AK Press

Black flame; the revolutionary class politics of anarchism and syndicalism.

Written by South African journalist Schmidt and sociologist van der Walt, this is the first volume of a two-volume work synthesizing the history and ideas of the broad anarchist tradition around the world. The first volume defines anarchism as a form of revolutionary and libertarian socialism and outlines its main ideas, particularly in relation to the ideas of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, classical Marxism, and economic liberalism. It explores the relationship between anarchism and syndicalism and describes the major strategic and tactical debates in the movement. It also discusses major themes of the anarchist tradition, including class, union, peasant, community, unemployed, national liberation, feminist, and racial equality struggles, as well as internationalism. The second volume constructs a global history of the broad anarchist tradition. The volume is particularly valuable in expanding its geographic focus well beyond the traditional subjects of studies of anarchism (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Spell Alburquerque; memoir of a "difficult" student.

Reed was diagnosed early in life with several language-based learning disorders, and the experts agreed that she would never learn to read or write. She published her first book of poetry not long after, and has continued to succeed in a literary career. At age 31, she looks back at her life, primarily her experience in school, from kindergarten through graduate school, the prose studded throughout with poems from the period she is recalling. The emphasis on her own education, and especially as a student with disabilities, reflects her professional interest in improving public education. She won the bronze. The final chapter relates her campaign for Oakland School Board, District One. There is no index. Co-published with CounterPunch. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)