Customer Reviews

Letters to a Young Activist (Art of Mentoring)

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I'll start out with my basic reason for reading this book at all, and a little bit of background. I only read this book because Todd Gitlin has been enough of a friend of Kate Coleman, a former lover of mine, that I was able to meet him at a reading Kate gave at the NYU Journalism School in March of 2005 for "The Secret Wars of Judi Bari". Todd was (still is) teaching there at the time, though the event was held under the auspices of Bruce Porter, also teaching there. Although I have not read any other of Todd's books (nor Bruce's at that time), I saw this one being remaindered (!!!) and picked it up on a chance.

I was never an activist during the 60s - by the time I was old enough to get out in the streets, the activism had degenerated into factional infighting, and it was clear that the Left was intent on killing itself in a purification rite before it would bother crossing swords with any real adversary. So I was a hedonistic hippie instead, and also bothered to get great grades in school, where I did join protests, but only if they didn't cut into my nookie time and my stoning time. Thenceforth, I went through Law School, passed the Bar, and practiced.

I did bring some of the idealism of the 60s with me, but not by becoming a docrinaire libertarian lawyer, just by letting the wholistic healthy attitudes of the bygone days permeate my practice. I retired from the Bar after about 12 years, it really wasn't good for me to be an adversarial professional, even though I did some aspects of it very well, including three winning briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court. Maybe I was activist enough, in my way.

"Letters" is a well organised series of mini-treatises, each tightly focussed on a tightly - defined theme. There are Letters about self-perception, about taking a stance, about one's setting in the world, and about what might be appropriate expectations for the results of one's activism. Here's a man who has "been there and done that", but he does not condescend - rather he commiserates. He does not pontificate, rather he relates his feelings about having seen the limitations of the viewpoints of himself and those around him, and gives to the reader the wish that they will learn from both the successes and failures of his generation, that the new group may truly stand on their shoulders, and thus be as giants in the struggle to get some good done in this world.

It is very much about "this world" that Gitlin writes. Not only generally about this world, but about being American, being an activist for social and political good, and being in the present day reality. He is an avowed "anti-anti-American", though himself a founder of the SDS, he hung out the American Flag at his New York house in the days following "9-11". Whilst lamenting the squandered opportunities that the U.S.A. had to hand in the weeks and months after those events, he seeks to spur on the new activists to greater achievements whilst cautioning them against many of the dead-end-streets available, the distractions, the freeloaders and those who would hijack an activists movement and sap their energies.

Gitlin writes in a familiar, almost folksy tone, reminiscent of a relaxed afternoon conversation in comfortable surroundings. Whilst sometimes circuituous in getting to a point, or neglecting to reach a conclusion in a clear manner, he gets his message across in a manner that's at once experienced, learned and of heartfelt urgency. With the reader's progress through the Letters, there is greater clarity to the writing, or else one simply becomes accustomed to his style, so it reads more smoothly and seems more focussed and clear.

I appreciated reading this contribution to the series "The Art of Mentoring", and hope that it has a positive place in the libraries of activists, both now and in the future. If I had been minded towards a life of activism, I would see great value in these hard-won lessons, and would value these Letters as though they'd been written - or spoken - directly to me.
©2006 David C.P. Leland

"Be original. See what happens."

With eloquence and insight, former Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) president Todd Gitlin imparts to the younger generation the wisdom acquired over five decades of activism. His LETTERS TO A YOUNG ACTIVIST is both a celebration of the joy and necessity of social change and a cautionary note regarding the traps of nihilism, black-and-white thinking, and self-righteous purity.

For those young people who despair that the era of dramatic social change is over, Gitlin offers some valuable perspective. In reflecting on the Sixties--for many of today's activists, an idealized decade that dwarfs everything since--Gitlin reminds the reader that the decade was as traumatic as it was exhilarating. Crucially, he also points out that "The Sixties" didn't simply explode out of thin air; the social movements that characterized the time emerged slowly, amid much initial opposition.

Gitlin urges young activists to remain passionate and playful, but also to think strategically and be mindful of the consequences of their words and actions. LETTERS has the feel of a friendly yet animated chat, and Gitlin's advice never approaches condescension. As an activist who has experienced frustration and burnout, I found this book to be a reminder of why I became an activist in the first place.

One of the values of this book is that it looks back on the 1960s without glossing over the problems, some of the misdirected idealism, etc. It does serve as a testament to social action as a high calling, and in that regard, attempts to encourage activism in today's culture. I thoroughly enjoyed it because I was a teenager in the 1960s, but I also recently sent the book to my 28-year-old son because it presents thoughtful arguments without getting into trite analysis. I totally disagreed with the review by Publishers Weekly. It's well worth reading.

One of the values of this book is that it looks back on the 1960s without glossing over the problems, some of the misdirected idealism, etc. It does serve as a testament to social action as a high calling, and in that regard, attempts to encourage activism in today's culture. I thoroughly enjoyed it because I was a teenager in the 1960s, but I also recently sent the book to my 28-year-old son because it presents thoughtful arguments without getting into trite analysis. I totally disagreed with the review by Publishers Weekly. It's well worth reading.

This reivew is from a Chomskyan perspective, as it well should be, because Gitlin seems to be motivated, at a rather petty level, by his hatred for Chomsky. This is an arrogant, shallow, stupid, and presumptuous book, with absolutely no genuine insight revealed whatsoever beyond the banal. Instead of taking on important issues like racism and the Middle East, he settles scores with Black Panthers and allegedly anti-Semitism in the pro-Palestinian movement. Gitlin is no leftist-he's wedded to establishment, Democratic party politics. Events since he wrote this book have discredited that view, obviously. People like Gitlin have made their peace with the status quo, and are left to try to dress up banality as profundity. There is literally nothing to be gained from reading this book, other than an understanding of the difference between the genuine radical left and self-absorbed blowhards like Gitlin.

this book is very poorly written.

gitlin is good at weaving webs of confusion and obfuscation about anything and everything. he sees everything throught the lens of moral ambiguity, which although not too good for activism is pretty sound for an Ivy League professor with tenure.

the only thing i gleaned from this book is that the right is far more organized and motivated than the left which is largely incapable of working together in common cause and is stuck in adolescence.

the right also has the advantage that it can organize grass roots support via the infrastucture of mega churches, which obviously leaves the left out in left field since most of them are non- or anti-religious.

gitlin is hopelessly deluded about 9-11, paroting the bush line even as he disparages the bush response. and strangely even as he justifies his SDS 1960s activism against the Vietnam War, which he believes was predicated on lies, he seems totally obtuse to the extensive research about the false flag elements of the 9-11 attacks. perhaps as a Jew he is quicker to indict "Islamic terrorism" than Oriental or Soviet Communism, which simply proves that blood is indeed thicker than water.

gitlin seems like a person who doesnt know what to think about much of anything. one can only hope that his moral wishiwashiness and confusion is not typical of the professors who guide our young people in universities, but dont bet on it.

This is politics with attitude, presented by a former sixties activist who has plenty of sincerity and passion, though he has a somewhat convoluted writing style. Todd Gitlin - the former president of Students for a Democratic Society, the SDS - has a great deal to say, much of it worthwhile, though couched in nostalgic reminiscence of his youthful activism. Given that, former sixties protestors may find more here than current rightist young idealists. His observations on the faults of the Left and the strength of the Right are, if not original, stimulating. He does draw potentially useful lessons from the sixties, as seen through his prism of leftist activism and leadership. We recommend this fast, historic and forward-looking read. In these turbulent times, Gitlin encourages participation, discourages violence and believes the individual can still make a difference. Who could quarrel with that?