Days of War, Nights of Love : Crimethink For Beginners (Paperback)

by Crimethink Workers Collective (Author), Nadia C. (Author), Frederick Markatos Dixon (Author), NietzsChe Guevara (Author), Jane E. Humble (Author), Paul F. Maul (Author), Stella Nera (Author), Tristan Tzarathustra (Author), Jeanette Winterson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"It's an exciting book, and a great labor of love, skill, and daring." -- Daniel Quinn, Author of Ishmael

Product Description
Here is a review from Clamor Magazine. It sums up the general idea of the book pretty well, (and we know better than to try and describe it ourselves):

"Less of a novel and more of an exploded manifesto, Days of War, Nights of Love might be just what we need. It is the type of book you'd thumb through in the store and actually want to buy (or steal). Avoiding the "thin gruel of narrative," the book instead gllefully mashes appropriated art pieces with personal testimony—reconfigured Frank Miller comic panels shout, "Face it, your politics are boring as fuck!" Whether you agree or not, there's a refreshing quality to a book that offers the same amount of information to both tth serious reader and casual browser, because despite steady sales of The Revolution of Everday Life and Nation of Ulyesses CDs, most of us are still living lives that are frustratingly incomplete.

The past four centuries are all fodder for this new manifesto, everything—from the Unabomber to the Smiths, Henry Miller to the German J2M movement, Kalahari bushemn to Natural Born killers—finds its way on the pages. Such voracious stealing from history and applying as needed becomes not just a practice, but a saving grace. By never labeling themselves punks or new Dadaists and instead stealing all manner of praxis and pranks, CrimethInc. remains elusive, avoiding pitfalls that toppled previous revolutionaries. Beloved nihilistic comic characters Milk & Cheese re-emerge as Soy Milk & Tofu to offer shoplifting as the true antidote to capitalism. The book is simultaneously tongue-in-cheek and as serious as getting up in the morning for work, yet avoids the inherent alienation of most historical and cultural texts (whose authors they dismiss as careerist historicizers").

Topics range from anarchy to hierarchy, work to sex, alienation to liberation and technology, but every page burns with a passion for a freer life. Lies, exagerations and blatant plagiarisms mix freely with passionate arguments. Nadia admits on page 171 that this may all "sound like anarcho-mystical academic nonsense (which it is of course—freedom cannot be understood except through mysticism!)," but the CrimethInc. workers do weave a good spell. Who disputes obvious, but unvoiced concerns like, "We pay rent before we live there a month. But we get paid 1-4 weeks after doing the work."? Other essays walk a precarious line between arrogant and inspiring: activists are taken to task for being dull and guilty; radicals and artists as excrement peddlers, forever squirreling moments away for their next product. Too Harsh? Or a necessary critique?

The books vehement insistence that living is more important than art carries the argument beyond the typical debate. When you make it to the end, the personal testimonials about not working and the closing art pieces become an aria of voices urging you to close the book and live. Glorious, even for the most cynical reader. What more can we ask from a book? Whether or not you buy it probably depends on what you thought of the last Refused LP—revolutionary cannibals or well-dressed poseurs? Well-read former straight-edge kids or new messiahs? Don't think too hard about it—the book warns from page one, "This book will not save your life; that my friend is up to you." - Clamor Magazine #6, Dec.00/Jan.01

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Product Details

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: CrimethInk (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 097091010X
• ISBN-13: 978-0970910103
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #48,445 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It will destroy your faith in anything but yourself....., June 29, 2001

By	Bruce Ables (Empire, CO USA) - See all my reviews

Days of War, Nights of Love is undoubtedly a life-changing book for anyone lucky enough to thumb through a few pages. Really, that's part of the beauty of it. When reading, I didn't go through the 'table of discontents' (A is for Anarchy, F is for Freedom, etc.) in order, I just opened randomly and started reading. And whether you're a capitalist cheerleader or a die-hard anarchist (something which the I chapter may make you think twice about,) it has fresh ideas and perspectives for everyone.

The essays are mostly random collections of personal perspectives by mysterious authors, part of a CrimethInc. collective, many of the best written by the ever-elusive Nadia C. The authors explain, in clear and inspiring language, that the modern-day bourgeuoise style of living is not only damaging to the individual, but it is pitiful compared to the potential existance each of us could posess. An important point, however, is that CrimethInc. does NOT profess to be a movement or organization destined to lead the masses of out darkness. In fact, they warn against the danger of such 'movements', or for that matter, solid ideologies for any group. Along with the writing and personal notes, there are illustrations that make their catch phrases all the more meaningful by looking like they were written by a Dada Norman Rockwell. If you have ever felt put down by any authority, especially your own consciousness, this is for YOU... but be careful, this book will not save your life....

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars anarchy for beginners, January 2, 2004

By	chad thompson (CA) - See all my reviews

this book does exactly what it is intended to do: introduce a political ideology to the reader. In other words, its "crimethinc for beginners". It provides the reader with basic information about anarchism, and it provides the reader with decent arguments against capitalism. The book serves its purpose.

After you read this book, if you are still interested with anarchist ideas I suggest you read "anarchism and other essays" by emma goldman, "what is anarchism" by a;exander berkman, "homage to catalonia" by george orwell

28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a good start, December 16, 2004

By	S. T. Sullivan "law student, culture vulture,... (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

this is the best crimethinc book. There are times when I wish they'd have just stopped here. Excellent introduction to what is so wrong with society, but a little bare in the what the hell are we going to do about it department. And no, I don't think trainhopping and dumpster diving are going to bring about the revolution.

By all means read this. Especially if punk rock and the black block appeals to you, but don't stop there. Check out the writing of Francis Fox Piven, Michael Albert, Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz, John Holloway, ViJay Prishad and Marcos