Chomsky on Anarchism, 18 Jun 2007
This is not a theoretical book; Chomsky does not see himself as an anarchist thinker but rather as a "fellow traveler" and so this collection of interviews, talks, and essays spaning from the early 1970s to 2004 contains no original theory from the man himself. Chomsky is as accessible as ever however and this book's interviews will give a reader new to anarchist thought a firm idea of what anarchists are against, and what they are for, with further elaboration of Chomsky's own critique of capitalism, state and government, and their alternatives in the essays and talks.

Chomsky on Anarchism, 18 Jun 2007
This is not a theoretical book; Chomsky does not see himself as an anarchist thinker but rather as a "fellow traveler" and so this collection of interviews, talks, and essays spaning from the early 1970s to 2004 contains no original theory from the man himself. Chomsky is as accessible as ever however and this book's interviews will give a reader new to anarchist thought a firm idea of what anarchists are against, and what they are for, with further elaboration of Chomsky's own critique of capitalism, state and government, and their alternatives in the essays and talks.

walks the walk, 21 Jul 2007
Stuart Christie, more well known for his 'involvement' with the Angry Brigade anarcho/revolutionary movement than his attempt to assinate the reactionary Spanish dictator Franco, is a leftie who walks the walk rather than just talking the talk. Paints a fantastic picture of a working class upbringing in post war Glasgow and his recollections of a lenghty prison stretch in a Madrid jail with other political prisoners of the anti Franco resistance are written with verve, wit and not too much of playing the blame game. Meu culpa. Later life in London, during the time a lot of us on the left thought a workers takeover of the UK economy was on the cards, is a joy to read as is his account of the numerous attempts by the old bill to stitch him up are no surprise to anyone who lived through those hectic times. Great read for everybody, even your Granny.

absolutely fascinating and brilliant, 20 Dec 2005
I picked this book up at book shop here in Edinburgh. I'd never heard of it - and was amused by a young Scottish Anarchist trying to blow Franco up. I've not been able to put it down since getting it - it is absolutely fascinating. Not only is the personal story rivetting - but it also has reminded me of past struggles to try and makes social change to make a better society. It also made me realise that the things we were protesting again are still there and the struggle for right and equality are still valid. Society here in Britian and the World has changed so much; in the past there were struggle for justice - but now we are so seduced into the aquiring of property and that if you are not you feel like some dinosaur from the past. This book has reminded me what it is all about and that that niggling feeling that you don't fit in and buy into the consumerist ideology isn't that you have a problem but that the problem is the make up of society. It is also relevent when we are seeing protests against world poverty and the other protest against what is going on - in reminding us that we each can make a differnence - when se so often feel that our voices are lost. If for nothing else I have to thank Stuart Christie for reminding me of this. I'd recommend this book to anyone to read. Even if you do not happen to agree with the politics - I am sure that reading his account of incarciartion in a Franco gaol - where invertantly this ended up putting him into contact with some of Spain's greatest academics - will find it fascinating

An absolute cracker, 06 Oct 2005
This is 'real-life boys-own anarchist meets the establishment' adventure! And meeting the Spanish establishment (in a hare-brained plot to kill the Spanish dictator Franco in the 1960s) was where Christie bites off a wee bit more than he can chew. If that's not enough reason to buy the book, you get a richly-evoked Glasgow childhood and more shenanigans in London in the 1970s with bomb plots, squatters and of course the Old Bill.


Great Read, 16 May 2005
This book is hugely entertaining, hilarious at times whilst unbelievable at others with just enough anarchist philosophy as the backdrop to the story of an incredible life.

Chomsky on Anarchism, 18 Jun 2007
This is not a theoretical book; Chomsky does not see himself as an anarchist thinker but rather as a "fellow traveler" and so this collection of interviews, talks, and essays spaning from the early 1970s to 2004 contains no original theory from the man himself. Chomsky is as accessible as ever however and this book's interviews will give a reader new to anarchist thought a firm idea of what anarchists are against, and what they are for, with further elaboration of Chomsky's own critique of capitalism, state and government, and their alternatives in the essays and talks.

walks the walk, 21 Jul 2007
Stuart Christie, more well known for his 'involvement' with the Angry Brigade anarcho/revolutionary movement than his attempt to assinate the reactionary Spanish dictator Franco, is a leftie who walks the walk rather than just talking the talk. Paints a fantastic picture of a working class upbringing in post war Glasgow and his recollections of a lenghty prison stretch in a Madrid jail with other political prisoners of the anti Franco resistance are written with verve, wit and not too much of playing the blame game. Meu culpa. Later life in London, during the time a lot of us on the left thought a workers takeover of the UK economy was on the cards, is a joy to read as is his account of the numerous attempts by the old bill to stitch him up are no surprise to anyone who lived through those hectic times. Great read for everybody, even your Granny.

absolutely fascinating and brilliant, 20 Dec 2005
I picked this book up at book shop here in Edinburgh. I'd never heard of it - and was amused by a young Scottish Anarchist trying to blow Franco up. I've not been able to put it down since getting it - it is absolutely fascinating. Not only is the personal story rivetting - but it also has reminded me of past struggles to try and makes social change to make a better society. It also made me realise that the things we were protesting again are still there and the struggle for right and equality are still valid. Society here in Britian and the World has changed so much; in the past there were struggle for justice - but now we are so seduced into the aquiring of property and that if you are not you feel like some dinosaur from the past. This book has reminded me what it is all about and that that niggling feeling that you don't fit in and buy into the consumerist ideology isn't that you have a problem but that the problem is the make up of society. It is also relevent when we are seeing protests against world poverty and the other protest against what is going on - in reminding us that we each can make a differnence - when se so often feel that our voices are lost. If for nothing else I have to thank Stuart Christie for reminding me of this. I'd recommend this book to anyone to read. Even if you do not happen to agree with the politics - I am sure that reading his account of incarciartion in a Franco gaol - where invertantly this ended up putting him into contact with some of Spain's greatest academics - will find it fascinating

An absolute cracker, 06 Oct 2005
This is 'real-life boys-own anarchist meets the establishment' adventure! And meeting the Spanish establishment (in a hare-brained plot to kill the Spanish dictator Franco in the 1960s) was where Christie bites off a wee bit more than he can chew. If that's not enough reason to buy the book, you get a richly-evoked Glasgow childhood and more shenanigans in London in the 1970s with bomb plots, squatters and of course the Old Bill.


Great Read, 16 May 2005
This book is hugely entertaining, hilarious at times whilst unbelievable at others with just enough anarchist philosophy as the backdrop to the story of an incredible life.

Splendid anthology of anarchist thought, 22 Oct 2007
For someone new to anarchism, the sheer breadth of thinking makes it very hard to understand its basic tenets. This really excellent anthology by Daniel Guerin, who, incidentally, wrote one one of the best short guides to anarchist history and theory, "Anarchism: from theory to practice", is a wonderful guide to the range of ideas.

Some of the book is arranged so as to present the ideas of particular thinkers, including (as MightyBoosh says), Proudhon, Bakunin (touching on his famous controversy with Marx within the First International), Kropotkin and Malatesta. Other parts of the book are arranged thematically to consider issues such as the Spanish collectives, the Kronstadt uprising, and anarcho-syndicalism.

The collection of documents from a wide range of sources and ages gives the book a sense of immediacy as well as outlining the history and development of anarchist thought. Of course, some aspects will appeal to you more than others, but I've found the book really useful in understanding what united and separated different writers, and in helping me follow up strands of thinking or activism that I might never otherwise have heard about.

I'd warmly recommend the book to anyone who wants to find out about anarchism, or who knows a little but wants to expand their understanding.

Nothing to Lose but........................., 13 Jun 2007
Daniel Guerin was a French anarchist and gay activist. He was a prolific writer. Several of his works have been translated into English, including Anarchism: From Theory to Practice, Fascism and Big Business and Class Struggle in the French Republic.

No Gods, No Masters: An Anthology of Anarchism is the first English translation of Guerin's monumental anthology of anarchism, published in one volume.

It details a vast array of unpublished documents, letters, debates, manifestos, reports, impassioned calls-to-arms and reasoned analysis; the history, organization and practice of the movement-its theorists, advocates and activists; the great names and the obscure, towering legends and unsung heroes.

This definitive anthology portrays anarchism as a sophisticated ideology whose nuances and complexities highlight the natural desire for freedom in all of us.

The classical texts will re-establish anarchism as both an intellectual and practical force to be reckoned with.

Includes writings by Emma Goldman, Kropotkin, Berkman, Bakunin, Proudhon, and Malatesta.

A classic compilation enthusiastically recommended for political science students and anyone striving to better understand the anarchist philosophy and movement.

Chomsky on Anarchism, 18 Jun 2007
This is not a theoretical book; Chomsky does not see himself as an anarchist thinker but rather as a "fellow traveler" and so this collection of interviews, talks, and essays spaning from the early 1970s to 2004 contains no original theory from the man himself. Chomsky is as accessible as ever however and this book's interviews will give a reader new to anarchist thought a firm idea of what anarchists are against, and what they are for, with further elaboration of Chomsky's own critique of capitalism, state and government, and their alternatives in the essays and talks.

walks the walk, 21 Jul 2007
Stuart Christie, more well known for his 'involvement' with the Angry Brigade anarcho/revolutionary movement than his attempt to assinate the reactionary Spanish dictator Franco, is a leftie who walks the walk rather than just talking the talk. Paints a fantastic picture of a working class upbringing in post war Glasgow and his recollections of a lenghty prison stretch in a Madrid jail with other political prisoners of the anti Franco resistance are written with verve, wit and not too much of playing the blame game. Meu culpa. Later life in London, during the time a lot of us on the left thought a workers takeover of the UK economy was on the cards, is a joy to read as is his account of the numerous attempts by the old bill to stitch him up are no surprise to anyone who lived through those hectic times. Great read for everybody, even your Granny.

absolutely fascinating and brilliant, 20 Dec 2005
I picked this book up at book shop here in Edinburgh. I'd never heard of it - and was amused by a young Scottish Anarchist trying to blow Franco up. I've not been able to put it down since getting it - it is absolutely fascinating. Not only is the personal story rivetting - but it also has reminded me of past struggles to try and makes social change to make a better society. It also made me realise that the things we were protesting again are still there and the struggle for right and equality are still valid. Society here in Britian and the World has changed so much; in the past there were struggle for justice - but now we are so seduced into the aquiring of property and that if you are not you feel like some dinosaur from the past. This book has reminded me what it is all about and that that niggling feeling that you don't fit in and buy into the consumerist ideology isn't that you have a problem but that the problem is the make up of society. It is also relevent when we are seeing protests against world poverty and the other protest against what is going on - in reminding us that we each can make a differnence - when se so often feel that our voices are lost. If for nothing else I have to thank Stuart Christie for reminding me of this. I'd recommend this book to anyone to read. Even if you do not happen to agree with the politics - I am sure that reading his account of incarciartion in a Franco gaol - where invertantly this ended up putting him into contact with some of Spain's greatest academics - will find it fascinating

An absolute cracker, 06 Oct 2005
This is 'real-life boys-own anarchist meets the establishment' adventure! And meeting the Spanish establishment (in a hare-brained plot to kill the Spanish dictator Franco in the 1960s) was where Christie bites off a wee bit more than he can chew. If that's not enough reason to buy the book, you get a richly-evoked Glasgow childhood and more shenanigans in London in the 1970s with bomb plots, squatters and of course the Old Bill.


Great Read, 16 May 2005
This book is hugely entertaining, hilarious at times whilst unbelievable at others with just enough anarchist philosophy as the backdrop to the story of an incredible life.

Splendid anthology of anarchist thought, 22 Oct 2007
For someone new to anarchism, the sheer breadth of thinking makes it very hard to understand its basic tenets. This really excellent anthology by Daniel Guerin, who, incidentally, wrote one one of the best short guides to anarchist history and theory, "Anarchism: from theory to practice", is a wonderful guide to the range of ideas.

Some of the book is arranged so as to present the ideas of particular thinkers, including (as MightyBoosh says), Proudhon, Bakunin (touching on his famous controversy with Marx within the First International), Kropotkin and Malatesta. Other parts of the book are arranged thematically to consider issues such as the Spanish collectives, the Kronstadt uprising, and anarcho-syndicalism.

The collection of documents from a wide range of sources and ages gives the book a sense of immediacy as well as outlining the history and development of anarchist thought. Of course, some aspects will appeal to you more than others, but I've found the book really useful in understanding what united and separated different writers, and in helping me follow up strands of thinking or activism that I might never otherwise have heard about.

I'd warmly recommend the book to anyone who wants to find out about anarchism, or who knows a little but wants to expand their understanding.

Nothing to Lose but........................., 13 Jun 2007
Daniel Guerin was a French anarchist and gay activist. He was a prolific writer. Several of his works have been translated into English, including Anarchism: From Theory to Practice, Fascism and Big Business and Class Struggle in the French Republic.

No Gods, No Masters: An Anthology of Anarchism is the first English translation of Guerin's monumental anthology of anarchism, published in one volume.

It details a vast array of unpublished documents, letters, debates, manifestos, reports, impassioned calls-to-arms and reasoned analysis; the history, organization and practice of the movement-its theorists, advocates and activists; the great names and the obscure, towering legends and unsung heroes.

This definitive anthology portrays anarchism as a sophisticated ideology whose nuances and complexities highlight the natural desire for freedom in all of us.

The classical texts will re-establish anarchism as both an intellectual and practical force to be reckoned with.

Includes writings by Emma Goldman, Kropotkin, Berkman, Bakunin, Proudhon, and Malatesta.

A classic compilation enthusiastically recommended for political science students and anyone striving to better understand the anarchist philosophy and movement.

Baby he's an anarchist - not a spineless liberal, 02 Oct 2007
I never lived through the anarcho-punk era, the Class War, the miners strike, occupations of universities in the 60s or anything else modern radicals hark on about. Reading Ian Bone's autobiography puts it all in some drink-fueled perspective with some insightful wit, cutting remarks and more sarcasm than an episode of Blackadder.

The book covers the life of Ian up until he packed most things in around 1986 and it's filled with his activities with his socialist parents, his discovery of anarchism after reading a copy of Punch at the dentists, student activism, Alarm and corruption in Swansea and the common factor... drink... LOTS of drink. It's an easy read (making me miss a morning's worth of lectures because I was so engrossed) that flows well and is so full of derision for all the radical politics he admires it is wonderfully self-despising.

Anecdotes are a-plenty in the book, and not hoping to spoil them all, but being chased out of a blokes house with a meatcleaver after urinating on his bike, a meeting with Crass with the ubiquitous lentil soup, flogging newspapers at 10am in the morning on a picket line and my all-time favourite of rushing the stage at the CND meeting. You really can't make this stuff up! There are loads of newspaper cuttings throughout, photos and excerpts from Class War. All-in-all it has everything, but most importantly it's Ian's comedic-chatty-foul-mouthed writing style that makes this colourful history come to life.

As he is always credited with - the most dangerous man in Britain - this book gives a full account of those mad years where the Angry Brigade met punk on a windswept afternoon, drank a LOT of beer and indulged in a riot or two. Cheap, accessible, anecdotal, laugh-out-loud funny and informative all in one go, this book is not to be missed. It probably helps if you have a few drinks whilst reading (probably makes more sense) but grab a copy, a brick and enjoy! It's an excellent read an incitement to either go drinking or burn down some governmental building... or both at once!

An education and a laugh, 26 Feb 2007
Not being a great fan of memoirs or autobiographies I bravely picked this up with it's promise of controversy and rebellion. I really enjoyed it; it's a great read. It gives a really good picture of the times and the development of a man's consciousness. I was impressed with the way the narrative matured with his experiences. It's also a great insight into an age before I was born or at least can fully remember. It is an incredibly easy read and I flew through the book effortlessly.

It also includes many of the debates in past and contemporary anarchism - such as the place and use of violence, issues of sexuality, direct action etc. Most of this is spoken in a brutally sincere yet amusing way. There were many parts where I laughed out aloud at some of the absurdities of the movement. Only anarchists (of all political perspectives) can laugh at themselves like this. The criticisms I have are minor and they are matters of opinion, rather than flaws with the book itself. All in all, I recommend this for book for all working people (and the "rich", whom may want to give a bit back to those they've stolen from).

Sartorial politics lavortorial humour, 05 Nov 2006
This is a fantastic voyage from Ian Bones experience and politics up to 1986. As such it lives through the heady days of 1968 student culture, and 1970s/1980s unemployment culture. There's Ians participation in community politics in Swansea with the Alarm newsletter where a council leader was jailed for corruption, and how this broadened into national political effect with Class War. The description of the illicit birth of Class War from amongst the victims of Thatchers Britain are good, though the people concerned would not see themselves as victims. There are many good descritions of Class War politics, from the infamous Bash the Rich marches from where the book gets its name, to the incident where Ian rubbed mud into Joan Ruddocks face at a CND press conference - this is pure entertainment with a packed political message. Some of the photos are funny as F#ck too. All in all an easy read of Ians political and social life as it mixes with the many major issues of the day.

Chomsky on Anarchism, 18 Jun 2007
This is not a theoretical book; Chomsky does not see himself as an anarchist thinker but rather as a "fellow traveler" and so this collection of interviews, talks, and essays spaning from the early 1970s to 2004 contains no original theory from the man himself. Chomsky is as accessible as ever however and this book's interviews will give a reader new to anarchist thought a firm idea of what anarchists are against, and what they are for, with further elaboration of Chomsky's own critique of capitalism, state and government, and their alternatives in the essays and talks.

walks the walk, 21 Jul 2007
Stuart Christie, more well known for his 'involvement' with the Angry Brigade anarcho/revolutionary movement than his attempt to assinate the reactionary Spanish dictator Franco, is a leftie who walks the walk rather than just talking the talk. Paints a fantastic picture of a working class upbringing in post war Glasgow and his recollections of a lenghty prison stretch in a Madrid jail with other political prisoners of the anti Franco resistance are written with verve, wit and not too much of playing the blame game. Meu culpa. Later life in London, during the time a lot of us on the left thought a workers takeover of the UK economy was on the cards, is a joy to read as is his account of the numerous attempts by the old bill to stitch him up are no surprise to anyone who lived through those hectic times. Great read for everybody, even your Granny.

absolutely fascinating and brilliant, 20 Dec 2005
I picked this book up at book shop here in Edinburgh. I'd never heard of it - and was amused by a young Scottish Anarchist trying to blow Franco up. I've not been able to put it down since getting it - it is absolutely fascinating. Not only is the personal story rivetting - but it also has reminded me of past struggles to try and makes social change to make a better society. It also made me realise that the things we were protesting again are still there and the struggle for right and equality are still valid. Society here in Britian and the World has changed so much; in the past there were struggle for justice - but now we are so seduced into the aquiring of property and that if you are not you feel like some dinosaur from the past. This book has reminded me what it is all about and that that niggling feeling that you don't fit in and buy into the consumerist ideology isn't that you have a problem but that the problem is the make up of society. It is also relevent when we are seeing protests against world poverty and the other protest against what is going on - in reminding us that we each can make a differnence - when se so often feel that our voices are lost. If for nothing else I have to thank Stuart Christie for reminding me of this. I'd recommend this book to anyone to read. Even if you do not happen to agree with the politics - I am sure that reading his account of incarciartion in a Franco gaol - where invertantly this ended up putting him into contact with some of Spain's greatest academics - will find it fascinating

An absolute cracker, 06 Oct 2005
This is 'real-life boys-own anarchist meets the establishment' adventure! And meeting the Spanish establishment (in a hare-brained plot to kill the Spanish dictator Franco in the 1960s) was where Christie bites off a wee bit more than he can chew. If that's not enough reason to buy the book, you get a richly-evoked Glasgow childhood and more shenanigans in London in the 1970s with bomb plots, squatters and of course the Old Bill.


Great Read, 16 May 2005
This book is hugely entertaining, hilarious at times whilst unbelievable at others with just enough anarchist philosophy as the backdrop to the story of an incredible life.

Splendid anthology of anarchist thought, 22 Oct 2007
For someone new to anarchism, the sheer breadth of thinking makes it very hard to understand its basic tenets. This really excellent anthology by Daniel Guerin, who, incidentally, wrote one one of the best short guides to anarchist history and theory, "Anarchism: from theory to practice", is a wonderful guide to the range of ideas.

Some of the book is arranged so as to present the ideas of particular thinkers, including (as MightyBoosh says), Proudhon, Bakunin (touching on his famous controversy with Marx within the First International), Kropotkin and Malatesta. Other parts of the book are arranged thematically to consider issues such as the Spanish collectives, the Kronstadt uprising, and anarcho-syndicalism.

The collection of documents from a wide range of sources and ages gives the book a sense of immediacy as well as outlining the history and development of anarchist thought. Of course, some aspects will appeal to you more than others, but I've found the book really useful in understanding what united and separated different writers, and in helping me follow up strands of thinking or activism that I might never otherwise have heard about.

I'd warmly recommend the book to anyone who wants to find out about anarchism, or who knows a little but wants to expand their understanding.

Nothing to Lose but........................., 13 Jun 2007
Daniel Guerin was a French anarchist and gay activist. He was a prolific writer. Several of his works have been translated into English, including Anarchism: From Theory to Practice, Fascism and Big Business and Class Struggle in the French Republic.

No Gods, No Masters: An Anthology of Anarchism is the first English translation of Guerin's monumental anthology of anarchism, published in one volume.

It details a vast array of unpublished documents, letters, debates, manifestos, reports, impassioned calls-to-arms and reasoned analysis; the history, organization and practice of the movement-its theorists, advocates and activists; the great names and the obscure, towering legends and unsung heroes.

This definitive anthology portrays anarchism as a sophisticated ideology whose nuances and complexities highlight the natural desire for freedom in all of us.

The classical texts will re-establish anarchism as both an intellectual and practical force to be reckoned with.

Includes writings by Emma Goldman, Kropotkin, Berkman, Bakunin, Proudhon, and Malatesta.

A classic compilation enthusiastically recommended for political science students and anyone striving to better understand the anarchist philosophy and movement.

Baby he's an anarchist - not a spineless liberal, 02 Oct 2007
I never lived through the anarcho-punk era, the Class War, the miners strike, occupations of universities in the 60s or anything else modern radicals hark on about. Reading Ian Bone's autobiography puts it all in some drink-fueled perspective with some insightful wit, cutting remarks and more sarcasm than an episode of Blackadder.

The book covers the life of Ian up until he packed most things in around 1986 and it's filled with his activities with his socialist parents, his discovery of anarchism after reading a copy of Punch at the dentists, student activism, Alarm and corruption in Swansea and the common factor... drink... LOTS of drink. It's an easy read (making me miss a morning's worth of lectures because I was so engrossed) that flows well and is so full of derision for all the radical politics he admires it is wonderfully self-despising.

Anecdotes are a-plenty in the book, and not hoping to spoil them all, but being chased out of a blokes house with a meatcleaver after urinating on his bike, a meeting with Crass with the ubiquitous lentil soup, flogging newspapers at 10am in the morning on a picket line and my all-time favourite of rushing the stage at the CND meeting. You really can't make this stuff up! There are loads of newspaper cuttings throughout, photos and excerpts from Class War. All-in-all it has everything, but most importantly it's Ian's comedic-chatty-foul-mouthed writing style that makes this colourful history come to life.

As he is always credited with - the most dangerous man in Britain - this book gives a full account of those mad years where the Angry Brigade met punk on a windswept afternoon, drank a LOT of beer and indulged in a riot or two. Cheap, accessible, anecdotal, laugh-out-loud funny and informative all in one go, this book is not to be missed. It probably helps if you have a few drinks whilst reading (probably makes more sense) but grab a copy, a brick and enjoy! It's an excellent read an incitement to either go drinking or burn down some governmental building... or both at once!

An education and a laugh, 26 Feb 2007
Not being a great fan of memoirs or autobiographies I bravely picked this up with it's promise of controversy and rebellion. I really enjoyed it; it's a great read. It gives a really good picture of the times and the development of a man's consciousness. I was impressed with the way the narrative matured with his experiences. It's also a great insight into an age before I was born or at least can fully remember. It is an incredibly easy read and I flew through the book effortlessly.

It also includes many of the debates in past and contemporary anarchism - such as the place and use of violence, issues of sexuality, direct action etc. Most of this is spoken in a brutally sincere yet amusing way. There were many parts where I laughed out aloud at some of the absurdities of the movement. Only anarchists (of all political perspectives) can laugh at themselves like this. The criticisms I have are minor and they are matters of opinion, rather than flaws with the book itself. All in all, I recommend this for book for all working people (and the "rich", whom may want to give a bit back to those they've stolen from).

Sartorial politics lavortorial humour, 05 Nov 2006
This is a fantastic voyage from Ian Bones experience and politics up to 1986. As such it lives through the heady days of 1968 student culture, and 1970s/1980s unemployment culture. There's Ians participation in community politics in Swansea with the Alarm newsletter where a council leader was jailed for corruption, and how this broadened into national political effect with Class War. The description of the illicit birth of Class War from amongst the victims of Thatchers Britain are good, though the people concerned would not see themselves as victims. There are many good descritions of Class War politics, from the infamous Bash the Rich marches from where the book gets its name, to the incident where Ian rubbed mud into Joan Ruddocks face at a CND press conference - this is pure entertainment with a packed political message. Some of the photos are funny as F#ck too. All in all an easy read of Ians political and social life as it mixes with the many major issues of the day.

The Ethics of Affinity, 09 Sep 2007
This is one is a gem on its own. It's been only one year since this book was published, and it is criminally-underrated. Day's approach to anarchism is refreshingly innovative and perspicuously written. Using Foucauldian genealogy, Derridean deconstruction, and Deleuze's concept of the rhizome and societies of control, he analyzes the mistakes and reasoning of activists when confronting the state and corporate apparatuses, which he calls "hegemonic" practices. Using post-structuralist theory, Day argues instead we should commit ourselves to the praxis of "affinity," by which neither the state nor the corporate form are appealed to. That is, individuals take matters on their own hands, building social centers, cooperatives, collectives, and other organizing paradigms that negate the state by means of exclusion. A must-have for anyone interested in political theory and post-structuralist philosophy, Gramsci is Dead will be remembered in years to come as a powerful repertoire of ideas. The book's influence is already felt in progressive circles; it is a matter of time until it is appreciated for what it truly is.

Wide-ranging account of affinity-based thought and action, 22 Aug 2007
The main purpose of the book is to genealogically trace a division between hegemonic and affinity forms of social activity and organisation, particularly the latter - hence falsifying the claim that hegemony is a necessary part of (radical) politics by showing that logics of affinity also operate in some social movements and academic theories. The necessity filled by this text is for a response to the repressive repetition of assumptions of inevitability of the current dominant system. Day's work is magnificent in showing the sheer range, proliferation and energy of actually-existing alternatives, and is sure to become a major reference for objections to the assumption that capitalism, the state or hierarchy are necessary.

The book reads like a roller-coaster ride, or maybe a stroll, through a plethora of movements and theories, including discussions of social movements such as the Argentine piqueteros, indigenous self-determination movements, Indymedia, Food Not Bombs, Reclaim the Streets, MST and other land rights movements, the Zapatistas, and OCAP, and theorists such as Negri, Foucault, Deleuze and Guattari, Holloway, Bey, Agamben, Anzaldua, Marcos, Bakunin, Bakhtin, Derrida, Albert, Zizek, and more besides, taking in critiques along the way of Laclau, Lenin, Gramsci, Kymlicka, Panitch and other supporters of "hegemonic" logics. As this expansive list suggests, each of the cases is treated only very briefly, and connected into a longer thread which moves rapidly between settings and movements to draw out theoretical threads of the author's devising. The point is usually to show ways of thinking and acting which are outside the logic of hegemony.

The book is divided into seven chapters, three of which are mainly about current social movements, the others being primarily theory - a chapter criticising Marxist and liberal theories, another on poststructuralism and post-Marxism, a third on utopian socialism and classical anarchism, and a fourth on autonomism, Deleuzian theory and postanarchism. The affinity-hegemony binary runs as a leitmotif through these, though they sometimes read like a set of notes and short accounts strung together.

Day has combed through huge quantities of little-known material, and his bibliography is awash with activist publications, online discussions, specially translated materials, PhD theses and obscure texts from marginal traditions. The result is that pretty much anyone reading this text - even someone very well-versed in "horizontal" political theories - will discover social movements and bodies of theory of which they were previously unaware, addressed in ways which make them relevant to the politics of affinity.

The author also has his own specific narrative which loosely joins together the pieces, giving a minimal ethical and strategic perspective of his own. This aspect of the work isn't especially original or as well-worked as the kinds of theoretical texts Day engages with, but solidly places Day within a poststructuralist-inflected anarchist perspective. The title is quite misleading as there is little about Gramsci in the book. Gramsci is serving as a placeholder, partly for hegemony and partly for Laclauian theory; the reading of Gramsci (and of several other authors - for instance, the take on Deleuzian nomadism) are bound to be contentious with scholars of these respective theorists - a minor problem since the work is so broad in scope, but bound to irritate certain readers, especially among political theorists. This shouldn't detract greatly from a text the main advantages of which are its scope, its eye for the barely visible, and its perspective.

Chomsky on Anarchism, 18 Jun 2007
This is not a theoretical book; Chomsky does not see himself as an anarchist thinker but rather as a "fellow traveler" and so this collection of interviews, talks, and essays spaning from the early 1970s to 2004 contains no original theory from the man himself. Chomsky is as accessible as ever however and this book's interviews will give a reader new to anarchist thought a firm idea of what anarchists are against, and what they are for, with further elaboration of Chomsky's own critique of capitalism, state and government, and their alternatives in the essays and talks.

walks the walk, 21 Jul 2007
Stuart Christie, more well known for his 'involvement' with the Angry Brigade anarcho/revolutionary movement than his attempt to assinate the reactionary Spanish dictator Franco, is a leftie who walks the walk rather than just talking the talk. Paints a fantastic picture of a working class upbringing in post war Glasgow and his recollections of a lenghty prison stretch in a Madrid jail with other political prisoners of the anti Franco resistance are written with verve, wit and not too much of playing the blame game. Meu culpa. Later life in London, during the time a lot of us on the left thought a workers takeover of the UK economy was on the cards, is a joy to read as is his account of the numerous attempts by the old bill to stitch him up are no surprise to anyone who lived through those hectic times. Great read for everybody, even your Granny.

absolutely fascinating and brilliant, 20 Dec 2005
I picked this book up at book shop here in Edinburgh. I'd never heard of it - and was amused by a young Scottish Anarchist trying to blow Franco up. I've not been able to put it down since getting it - it is absolutely fascinating. Not only is the personal story rivetting - but it also has reminded me of past struggles to try and makes social change to make a better society. It also made me realise that the things we were protesting again are still there and the struggle for right and equality are still valid. Society here in Britian and the World has changed so much; in the past there were struggle for justice - but now we are so seduced into the aquiring of property and that if you are not you feel like some dinosaur from the past. This book has reminded me what it is all about and that that niggling feeling that you don't fit in and buy into the consumerist ideology isn't that you have a problem but that the problem is the make up of society. It is also relevent when we are seeing protests against world poverty and the other protest against what is going on - in reminding us that we each can make a differnence - when se so often feel that our voices are lost. If for nothing else I have to thank Stuart Christie for reminding me of this. I'd recommend this book to anyone to read. Even if you do not happen to agree with the politics - I am sure that reading his account of incarciartion in a Franco gaol - where invertantly this ended up putting him into contact with some of Spain's greatest academics - will find it fascinating

An absolute cracker, 06 Oct 2005
This is 'real-life boys-own anarchist meets the establishment' adventure! And meeting the Spanish establishment (in a hare-brained plot to kill the Spanish dictator Franco in the 1960s) was where Christie bites off a wee bit more than he can chew. If that's not enough reason to buy the book, you get a richly-evoked Glasgow childhood and more shenanigans in London in the 1970s with bomb plots, squatters and of course the Old Bill.


Great Read, 16 May 2005
This book is hugely entertaining, hilarious at times whilst unbelievable at others with just enough anarchist philosophy as the backdrop to the story of an incredible life.

Splendid anthology of anarchist thought, 22 Oct 2007
For someone new to anarchism, the sheer breadth of thinking makes it very hard to understand its basic tenets. This really excellent anthology by Daniel Guerin, who, incidentally, wrote one one of the best short guides to anarchist history and theory, "Anarchism: from theory to practice", is a wonderful guide to the range of ideas.

Some of the book is arranged so as to present the ideas of particular thinkers, including (as MightyBoosh says), Proudhon, Bakunin (touching on his famous controversy with Marx within the First International), Kropotkin and Malatesta. Other parts of the book are arranged thematically to consider issues such as the Spanish collectives, the Kronstadt uprising, and anarcho-syndicalism.

The collection of documents from a wide range of sources and ages gives the book a sense of immediacy as well as outlining the history and development of anarchist thought. Of course, some aspects will appeal to you more than others, but I've found the book really useful in understanding what united and separated different writers, and in helping me follow up strands of thinking or activism that I might never otherwise have heard about.

I'd warmly recommend the book to anyone who wants to find out about anarchism, or who knows a little but wants to expand their understanding.

Nothing to Lose but........................., 13 Jun 2007
Daniel Guerin was a French anarchist and gay activist. He was a prolific writer. Several of his works have been translated into English, including Anarchism: From Theory to Practice, Fascism and Big Business and Class Struggle in the French Republic.

No Gods, No Masters: An Anthology of Anarchism is the first English translation of Guerin's monumental anthology of anarchism, published in one volume.

It details a vast array of unpublished documents, letters, debates, manifestos, reports, impassioned calls-to-arms and reasoned analysis; the history, organization and practice of the movement-its theorists, advocates and activists; the great names and the obscure, towering legends and unsung heroes.

This definitive anthology portrays anarchism as a sophisticated ideology whose nuances and complexities highlight the natural desire for freedom in all of us.

The classical texts will re-establish anarchism as both an intellectual and practical force to be reckoned with.

Includes writings by Emma Goldman, Kropotkin, Berkman, Bakunin, Proudhon, and Malatesta.

A classic compilation enthusiastically recommended for political science students and anyone striving to better understand the anarchist philosophy and movement.

Baby he's an anarchist - not a spineless liberal, 02 Oct 2007
I never lived through the anarcho-punk era, the Class War, the miners strike, occupations of universities in the 60s or anything else modern radicals hark on about. Reading Ian Bone's autobiography puts it all in some drink-fueled perspective with some insightful wit, cutting remarks and more sarcasm than an episode of Blackadder.

The book covers the life of Ian up until he packed most things in around 1986 and it's filled with his activities with his socialist parents, his discovery of anarchism after reading a copy of Punch at the dentists, student activism, Alarm and corruption in Swansea and the common factor... drink... LOTS of drink. It's an easy read (making me miss a morning's worth of lectures because I was so engrossed) that flows well and is so full of derision for all the radical politics he admires it is wonderfully self-despising.

Anecdotes are a-plenty in the book, and not hoping to spoil them all, but being chased out of a blokes house with a meatcleaver after urinating on his bike, a meeting with Crass with the ubiquitous lentil soup, flogging newspapers at 10am in the morning on a picket line and my all-time favourite of rushing the stage at the CND meeting. You really can't make this stuff up! There are loads of newspaper cuttings throughout, photos and excerpts from Class War. All-in-all it has everything, but most importantly it's Ian's comedic-chatty-foul-mouthed writing style that makes this colourful history come to life.

As he is always credited with - the most dangerous man in Britain - this book gives a full account of those mad years where the Angry Brigade met punk on a windswept afternoon, drank a LOT of beer and indulged in a riot or two. Cheap, accessible, anecdotal, laugh-out-loud funny and informative all in one go, this book is not to be missed. It probably helps if you have a few drinks whilst reading (probably makes more sense) but grab a copy, a brick and enjoy! It's an excellent read an incitement to either go drinking or burn down some governmental building... or both at once!

An education and a laugh, 26 Feb 2007
Not being a great fan of memoirs or autobiographies I bravely picked this up with it's promise of controversy and rebellion. I really enjoyed it; it's a great read. It gives a really good picture of the times and the development of a man's consciousness. I was impressed with the way the narrative matured with his experiences. It's also a great insight into an age before I was born or at least can fully remember. It is an incredibly easy read and I flew through the book effortlessly.

It also includes many of the debates in past and contemporary anarchism - such as the place and use of violence, issues of sexuality, direct action etc. Most of this is spoken in a brutally sincere yet amusing way. There were many parts where I laughed out aloud at some of the absurdities of the movement. Only anarchists (of all political perspectives) can laugh at themselves like this. The criticisms I have are minor and they are matters of opinion, rather than flaws with the book itself. All in all, I recommend this for book for all working people (and the "rich", whom may want to give a bit back to those they've stolen from).

Sartorial politics lavortorial humour, 05 Nov 2006
This is a fantastic voyage from Ian Bones experience and politics up to 1986. As such it lives through the heady days of 1968 student culture, and 1970s/1980s unemployment culture. There's Ians participation in community politics in Swansea with the Alarm newsletter where a council leader was jailed for corruption, and how this broadened into national political effect with Class War. The description of the illicit birth of Class War from amongst the victims of Thatchers Britain are good, though the people concerned would not see themselves as victims. There are many good descritions of Class War politics, from the infamous Bash the Rich marches from where the book gets its name, to the incident where Ian rubbed mud into Joan Ruddocks face at a CND press conference - this is pure entertainment with a packed political message. Some of the photos are funny as F#ck too. All in all an easy read of Ians political and social life as it mixes with the many major issues of the day.

The Ethics of Affinity, 09 Sep 2007
This is one is a gem on its own. It's been only one year since this book was published, and it is criminally-underrated. Day's approach to anarchism is refreshingly innovative and perspicuously written. Using Foucauldian genealogy, Derridean deconstruction, and Deleuze's concept of the rhizome and societies of control, he analyzes the mistakes and reasoning of activists when confronting the state and corporate apparatuses, which he calls "hegemonic" practices. Using post-structuralist theory, Day argues instead we should commit ourselves to the praxis of "affinity," by which neither the state nor the corporate form are appealed to. That is, individuals take matters on their own hands, building social centers, cooperatives, collectives, and other organizing paradigms that negate the state by means of exclusion. A must-have for anyone interested in political theory and post-structuralist philosophy, Gramsci is Dead will be remembered in years to come as a powerful repertoire of ideas. The book's influence is already felt in progressive circles; it is a matter of time until it is appreciated for what it truly is.

Wide-ranging account of affinity-based thought and action, 22 Aug 2007
The main purpose of the book is to genealogically trace a division between hegemonic and affinity forms of social activity and organisation, particularly the latter - hence falsifying the claim that hegemony is a necessary part of (radical) politics by showing that logics of affinity also operate in some social movements and academic theories. The necessity filled by this text is for a response to the repressive repetition of assumptions of inevitability of the current dominant system. Day's work is magnificent in showing the sheer range, proliferation and energy of actually-existing alternatives, and is sure to become a major reference for objections to the assumption that capitalism, the state or hierarchy are necessary.

The book reads like a roller-coaster ride, or maybe a stroll, through a plethora of movements and theories, including discussions of social movements such as the Argentine piqueteros, indigenous self-determination movements, Indymedia, Food Not Bombs, Reclaim the Streets, MST and other land rights movements, the Zapatistas, and OCAP, and theorists such as Negri, Foucault, Deleuze and Guattari, Holloway, Bey, Agamben, Anzaldua, Marcos, Bakunin, Bakhtin, Derrida, Albert, Zizek, and more besides, taking in critiques along the way of Laclau, Lenin, Gramsci, Kymlicka, Panitch and other supporters of "hegemonic" logics. As this expansive list suggests, each of the cases is treated only very briefly, and connected into a longer thread which moves rapidly between settings and movements to draw out theoretical threads of the author's devising. The point is usually to show ways of thinking and acting which are outside the logic of hegemony.

The book is divided into seven chapters, three of which are mainly about current social movements, the others being primarily theory - a chapter criticising Marxist and liberal theories, another on poststructuralism and post-Marxism, a third on utopian socialism and classical anarchism, and a fourth on autonomism, Deleuzian theory and postanarchism. The affinity-hegemony binary runs as a leitmotif through these, though they sometimes read like a set of notes and short accounts strung together.

Day has combed through huge quantities of little-known material, and his bibliography is awash with activist publications, online discussions, specially translated materials, PhD theses and obscure texts from marginal traditions. The result is that pretty much anyone reading this text - even someone very well-versed in "horizontal" political theories - will discover social movements and bodies of theory of which they were previously unaware, addressed in ways which make them relevant to the politics of affinity.

The author also has his own specific narrative which loosely joins together the pieces, giving a minimal ethical and strategic perspective of his own. This aspect of the work isn't especially original or as well-worked as the kinds of theoretical texts Day engages with, but solidly places Day within a poststructuralist-inflected anarchist perspective. The title is quite misleading as there is little about Gramsci in the book. Gramsci is serving as a placeholder, partly for hegemony and partly for Laclauian theory; the reading of Gramsci (and of several other authors - for instance, the take on Deleuzian nomadism) are bound to be contentious with scholars of these respective theorists - a minor problem since the work is so broad in scope, but bound to irritate certain readers, especially among political theorists. This shouldn't detract greatly from a text the main advantages of which are its scope, its eye for the barely visible, and its perspective.

Review of Rebel Alliances, 20 Dec 2006
I would like to recommend this book to those with a passion to create change for the better.
This is a comprehensive appraisal of the groups and ideas which make up contemporary British anarchisms. Beyond this attempt to describe and understand this movement, Franks puts forward four criteria to define contemporary anarchism.

Rejection of capitalism and market economics
Egalitarianism
Rejection of state power
Prefiguration

This limitation is welcome and important as it allows us to say what is and is not anarchist. These are not arbitrary criteria but have been carefully assembled to describe Franks' empirical observations and critical analysis. This matters because it pulls together the writing and debate of decades of intellectual and practical struggle from hundreds of individuals and dozens of groups. The academic rigour of this thesis is beyond question with hundreds of detailed primary, secondary, grey and academic sources. These are all carefully cited in the text and referenced in over 100 pages of endnotes and bibliography. In addition to this admirable archive research Franks has clearly been an involved participant in the struggles and debates which he analyses.
It goes without saying that this is not the last word on this evolving political and social movement but it is a great work which deserves to be a central reference text in any guide to study or practise of anarchism.



The politics of Anarchy in the UK, 20 Sep 2006
Ben Franks book is not only a contribution to the recent history of the class struggle anarchist movement, it draws out the progressive elements and theorises them at a higher level. The analysis of Direct action will be particularly useful for a long time in countering 'do-nothing' or 'reactionary' Marxists - such as those found in small sects or the SWP. For too long the anarchist movement has allowed itself to be portrayed as being composed of thugs by the left, 'all mindless action - no programme', this book is one important reply to such treatment.

Franks fairly treats all sides of the movement, and doesn't slag anybody off. Class War come out of it the best IMHO, though he is most interested in constructing an ideal type class struggle anarchism - something we can aspire to practice.This prefigurative element is very important as it shows we have (the working class) to be the change we want to see. Thus, experiments in class justice and dual power (such as in the north of Ireland in the 1970s) are vital. The important themes of class struggle anarchism, the nature of the revolutionary subject, class identity, the importance of workplace activity, and propaganda are all covered.

As for its direct use in the everyday class war, in terms of participation and propaganda, then I would read other things first. So its not for the beginner, but the graduate, or medium/long term member of political groups/unions should find enough interesting in it, and new insights, for it to be very worthwhile.

Chomsky on Anarchism, 18 Jun 2007
This is not a theoretical book; Chomsky does not see himself as an anarchist thinker but rather as a "fellow traveler" and so this collection of interviews, talks, and essays spaning from the early 1970s to 2004 contains no original theory from the man himself. Chomsky is as accessible as ever however and this book's interviews will give a reader new to anarchist thought a firm idea of what anarchists are against, and what they are for, with further elaboration of Chomsky's own critique of capitalism, state and government, and their alternatives in the essays and talks.

walks the walk, 21 Jul 2007
Stuart Christie, more well known for his 'involvement' with the Angry Brigade anarcho/revolutionary movement than his attempt to assinate the reactionary Spanish dictator Franco, is a leftie who walks the walk rather than just talking the talk. Paints a fantastic picture of a working class upbringing in post war Glasgow and his recollections of a lenghty prison stretch in a Madrid jail with other political prisoners of the anti Franco resistance are written with verve, wit and not too much of playing the blame game. Meu culpa. Later life in London, during the time a lot of us on the left thought a workers takeover of the UK economy was on the cards, is a joy to read as is his account of the numerous attempts by the old bill to stitch him up are no surprise to anyone who lived through those hectic times. Great read for everybody, even your Granny.

absolutely fascinating and brilliant, 20 Dec 2005
I picked this book up at book shop here in Edinburgh. I'd never heard of it - and was amused by a young Scottish Anarchist trying to blow Franco up. I've not been able to put it down since getting it - it is absolutely fascinating. Not only is the personal story rivetting - but it also has reminded me of past struggles to try and makes social change to make a better society. It also made me realise that the things we were protesting again are still there and the struggle for right and equality are still valid. Society here in Britian and the World has changed so much; in the past there were struggle for justice - but now we are so seduced into the aquiring of property and that if you are not you feel like some dinosaur from the past. This book has reminded me what it is all about and that that niggling feeling that you don't fit in and buy into the consumerist ideology isn't that you have a problem but that the problem is the make up of society. It is also relevent when we are seeing protests against world poverty and the other protest against what is going on - in reminding us that we each can make a differnence - when se so often feel that our voices are lost. If for nothing else I have to thank Stuart Christie for reminding me of this. I'd recommend this book to anyone to read. Even if you do not happen to agree with the politics - I am sure that reading his account of incarciartion in a Franco gaol - where invertantly this ended up putting him into contact with some of Spain's greatest academics - will find it fascinating

An absolute cracker, 06 Oct 2005
This is 'real-life boys-own anarchist meets the establishment' adventure! And meeting the Spanish establishment (in a hare-brained plot to kill the Spanish dictator Franco in the 1960s) was where Christie bites off a wee bit more than he can chew. If that's not enough reason to buy the book, you get a richly-evoked Glasgow childhood and more shenanigans in London in the 1970s with bomb plots, squatters and of course the Old Bill.


Great Read, 16 May 2005
This book is hugely entertaining, hilarious at times whilst unbelievable at others with just enough anarchist philosophy as the backdrop to the story of an incredible life.

Splendid anthology of anarchist thought, 22 Oct 2007
For someone new to anarchism, the sheer breadth of thinking makes it very hard to understand its basic tenets. This really excellent anthology by Daniel Guerin, who, incidentally, wrote one one of the best short guides to anarchist history and theory, "Anarchism: from theory to practice", is a wonderful guide to the range of ideas.

Some of the book is arranged so as to present the ideas of particular thinkers, including (as MightyBoosh says), Proudhon, Bakunin (touching on his famous controversy with Marx within the First International), Kropotkin and Malatesta. Other parts of the book are arranged thematically to consider issues such as the Spanish collectives, the Kronstadt uprising, and anarcho-syndicalism.

The collection of documents from a wide range of sources and ages gives the book a sense of immediacy as well as outlining the history and development of anarchist thought. Of course, some aspects will appeal to you more than others, but I've found the book really useful in understanding what united and separated different writers, and in helping me follow up strands of thinking or activism that I might never otherwise have heard about.

I'd warmly recommend the book to anyone who wants to find out about anarchism, or who knows a little but wants to expand their understanding.

Nothing to Lose but........................., 13 Jun 2007
Daniel Guerin was a French anarchist and gay activist. He was a prolific writer. Several of his works have been translated into English, including Anarchism: From Theory to Practice, Fascism and Big Business and Class Struggle in the French Republic.

No Gods, No Masters: An Anthology of Anarchism is the first English translation of Guerin's monumental anthology of anarchism, published in one volume.

It details a vast array of unpublished documents, letters, debates, manifestos, reports, impassioned calls-to-arms and reasoned analysis; the history, organization and practice of the movement-its theorists, advocates and activists; the great names and the obscure, towering legends and unsung heroes.

This definitive anthology portrays anarchism as a sophisticated ideology whose nuances and complexities highlight the natural desire for freedom in all of us.

The classical texts will re-establish anarchism as both an intellectual and practical force to be reckoned with.

Includes writings by Emma Goldman, Kropotkin, Berkman, Bakunin, Proudhon, and Malatesta.

A classic compilation enthusiastically recommended for political science students and anyone striving to better understand the anarchist philosophy and movement.

Baby he's an anarchist - not a spineless liberal, 02 Oct 2007
I never lived through the anarcho-punk era, the Class War, the miners strike, occupations of universities in the 60s or anything else modern radicals hark on about. Reading Ian Bone's autobiography puts it all in some drink-fueled perspective with some insightful wit, cutting remarks and more sarcasm than an episode of Blackadder.

The book covers the life of Ian up until he packed most things in around 1986 and it's filled with his activities with his socialist parents, his discovery of anarchism after reading a copy of Punch at the dentists, student activism, Alarm and corruption in Swansea and the common factor... drink... LOTS of drink. It's an easy read (making me miss a morning's worth of lectures because I was so engrossed) that flows well and is so full of derision for all the radical politics he admires it is wonderfully self-despising.

Anecdotes are a-plenty in the book, and not hoping to spoil them all, but being chased out of a blokes house with a meatcleaver after urinating on his bike, a meeting with Crass with the ubiquitous lentil soup, flogging newspapers at 10am in the morning on a picket line and my all-time favourite of rushing the stage at the CND meeting. You really can't make this stuff up! There are loads of newspaper cuttings throughout, photos and excerpts from Class War. All-in-all it has everything, but most importantly it's Ian's comedic-chatty-foul-mouthed writing style that makes this colourful history come to life.

As he is always credited with - the most dangerous man in Britain - this book gives a full account of those mad years where the Angry Brigade met punk on a windswept afternoon, drank a LOT of beer and indulged in a riot or two. Cheap, accessible, anecdotal, laugh-out-loud funny and informative all in one go, this book is not to be missed. It probably helps if you have a few drinks whilst reading (probably makes more sense) but grab a copy, a brick and enjoy! It's an excellent read an incitement to either go drinking or burn down some governmental building... or both at once!

An education and a laugh, 26 Feb 2007
Not being a great fan of memoirs or autobiographies I bravely picked this up with it's promise of controversy and rebellion. I really enjoyed it; it's a great read. It gives a really good picture of the times and the development of a man's consciousness. I was impressed with the way the narrative matured with his experiences. It's also a great insight into an age before I was born or at least can fully remember. It is an incredibly easy read and I flew through the book effortlessly.

It also includes many of the debates in past and contemporary anarchism - such as the place and use of violence, issues of sexuality, direct action etc. Most of this is spoken in a brutally sincere yet amusing way. There were many parts where I laughed out aloud at some of the absurdities of the movement. Only anarchists (of all political perspectives) can laugh at themselves like this. The criticisms I have are minor and they are matters of opinion, rather than flaws with the book itself. All in all, I recommend this for book for all working people (and the "rich", whom may want to give a bit back to those they've stolen from).

Sartorial politics lavortorial humour, 05 Nov 2006
This is a fantastic voyage from Ian Bones experience and politics up to 1986. As such it lives through the heady days of 1968 student culture, and 1970s/1980s unemployment culture. There's Ians participation in community politics in Swansea with the Alarm newsletter where a council leader was jailed for corruption, and how this broadened into national political effect with Class War. The description of the illicit birth of Class War from amongst the victims of Thatchers Britain are good, though the people concerned would not see themselves as victims. There are many good descritions of Class War politics, from the infamous Bash the Rich marches from where the book gets its name, to the incident where Ian rubbed mud into Joan Ruddocks face at a CND press conference - this is pure entertainment with a packed political message. Some of the photos are funny as F#ck too. All in all an easy read of Ians political and social life as it mixes with the many major issues of the day.

The Ethics of Affinity, 09 Sep 2007
This is one is a gem on its own. It's been only one year since this book was published, and it is criminally-underrated. Day's approach to anarchism is refreshingly innovative and perspicuously written. Using Foucauldian genealogy, Derridean deconstruction, and Deleuze's concept of the rhizome and societies of control, he analyzes the mistakes and reasoning of activists when confronting the state and corporate apparatuses, which he calls "hegemonic" practices. Using post-structuralist theory, Day argues instead we should commit ourselves to the praxis of "affinity," by which neither the state nor the corporate form are appealed to. That is, individuals take matters on their own hands, building social centers, cooperatives, collectives, and other organizing paradigms that negate the state by means of exclusion. A must-have for anyone interested in political theory and post-structuralist philosophy, Gramsci is Dead will be remembered in years to come as a powerful repertoire of ideas. The book's influence is already felt in progressive circles; it is a matter of time until it is appreciated for what it truly is.

Wide-ranging account of affinity-based thought and action, 22 Aug 2007
The main purpose of the book is to genealogically trace a division between hegemonic and affinity forms of social activity and organisation, particularly the latter - hence falsifying the claim that hegemony is a necessary part of (radical) politics by showing that logics of affinity also operate in some social movements and academic theories. The necessity filled by this text is for a response to the repressive repetition of assumptions of inevitability of the current dominant system. Day's work is magnificent in showing the sheer range, proliferation and energy of actually-existing alternatives, and is sure to become a major reference for objections to the assumption that capitalism, the state or hierarchy are necessary.

The book reads like a roller-coaster ride, or maybe a stroll, through a plethora of movements and theories, including discussions of social movements such as the Argentine piqueteros, indigenous self-determination movements, Indymedia, Food Not Bombs, Reclaim the Streets, MST and other land rights movements, the Zapatistas, and OCAP, and theorists such as Negri, Foucault, Deleuze and Guattari, Holloway, Bey, Agamben, Anzaldua, Marcos, Bakunin, Bakhtin, Derrida, Albert, Zizek, and more besides, taking in critiques along the way of Laclau, Lenin, Gramsci, Kymlicka, Panitch and other supporters of "hegemonic" logics. As this expansive list suggests, each of the cases is treated only very briefly, and connected into a longer thread which moves rapidly between settings and movements to draw out theoretical threads of the author's devising. The point is usually to show ways of thinking and acting which are outside the logic of hegemony.

The book is divided into seven chapters, three of which are mainly about current social movements, the others being primarily theory - a chapter criticising Marxist and liberal theories, another on poststructuralism and post-Marxism, a third on utopian socialism and classical anarchism, and a fourth on autonomism, Deleuzian theory and postanarchism. The affinity-hegemony binary runs as a leitmotif through these, though they sometimes read like a set of notes and short accounts strung together.

Day has combed through huge quantities of little-known material, and his bibliography is awash with activist publications, online discussions, specially translated materials, PhD theses and obscure texts from marginal traditions. The result is that pretty much anyone reading this text - even someone very well-versed in "horizontal" political theories - will discover social movements and bodies of theory of which they were previously unaware, addressed in ways which make them relevant to the politics of affinity.

The author also has his own specific narrative which loosely joins together the pieces, giving a minimal ethical and strategic perspective of his own. This aspect of the work isn't especially original or as well-worked as the kinds of theoretical texts Day engages with, but solidly places Day within a poststructuralist-inflected anarchist perspective. The title is quite misleading as there is little about Gramsci in the book. Gramsci is serving as a placeholder, partly for hegemony and partly for Laclauian theory; the reading of Gramsci (and of several other authors - for instance, the take on Deleuzian nomadism) are bound to be contentious with scholars of these respective theorists - a minor problem since the work is so broad in scope, but bound to irritate certain readers, especially among political theorists. This shouldn't detract greatly from a text the main advantages of which are its scope, its eye for the barely visible, and its perspective.

Review of Rebel Alliances, 20 Dec 2006
I would like to recommend this book to those with a passion to create change for the better.
This is a comprehensive appraisal of the groups and ideas which make up contemporary British anarchisms. Beyond this attempt to describe and understand this movement, Franks puts forward four criteria to define contemporary anarchism.

Rejection of capitalism and market economics
Egalitarianism
Rejection of state power
Prefiguration

This limitation is welcome and important as it allows us to say what is and is not anarchist. These are not arbitrary criteria but have been carefully assembled to describe Franks' empirical observations and critical analysis. This matters because it pulls together the writing and debate of decades of intellectual and practical struggle from hundreds of individuals and dozens of groups. The academic rigour of this thesis is beyond question with hundreds of detailed primary, secondary, grey and academic sources. These are all carefully cited in the text and referenced in over 100 pages of endnotes and bibliography. In addition to this admirable archive research Franks has clearly been an involved participant in the struggles and debates which he analyses.
It goes without saying that this is not the last word on this evolving political and social movement but it is a great work which deserves to be a central reference text in any guide to study or practise of anarchism.



The politics of Anarchy in the UK, 20 Sep 2006
Ben Franks book is not only a contribution to the recent history of the class struggle anarchist movement, it draws out the progressive elements and theorises them at a higher level. The analysis of Direct action will be particularly useful for a long time in countering 'do-nothing' or 'reactionary' Marxists - such as those found in small sects or the SWP. For too long the anarchist movement has allowed itself to be portrayed as being composed of thugs by the left, 'all mindless action - no programme', this book is one important reply to such treatment.

Franks fairly treats all sides of the movement, and doesn't slag anybody off. Class War come out of it the best IMHO, though he is most interested in constructing an ideal type class struggle anarchism - something we can aspire to practice.This prefigurative element is very important as it shows we have (the working class) to be the change we want to see. Thus, experiments in class justice and dual power (such as in the north of Ireland in the 1970s) are vital. The important themes of class struggle anarchism, the nature of the revolutionary subject, class identity, the importance of workplace activity, and propaganda are all covered.

As for its direct use in the everyday class war, in terms of participation and propaganda, then I would read other things first. So its not for the beginner, but the graduate, or medium/long term member of political groups/unions should find enough interesting in it, and new insights, for it to be very worthwhile.

Freedom's record, 12 Aug 2008
An astounding and compelling document. Rich in illuminating historical detail, Goldman's diaries render palpable the struggles, personalities and contradictions of anarchism across the borders of the twentieth century. Meetings with Kropotkin, Lenin, Gorki, the upper strata of Bolsheviki and a lifetime of comradeship with Sasha Berkman - all written with grace and honesty. But this also has immense value as a political record - of the capacity of some to think critically and with a universal humanism while others were making Fascist fantasies concrete. Goldman and Berkman saw the manipulation and authoritarian heart of Leninism first hand, understood the crushing of the Soviets for what it was, and came back to tell everyone about the lie. That was in 1921. If progressive leftists didn't know, it's because they didn't want to. Read it.

a life to be celebrated, 27 Jul 2007
The autobiography of one of the most fascinating people I have ever heard about.

A woman that was always true to herself in a period (late 19th and early 20th century) when everything was against her, being russian, a woman, a prominent anarchist, a communist, an activist for labour and human rights, a syndicalist and a believer in free-love, birthcontrol and freedom.

A fascinating book from an extremely competent propagandist.

THE GREATEST AUTOBIOGRAPHY EVER!!, 26 Jan 2006
The single most important autobiography in the English language make sure you get VOLUME 1. Amazon really needs to link the two volumes for single purchase convenience.

THE GREATEST AUTOBIOGRAPHY EVER!!, 26 Jan 2006
The single most important autobiography in the English language make sure you get VOLUME 2.

A unique window into left radicalism before 1917, 07 Apr 2005
Emma Goldman was one of America's first feminists and a contemporary of John Reed, the guy made famous by Warren Beatty's 1981 movie "Reds". If you've seen the movie and you want to get beyond the Hollywood gloss or if you want to understand what motivated the early radicals then read this book. The story starts with Emma as a young immigrant in NYC, which is a vivid first-hand account of the radical battles of the late 19th century in the USA; abortion, contraception, housing, workers' rights. The book is also a fascinating insight into the disputes within the radical movement before the movement was irrevocably shaken by the Russian revolution which split the movement for a century. After the Soviet revolution, loathed by the American establishment, she is deported to the young Soviet Russia nominally for her opposition to forced conscription during the First World War. The acccount of her experience in Russia is also fascinating. She arrives a believer but leaves in '21 as a disillusioned and active critic of the Bolsheviks. Anyone seriously interested in the history and origins of radical politics and the labour movement would be well advised to read this unique two-book autobiography.