Customer Reviews

Exquisite Rebel: The Essays of Voltairine de Cleyre - Anarchist, Feminist, Genius

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This is one of 3 books about Voltairine deCleyre that appeared in 2004-2005. I've now read all 3 of them and have found some differences. Of the other two Voltairine books, one focused exclusively on her literary works, and was not as interesting (or important) as her political writing. The other one, while containing more political material, made no attempt to organize it into themes or related subjects. It also didn't provide much in the way of analysis or commentary. "Exquisite Rebel" is far and away the most enjoyable and illuminating of the 3.

In "Exquisite Rebel", Voltairine's writings are grouped by various central ideas, such as Religion, Feminism, or Nonauthoritarian Education. (The education section is titled "Not Another Brick in the Wall", an obvious reference to Pink Floyd). Presley and Sartwell wrote a good bit of original material, providing some background on the times and the political environment of Voltairine's era. They also painted a vivid picture of what it was like to be a woman 100 years ago. Knowing what the times were like makes Voltairine's accomplishments even more remarkable. She somehow overcame her brutal childhood and adolescence to become a clear and free thinker, an accomplishment in any age. The bios and other essays by the editors are almost worth the price of the book by themselves. Sharon Presley (any relation to Elvis?) in particular seems to have a real passion for Voltairine and the other late 19th and early 20th century Anarchists.

As for Voltairine herself, her writing has only a minimal amount of turn-of-the-century floridness. She speaks clearly and understandably from a century ago to today's audiences. If you believe the Anarchists were all about bombs and assassinations, this book will open your eyes and mind. Their ideas, especially deCleyre's, were about how society and government box people in and limit their choices and potential. Her essays on the relations between men and women are still ahead of today's thinking. Unfortunately, Voltairine's place in the history of political thought has been obscured by 100 years of neglect and fear of the new. Her place in history is also handicapped by the fact that she died tragically in 1912, while Emma Goldman lived on to denounce the Soviet Union and visit the Anarchists fighting Fascism in the Spanish Civil War. Thus we know much about "Red Emma" while Voltairine has remained in the shadows. This book shines a bright light on a deserving but neglected woman who contributed much to the body of Feminist and Individualist thought and writing.

Yeah, I enjoyed it.

This is an exquisite book. I did not know there were women like this in the 19th century. I learned a lot from reading this book. What a memorable woman.