by Cindy Barukh Milstein
Strangers in a Tangled Wilderness
10/25/2022, paperback
SKU: 9781958911006
Try Anarchism for Life revolves around a thought experiment: What are some of the many beautiful dimensions of anarchism? In reply, it blends gorgeous circle A drawings by twenty-six artists with Milstein's words, forming picture-prose that are at once inviting and playful, poignant and dreamy. The pieces encourage us to notice and expand on liberatory practices, especially in a time when so much feels impossible. In depicting how anarchism gifts us lives worth living, this book warms ailing hearts and offers tender succor.
Reviews:
"Cindy Milstein teams up with some of the best and most active current anarchist artists to give us this collection of artful circle As, each accompanied by a textual meditation on anarchism and struggle that ranges from beautiful to cute to didactic to inspiring, and always with a core of wisdom. Milstein has a special touch." -- Peter Gelderloos, author of The Solutions Are Already Here
"Freedom struggles produce care, love, art. These things in turn demand courage, transformation, consciousness, ideals, dreams. Above all, struggle. Struggle gives birth to autonomy. And autonomy enables life. This book affectionately defends these things, and all the other things that state, capitalism, and patriarchy systematically steal from individuals, communities, and society. It invites people to see the world of anarchism as an ethical, beautiful way of living. Anarchism not as a rigid, static identity or form. Rather, anarchisting as a quest for creativity against dogma, solidarity against hierarchy, justice against power. A beautiful piece of work, a companion for the many collective journeys for meaning and liberation beyond borders." -- Dilar Dirik, author of The Kurdish Women's Movement: History, Theory, Practice
"What a beautiful and playful collection of anarchist ruminations, like an imaginative picture book for adults (but not in the grown-up sense)! It's a joyful contribution to anarchist literature as well as to Milstein's own writing. You can read this poetic book in any order--an alphabet that goes from big A to little a and beyond--which makes it a perfect book to pick up to stimulate creativity and meditation. But after reading the whole thing, one gets the sense of the fullness of a life devoted to anarchism; that is, the mutual care and love for each other and the world that raises the stakes for freedom from domination. As we Jews says, "To life!"--that is, to a life worth living!" -- Scott Branson, author of Practical Anarchism: A Guide for Daily Life
About the Author:
Cindy Barukh Milstein is author of Anarchism and Its Aspirations, coauthor of Paths toward Utopia: Graphic Explorations of Everyday Anarchism, and editor of the anthologies Taking Sides: Revolutionary Solidarity and the Poverty of Liberalism and Rebellious Mourning: The Collective Work of Grief. Cindy co-organizes the Institute for Advanced Troublemaking's Anarchist Summer School in Worcester, MA, and is also honored, when called on, to do death doula and grief care.