a thoroughly irrational and destructive system. No amount of tinkering with capitalism can overcome the core contradiction of the system: the daily exploitation and degradation of the majority of the world's people by a tiny minority of business owners. This book is aimed primarily at working people, students, and activists, who want not just to understand the world but to change it.

For more background on the financial crisis from Monthly Review, see also The Great Financial Crisis. [Image]Anarchism: From Theory To PracticeDaniel GuérinSale price: $10.50 (list price $14.00)
A classic introductory book on anarchism, with a strong Marxist flavor. Excellent both on the intellectual substance of anarchism and its actual practice through the Bolshevik Revolution, the Spanish Civil War, the Italian Factory Councils, and workers' self-management in Yugoslavia and Algeria. With an introduction by Noam Chomsky. [Image]Discourse on Colonialism
Aimé CésaireSale price: $10.50 (list price $14.00)
Césaire's work, crucial to the anti-colonial struggles of the 50s and 60s, now haunts us again. His questions about the role of imperialism and slavery and of concepts like the "savage" or the "primitive" as central to the construction of "civilization," of the West and of progress remind us that the carnage in Africa, Asia, and the Americas which is our history is not past; it is lodged deep in the heart of Western cultures. As Césaire said, "It is equally necessary to decolonize our minds, our inner life, at the same time we decolonize society." [Image]Eurocentrism: Modernity, Religion, and Democracy, A Critique of Eurocentrism and Culturalism
Samir AminSale price: $13.46 (list price $17.95)
Since its first publication twenty years ago, Eurocentrism has become a classic of radical thought. Written by one of the world's foremost political economists, this original and provocative essay takes on one of the great "ideological deformations" of our time. Rejecting the dominant Eurocentric view of world history, which narrowly and incorrectly posits a progression from the Greek and Roman classical world to Christian feudalism and the European capitalist system, Amin presents a sweeping reinterpretation that emphasizes the crucial historical role played by the Arab Islamic world. Throughout the work, Amin addresses a broad set of concerns, ranging from the ideological nature of scholastic metaphysics to the meanings and shortcomings of contemporary Islamic fundamentalism.

Also by Samir Amin, from Monthly Review: The World We Wish To See. [Image]Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a ContinentEduardo Galeano Sale price: $13.50 (list price $18.00)

The best single volume on 500 years of exploitation and resistance of Latin America's "open veins." Rather than chronology, geography, or political successions, Galeano has organized the various facets of Latin American history according to the patterns of five centuries of exploitation. Weaving fact and imagery into a rich tapestry, Galeano fuses scientific analysis with the passions of a plundered and suffering people. This classic is now further honored by Isabel Allende's inspiring introduction.

For another Galeano classic from Monthly Review, check out Days and Nights of Love and War. [Image]The Structural Crisis of CapitalIstván MészárosSale price: $20.21 (list price $26.95)
In this collection of trenchant essays and interviews, István Mészáros lays bare the exploitative structure of modern capitalism. He argues with great power that the world's economies are on a social and ecological precipice, and that unless we take decisive action to radically transform our societies we will find ourselves thrust headfirst into barbarism and environmental catastrophe. Mészáros, however, is no pessimist. He believes that the multiple crises of world capitalism will encourage the working class to demand center stage in the construction of a new system of production and distribution designed to meet human needs rather than serve the relentless pursuit of profit.

Also by István Mészáros, from Monthly Review: The Challenge and Burden of Historical Time. [Image]The Taming of the American Crowd: From Stamp Riots to Shopping Sprees Al SandineSale price: $14.21 (list price $18.95)
The history of the United States has been largely shaped, for better or for worse, by the actions of large groups of people. Rioters on a village green, shoppers lurching about a labyrinthine mall, slaves packed into the dark hold of a ship, strikers assembling outside the factory gates, all have their place in the rich and sometimes tragic history of the American crowd. This unique study traces that history from the days of anti-colonial revolt to today's passive 'colonized crowds' that fill our sports arenas, commercial centers, and workplaces. In clear and lively prose, Al Sandine argues for role crowds have played in securing greater democracy, civil rights, and free speech. But he also investigates crowds in their more dangerous forms, such as lynch mobs and anti-immigrant riots. [Image]When Media Goes to War: Hegemonic Discourse, Public Opinion, and the Limits of DissentAnthony DiMaggio Sale price: $14.21 (list price $18.95)
In this fresh and provocative book, Anthony DiMaggio uses the conflicts with Iraq and Iran as his touchstones to probe the sometimes fine line between news and propaganda. Using Gramsci's concept of hegemony and drawing upon the seminal works of Noam Chomsky, Edward Herman, and Robert McChesney, DiMaggio enlightens readers about issues essential to the struggle for a critical media and a functioning democracy. If our newspapers and television news programs play a decisive role in determining what we think, and if what the media give us is largely propaganda in support of an oppressive and undemocratic status quo, then it is incumbent upon us to make sure that they are responsive to the majority and not just the powerful and privileged few.

Also about the media, from Monthly Review: The Language of Empire, The Political Economy of Media, and The Problem of the Media. Featured AK Press Titles: 50% Off! [Image]Each month we also bring you a new selection of featured AK Press backlist titles at an enticing 50% discount! Here are the new featured titles for June:

Black Flame: The Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism, CounterPower Vol. I
Michael Schmidt & Lucien van der Walt
Sale price: $11.50 (list price $22.95)
Critical Mass: Bicycling's Defiant Celebration
Edited by Chris Carlsson
Sale price: $9.50 (list price $18.95)

1936: The Spanish Revolution
The Ex
Sale price: $12.50 (list price $24.95)

Igniting A Revolution: Voices in Defense of the Earth
Edited by Steven Best & Anthony J. Nocella II
Sale price: $11.00 (list price $21.95)
Real Utopia: Participatory Society for the 21st Century
Edited by Chris Spannos
Sale price: $11.00 (list price $21.95)

Anarchism in America DVD
Edited by Steven Fischler & Joel Sucher
Sale price: $10.00 (list price $19.95) Forthcoming AK Press Titles: 25% Off! [Image]We've been busy around here lately, getting LOTS of new AK Press books sent off to the printer... and we hope you'll be as excited as we are about the results. Check out the next few books that are coming out from AK Press, and preorder yours today! We'll bill you and send your books as soon as they arrive in our warehouse from the printer.
Wasting Libby: The True Story of How the WR Grace Corporation Left a Montana Town to Die
Andrea Peacock
Preorder now for $11.95 (list price $15.95)
Dispersing Power: Social Movements as Anti-State Forces
Raul Zibechi
Preorder now for $11.95 (list price $15.95)
Uses of a Whirlwind: Movement, Movements, and Contemporary Radical Currents in the United States
Edited by Team Colors Collective
Preorder now for $14.95 (list price $19.95)
Sparking A Worldwide Energy Revolution: Social Struggles in the Transition to a Post-petrol World
Edited by Kolya Abramsky
Preorder now for $16.50 (list price $21.95) Become a Friend of AK Press! [Image]Support anarchist publishing! To thank you for your monthly contribution of $25 or more, we'll send you a copy of every new AK Press title hot off the press—plus you'll get a 20% discount on anything we sell, anytime! With so many great titles at the printer, there's no time like the present to sign up as a Friend of AK.
Sign up now and get a stylish tote bag featuring the new Friends of AK logo designed by Josh MacPhee. If you're already a FoAK, just refer someone else, and if they mention you when they sign up, you'll both get a tote bag. And that's not all-if you keep referring more people after your first, you'll get a $20 AK Press gift certificate for each additional new FoAK you sign up!
 

The Death Of Work

Bob Black's The Abolition of Work and Other Essays is when of those books you read when you're mad as hell and you just can't take it anymore (or so they say in the movies). Inspirational. Angry. Funny. Black, who has been the target of a lot of hate (some rational, others misplaced), may not appeal to everyone but he should be read.

In the essay "Let Us Prey!," Black hits something right on the head. "The liberals and leftist in contrast are dithering, defensive conservatives -- Weimar paralytics unwilling to do unto others what's being done to them." You can easily see why he has his share of critics in the left, and with the health care debate degenerating into a gun-toting lynch mob you can just as easily see he has a point. This is why I like him. This is why you probably hate him.

Toward the end of his book there is an essay called "Anarchism and Other Impediments to Anarchy." It is one of those essays that will either have you pissed off at him or possibly even agreeing. Personally, while I think Black is often a little full of himself, I also think he brings up some good points in this essay (and many others). They are uncomfortable truths -- of that I am certain -- but they are also worth examining. I won't go into his full argument but he is inspired in thinking that anarchists might be one of the prime reasons anarchism hasn't become society's norm. (He states that many anarchists are "incapable" of living in a co-operative and autonomous manner and also declares that many aren't very "bright." Yeah, there is something to that, and I would classify myself as an anarchist.)

Love him or hate him, Black is what I would call Autumn Reading. Everything is dying outside your window, and this is the perfect read to that backdrop. Plus, it could inspire you to quit your job and take up the lost art of creativity.

Her First Book

My daughter wasn't even a year old when I started reading to her. The first book? Alexander Berkman's ABC of Anarchism, a classic from 1929 reprinted by AK Press and obtained through its excellent Friends of AK Press program.

My parents would have been appalled.

My daughter is five now, and I still read to her on a regular basis, though she's nowhere near as interested in reading as I was at her age. She's slowly getting it on her own, though, which I think will improve her interest level. I've got around nine hundred books in my library and let her know when she can read she can read of them she can reach. (With that one exception.)

That first book, though, was important to me. I know none of it stuck, but I wanted a seed to be planted. I wanted to, when she would ask me years later, be able to tell her that her first book was an important one, and why it was important. It's essential reading for anarchists and the politically minded in general. I don't exactly expect her to have the same political values as mine, but I know she won't learn the proper things about anarchism in school, so I wanted to get first dibs on that.

Perhaps in the future, when she's been reading for few years on her own, she'll delve into the first book I read her. Maybe she'll have questions. Maybe she'll dismiss it as leftist garbage. If I can get her to question it, though, then I have done my job. You see, I don't think a parent's goal is to get their kid to think like them. It's to have the child question the parent as to his or her beliefs. That should be what every parent strives for. Anything less is unacceptable ... and in some cases dangerous.

Let's hope this first book set the gears in motion for her to be on the right track. At the very least it's better than Limbaugh.