Customer Reviews

Recipes for Disaster: An Anarchist Cookbook

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

After a long wait, America's heirs to the Situationists come through with a wide-ranging, imaginative, and inspiring compendium of actions that people can take to challenge the status quo. Big and small, legal and il-, the 62 recipes run the gamut from dumspter-diving to banner drops, open relationships to locking down streets, monkeywrenching to coalition building. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the direct action tactics that have developed in anti-capitalist, anti-authoritarian circles in recent years.

One gripe-- the section on "undermining oppression" is a clumsy and unfortunate endorsement of the kind of identity politics that have so recklessly divided the left.

I bought this book instead of the "Anarchist Cookbook." From what I've heard this book was supposed to be a better cookbook for activists, since it was written in retaliation to the former.

Wrong - this book had no real value in its text. 'How to Party' paraphrasing one chapter from the book, "When women get together to party, nothing happens, de fin'e." How to sneak into less public areas "duh wear a suit and look like you belong", and chapters pertaining to panty antic bull $h]t. Examples: break a fusebox, temporary disabling utilities until a repairman comes,

Don't get me wrong, you don't chase cookbooks for the recipes, everything in the "Anarchist Cookbook" could be learned in a crash course in organic chemistry, just hop into the nearest university, befriend a chemist and wala you're ahead of the game. But the point of the cookbooks are in the collectible value- this had 'no real value.' Just 700 pages of an immature brat ranting about how messed up the government is, providing no real action. This person could have at least justified their view, showed some deep insight into the government or at least provide some real solution, and not temporary nuisances that place you in jail for stupid reasons. "Hi pig, yea look at me I'm an anarchist and I broke the glass window, catch me if you can"... please, if you want to get a point across, start by crippling the right targets, don't fruit fly.

Overall I would NOT recommend buying this book. I'm already returning my copy, even if I only receive 10% back that's still a well saved one dollar bill, on principal...

Not only is this book huge and chock full of great information and compelling first person accounts. It does not tell you how to blow yourself up. If you want to find out how to make a bomb or kill people, this book is not for you. If you are looking for a non-violent way to get your message across to others, follow the Crimethinc way! Also, Green Alert! This book is printed in Canada by Unionized workers on 100% post consumer recycled paper with soy based ink. This book is not useful for just anarchists, but also any person who wants to protest anything!

True- this book is not for people who really want to cause utter distruction and chaos. It's very tame, but that doesn't mean it isn't efficient in its purpose. This book will be like a bible for any activist who wants to participate in doing something they feel is useful. It's a great starter book for anyone who wants to change things and get involved but doesn't know where to start, as it basically takes activism and sums it up quite nicely in one book without getting boring or repetitive, and it's very simple and easy to understand. For its price, it's a steal, I highly HIGHLY recommend it to anyone interested in activism, and all that good stuff.

This product is a interesting piece of reading material its not what you think either it not a book on how to make bombs or anything like that it is just explaining how to "screw the system" but it is a good book

i read this after reading "days of war, nights of love" and found it very interesting...it sets out step by step instructions on how to utilize the information you got from DOW,NOL...its also great for anyone who would like to change up the scenery of their neighborhood...as i said for days of war...this book isnt for everyone...i would recommend this book to much fewer people than days of war, and mainly save this recommendation for those who may be interested in activism, or anyone who knows an activist

though not really about creating disasters per se, it offers an excellent view on the ideology of anarchism, and a number of ideas to effect positive change through direct action.

This book is filled with useful information. Though it could be read straight through cover to cover; it is definately more useful as a reference.
If you have an idea and arent sure how to go about going through with it look it up in the index.
The book is also very inspirational. Most every how to includes an actual account and how it was carried out, if it worked, how the doer would change the process next time...etc. Youll find that reading these DIYs will inspire you to have thoughts of your own. Mine is personally all scribbled up in the margins with ideas of my own.

HIGHLY recommended!!!! this is a great read that should be read

I own all of Crimethinc's books, and this is probably the best for direct action.

Pay no mind to the griping of those who have bought this book and aren't pleased that it tells them how to run away from their 9-5 jobs and their 2.4 children; if you want to be an anarchist badly enough and put this book to good use, you'll find a way to solve your preexisting dilemmas.
Admittedly though, I always figured the ideal anarchist is young, angry, and poor, and this book was compiled by someone who fits that description.

Th recipes included in the book range from small, creative ideas and suggestions for quiet corruption of the system, to large operations requiring many people for noticeable pandemonium.

It's not like it's lacking, it's nearly 700 pages, man. It's a tool, not a story book. Oh, and don't let the pigs get ahold it of, it'll be classified as "anti-government literature" and will be used against you in trial if you are so sloth-like to get caught.

This book was hyped to be some great book, It SUCKED, I'm sorry, but this book is a complete rip off, way overpriced.