13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Bad History bad drawings, July 3, 2009
This review is from: Students for a Democratic Society: A Graphic History (Paperback)
I was disappointed with this book. As a history of SDS it is episodic and disjoint. There is no attempt to give the viewpoints continuity. Some of the voices were cynical some were just egocentric, none were very informative. Did HSP really disolve into drug abusing powerlessness? What did it matter anyway?
As a separate issue the drawings are boring. The protestors break thru security lines to the lawn of the Pentagon. Without the text, it looks like a dull dull dull picnic.With the text it looks like there wasn't much of a protest going on. That is typical of the illustrations. The text says that women and men were taking equal part in the housekeeping at one 'project house'. Graphic shows women cooking, men talking. Kent State is condensed into two pages at the end. Throughout the book words in the text are in bold face type; the words in boldface seem to be chosen randomly.
Graphic Format can be used to bring an added dimension to an historical account. This book is an example trying to exploit the current interest in graphic format with a second rate text and ill planned pictures.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
16 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining history of a vital movement., May 26, 2008
This graphic history of "Students for a Democratic Society" brings to life an important effort at participatory democracy and protest that had 80,000 to 100,000 activists at its peak in the late sixties. SDS disintegrated for a combination of reasons, some interpersonal, some external disruptions from the FBI
The COINTELPRO Papers: Documents from the FBI's Secret Wars Against Dissent in the United States (South End Press Classics Series), and also the splintering off of more militant groups like
The Weather Underground. Nevertheless, SDS was a learning experience for many and contributed to the growing women's movement, the gay rights movement, the environmental movement and so forth. Many SDS members created new approaches to social change, such as Tom Hayden becoming involved in politics and writing books such as
Ending the War in Iraq, Michael Albert who helped to found
Z Magazine and has written and lectured widely on alternative economics
Realizing Hope: Life beyond Capitalism, and Thom Hartmann who has become a nationally syndicated radio host and author on such topics as
Unequal Protection: The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights. Even the more militant figures of SDS are today contributing to progressive social change, such as William Ayers, who is a professor in Illinois
Fugitive Days: A Memoir.
Additionally, an all-new SDS movement is developing with over 110 chapters worldwide. While their activities are ignored by the corporate media, members have taken part in courageous actions such as a blockade of the Port of Tacoma where the U.S. military was loading Stryker vehicles for Iraq. Many SDS members attended the U.S. Social Forum in Atlanta. So, while it is true that
A Hard Rain Fell: SDS and Why It Failed, a new SDS has grown out of the manure of the current administration of our plutocracy, and its many activities include plans to protest the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.
[...]
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Form Your Cadre, August 23, 2009
What ever happened to this style of activism? Where is it when it is needed most? The 60's mantra of 'One generation got old, one generation got soul' can't possibly be limited to just that generation can it? This should be must reading on H.S. reading lists when it comes to 60-70's history. Not only does it tell a story that will never find its way into regulated reading lists, it also does it in a way that would be engaging to students (not that that is ever a consideration of course). I participated in those times, so of course I loved the book. Let others learn from our mistakes and hopefully catch our unbridled enthusiasm while reading about those bygone days.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
