Customer Reviews

Days of War, Nights of Love: Crimethink For Beginners

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

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....

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

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

Reading this book will give you an adrenaline rush equivalent to moshing at a really good punk show or making love in some far-away rainforest, your bodies and minds erupting like a red hot volcano. It reads like a fun conversation with a modern day Abbie Hoffman or Guy Debord (with a scratchy record of Chumbawamba playing in the background). Within these pages, the institutions of work, school, church, monogamy and capitalism come under attack, urging readers to live deliberately and passionately, wildly and freely, encouraging us with every waking moment to choose between generosity or greed, liberation or domination. There is no escaping one's mortality. Therefore, what really matters most: fighting on the streets for social justice or numbing away your pain with sitcoms and processed foods,the year you spent doing peace work in Chiapas or a meaningless lifetime of routine office labor? The choice is yours.

I half expected this book to be the immature ravings of malcontents, and while they are certainly malcontents, the writing is very mature and insightful. Another worry of mine when buying the book was that it would promote diffirent yet still sheep-iss attitudes, much like those that "rebel" and look like, listen to, and puppet the same things in their "cool" group. Yet this trap was not only avoided but clearly pointed out. What most inspired and impressed me was the spiritual depth of the book. Real spirituality, in the sense that the book brought out critical points and questions related to freedom, both as an internal quality and its external manifestation of how society as a whole can foster freedom and depth of questioning. The power of the book rests in it core and fundamental simplicity...And contrary to what your told, that is a compliment!

Before anything else is said, for those of you that just want a quick rundown of what the book is like, it's the best book on modern anarchism currently in existence. It's written and published by a mythical CrimethInc. (Ex)Workers' Collective, a group that even the most involved people have only limited understanding. This is the largest project that the CWC has released thus far, and is an excellent introduction to many of the ideas that people can sum up in the "Live Free Or Die" motto, and we mean it.
BUT that brings up a conflict for some of us. Should we market a product through a series of means that we oppose (corporate marketing, impersonal mailorder, and credit cards) hoping for wider distribution & visibility, or do we keep this products in our hands and distribute in the limited way that we are comfortable? A conflict every Avant-Garde artist, political columnists, and independent musician is forced to resolve. We choose to give you the option to purchase this in the same way that you probably buy many of your books, but understand that purchasing this book through amazon.com is an obvious contradiction to many of the themes throughout the book (Anti-Capitalism/Pro-Adventure) but any actions that fight against the status quo are going to be hypocritical by nature. May we take the focus away from that, and onto what else we can do.
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But this choice is left up to your hands. This book is subtitled "Your Ticket To A World Free Of Charge", but this isn't like an airplane in which your cramp yourself in and try to pass the time of the flight. This is a ticket to the Underground Railroad, where ex-slaves travel and work with conspirators and sympathizers on their path to freedom. Join Us.

I don't usually write reviews for books that I've read, but I had to make an exception for this one. It is, without exaggeration, the best book I have ever read. I've read it a few times, and each time it gets better and more applicable to my life.
To call this book a book about "anarchy" really shortchanges it. While it certainly weaves varying threads of anarchistic philosophy and history throughout the texts, this book is really about living your life as you see it fit to be lived. This book, I think, could best be described as an attempted manifesto for every COUNTERculture that ever existed.
And to boot, it's a really fun read. Some essays are short, some are long, some are written upside down, and there are various illustrations throughout. If you are into punk rock philosophy, or hate your boss, or are bored in church, buy and read this book. My only advice is to check it out at crimethinc.com. I think it is only like $8 there. Thanks.

This book is a wonderful introduction to Anarchism. (No, this book does not contain any methods for blowing up buildings or any other horrible acts. Don't even bother reading this book if you're that kind of sicko.) Even if you certainly do not agree with Anarchism but you are still curious, get this book anyway. One thing you will need to read this book is an open mind. This book contains many assaults on traditional beliefs and thinking. You will certainly throw this book away if you have a closed mind. This book is full of pictures which, for me, told exactly what the author was trying to explain.

Now, as for material presented, I did not agree with many points given in this book. The first thing I disagreed with was the analysis of the bourgeoisie. Another thing this book says is that the bourgeoisie could possibly give up their power and wealth voluntarily, by having them replace their capitalist soul-destroying consumerism and mindless competition, I presume. This is purely wishful thinking. No event in the history of the world did the ruling class voluntarily gave up their power, status, and wealth without putting up a fight. One particular thing I did not agree with was his analysis of history. Now I totally agree with the author when he says that history biased (just read you high school U.S. history text book!). However, when the author proposes that people should dispose of history altogether and replace it with myth, I found that hard to scoff down. The past is what creates the present. Without the past, one cannot understand the present. Humans, by human nature, have always wanted to understand the present. By not striving to understand the past, we cannot understand the present. And by not being allowed to understand the present, we are violating human nature. Now I agree with the author at one point: myths can be good. Myths can teach us positive things. It can teach us abstractions that are difficult to understand in a generalized form. But to replace history with myth? I'm not to sure about that... I think that pretty much sums up my disagreements with the book. This book is full of wonderful analyses. The author totally nails down the attitude of the bourgeoisie and their lifestyle. The chapter L is for Love is a personal favorite.

i read this book about a year ago and my life has seriously changed because of my reading it...just as the book suggests in the beginning...i did not buy into everything that was put out in the book...some of the stuff in this book is pretty out there imo...i for one like showers, deoderant, cologne, using electricity, and i even like my job...so i used it more as a way to tweak my outlook on life and my philosophies... i wouldnt recommend this book to anyone...but i would tell a lot of people to read it...esp people who have problems with insecurities of any sort or for people who are interested in finding out that they don't have to live the prescribed lifestyle setforth by our modern day society

i found this book quite inspiring to read although hard to read in large increments(and im a voracious reader). It is a great intro to anarchist thought with a primitivist bent. although i disagree with some of it(for instance i feel that when the available evidence is reviewed objectively it is hard to argue against the conspiratorial view of history convincingly and that conspiracy is just government doing business as usual). i also recomend 'Ishmael' by Daniel Quinn, 'Rule By Secrecy' by Jim Marrs, and 'David's Toolkit' by Ragnar Benson.