Recommendation:
The Books Published by
AK PRESS
Please see:
http://www.akpress.org/
I came across AK PRESS' web site
"serendipitously" one night when I was searching for publications about, and hopefully by, Gustav Landauer.
The contributions of Landauer,
one of the greatest minds and hearts of the Anarchist Movement, were
intentionally eclipsed for reasons that would constitute a digression to go
into at length here. For our present
purposes, suffice it to say that most of Landauer's
writings are not extant or are unavailable and it is a rare privilege indeed to
find those that are. I found a pamphlet
containing Landauer's thoughts on Anarchism in his
native
The pamphlet arrived today together with
AK PRESS' 2005 Distribution Catalog and the New Titles for the Summer/Fall of
2005, which includes works on CDs.
I haven't spent this much time reading a
catalog since my mother bought a facsimile of the first Sears & Roebuck
Catalog. Neither have I wished I could
buy as many items.
What can I say? I'm a stickler for
excellence and authenticity when it comes to Socialism and Anarchism, being the
scion of a family that were active in founding the American Socialist Party and
HaShomer HaTza'ir (the
furthest Left of the kibbutzim in Israel), strengthening unions, creating more
humane conditions for workers and having a granduncle die fighting in the
Spanish Civil War, which traveled from the US to voluntarily take part in. I
know real Socialism and Anarchism from the wannabe, insincere, pseudo-hip lip
service that passes itself off as Socialism and Anarchy nowadays. I have little
tolerance for the latter, neither am I amused by the antics employed by various
soi-disant "Anarchist" groups.
It is a delight to say that I am able to
recommend the publications of AK PRESS wholeheartedly. (That is not to say that
I agree with the content of every publication. Anarchism and Socialism are not
monolithic. Yes, dissent is permitted!)
The publications produced by AK PRESS are
the genuine article. They publish works
by and about Michael Bakunin, Emma Goldman, Ben Reitman, Lucy Parsons and many other mothers and fathers of
Socialism and Anarchism, as well as those of their authentic spiritual/moral and
intellectual heirs.
The care taken by AK PRESS to produce a
catalog that is well-written and not riddled with the orthographic and
grammatical errors that are so ubiquitous nowadays that they are tacitly
accepted, or worse, thought to be correct English, did not escape the notice
and appreciation of this reviewer.
The number of publications they provide
on the number of subjects they embrace as being part and parcel of Socialism
and Anarchism is nothing less than astounding for a small cooperative that is
celebrating its fifteen year in business. (Note: they call themselves a .org and not a .com). You will even find a very
respectable selection of vegan recipe books.
Their publications are in the form of
books, videos, DVDs and CDs. They ship by various methods to the
Their lapse into silly consumerism,
consisting of inane slogans and drawings of icons of the Socialist-Anarchist
Movement on T-Shirts and the like, which is merchandise obviously geared for
those who cannot plumb the depth of Socialist-Anarchist principles, but intuit
that it is somehow "kewl" to look as if
they are for them, is offset by their very altruistic and sensitive policy of
providing books to prisoners at a reduction of 30% from the list price, thus
incurring a loss on the books. They also recommend not watching TV. That sage
advice, if followed, would help to phase out the market for the T-shirts and
other "gear" in the next generation immensely, thus providing proof
that Socialism and Anarchism dissolves the state as new behaviors are assumed.
Whether you agree with Socialism and
Anarchy, have not formed an opinion or are opposed to whatever extent, AK PRESS
is the address for one-stop, on-line shopping for the best literature on the
topic available.
Doreen Ellen Bell-Dotan,