“As I did when I was involved in the civil rights and anti—war movements in the USA in the 1960s, I today stand with the oppressed, the Palestinians…a struggle for freedom, justice and human rights that is truly global.”
When Jeff Halper spoke recently on a cross—Canada tour, he concentrated on Israeli government policies and their devastating effect on Palestine. He told us about the resistance campaigns of the organization he directs [Israeli Committee against House Demolitions (ICAHD), a group of Israeli & international volunteers Read more [...] Category Archives: Book Reviews
Halper, Jeff. An Israeli in Palestine: Resisting Dispossession, Redeeming Israel. 2008. Pluto Press, UK.
“As I did when I was involved in the civil rights and anti—war movements in the USA in the 1960s, I today stand with the oppressed, the Palestinians…a struggle for freedom, justice and human rights that is truly global.”
When Jeff Halper spoke recently on a cross—Canada tour, he concentrated on Israeli government policies and their devastating effect on Palestine. He told us about the resistance campaigns of the organization he directs [Israeli Committee against House Demolitions (ICAHD), a group of Israeli & international volunteers Read more [...] Comments Off on Halper, Jeff. An Israeli in Palestine: Resisting Dispossession, Redeeming Israel. 2008. Pluto Press, UK.
Filed under Book Reviews, Jeff Halper
Hamilton, Clive. Growth Fetish. 2004. Pluto Press UK and USA.
There is much to like about this book – from the quirky title to the cover quote by Noam Chomsky, “Right on target and badly needed”, to the opening quote, “All great truths begin as blasphemies”, by George Bernard Shaw and to the final closing line by the author, “Nothing is inevitable and no power is invincible”. So after a session of reading very ho-hum works that I couldn’t recommend anyone buy, I was happy to dig into this economics made-easy and action made possible new book from Australia.
When I was in Brazil for the Read more [...]
Comments Off on Hamilton, Clive. Growth Fetish. 2004. Pluto Press UK and USA.
Filed under Book Reviews, Clive Hamilton
Handal, Nathalie, editor. THE POETRY OF ARAB WOMEN: A contemporary anthology. 2001. Interlink Books USA.
This extensive collection contains works from more than 80 Arab women poets around the world. The editor writes that poetry is historically revered in Arab culture and is the genre of choice of women writers – many known writers date back 1500 years. For this reviewer it is exciting to discover so many contemporary poets in one volume. Arab woman and their creativity have been sidelined in today´s politicized world and this book is a great contribution to our knowledge of Arab poetry in translation.
The introduction is lengthy and extensive, Read more [...]
Comments Off on Handal, Nathalie, editor. THE POETRY OF ARAB WOMEN: A contemporary anthology. 2001. Interlink Books USA.
Filed under Book Reviews, Nathalie Handal
HANDBOOK for NONVIOLENT CAMPAIGNS. 2014. War Resisters’ International London, UK. ISBN 978-0-903517-28-7
Dey, Andrew, coordinator.
HANDBOOK for NONVIOLENT CAMPAIGNS. 2014. War Resisters’ International London, UK. ISBN 978-0-903517-28-7
“…our working definition of nonviolence is based on a desire to end violence…without committing further violence. This handbook was written by people from around the world …” from the introduction
This is a collaborative work with many authors and contributors in itself a remarkable feat, so many stories, images and guidelines, but they all keep the focus on the importance of nonviolence. Accounts Read more [...] Comments Off on HANDBOOK for NONVIOLENT CAMPAIGNS. 2014. War Resisters’ International London, UK. ISBN 978-0-903517-28-7
Filed under Andrew Dey
Hawthorne, Susan & Bronwyn Winter eds. After Shock: September 11, 2001 / Global Feminist Perspectives. 2003. Raincoast Books, Vancouver, BC.
“There are a hundred ways to be a good citizen, and one of them is to look, finally, at things we don't want to see.”
Barbara Kingsolver in After Shock
This volume was originally published as SEPTEMBER 11, 2001: Feminist Perspectives in 2002 by Spinifex Press of Australia. It has lost none of its importance or relevance in the last two years. The words of women on the evils of violence are prophetic as we see in horror the war of occupation in Iraq, the increase repression in Palestine and the fallout of USA militarism everywhere – including Read more [...]
Comments Off on Hawthorne, Susan & Bronwyn Winter eds. After Shock: September 11, 2001 / Global Feminist Perspectives. 2003. Raincoast Books, Vancouver, BC.
Filed under Book Reviews, Bronwyn Winter, Susan Hawthorne
Hawthorne, Susan. THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT. 2005. Spinifex Press. Melbourne, Australia.
From the physical sciences comes the theory that all life is interconnected, that even the gentle movement of a butterfly’s wing can connect to vast and distant changes and consequences. The pages of this book are like those frail wings; marks on delicate paper that connect and relate.
In Wild Politics Hawthorne explored the growth of wisdom and strength in a world of biodiversity and cultural diversity; a world where everything is connected and politics are best nurtured in their own home environment. She showed how disconnection is vital Read more [...]
Comments Off on Hawthorne, Susan. THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT. 2005. Spinifex Press. Melbourne, Australia.
Filed under Book Reviews, Susan Hawthorne
Hawthorne, Susan. Wild Politics. Spinifex Press. North Melbourne, Australia.
In her opening statement Hawthorne lays out our problem and our solution: Disconnection is critical for a system based on profit. By contrast, biodiversity relies on connection and relationship. If DISPOSABLE PEOPLE is depressing, WILD POLITICS provides an inspiring antidote to its message by giving a feminist critique of our present world, an explanation of the structures that enable exploitation and an amazing range of actions by women, peasants, farmers, workers everywhere who defy the globalization paradigm and connect to our common humanity Read more [...]
Comments Off on Hawthorne, Susan. Wild Politics. Spinifex Press. North Melbourne, Australia.
Filed under Book Reviews, Susan Hawthorne
Heath, Joseph and Andrew Potter. The Rebel Sell: Why the culture can’t be jammed. 2004. HarperCollins, Toronto, ON.
I have long had my doubts about the idea of "culture jamming" as promoted by some magazines and recent acclaimed books. It often seems like shallow theatre to me. Thinking it may be an age related ideological problem of my own, I was pleased to see this book by two obviously young writers.
Their thesis is that a preoccupation with "jamming" the consumer culture - what Warnock calls market capitalism in his very different book, Saskatchewan - is really a form of consumerism. I think of that whenever I see a "Che" T-shirt. We commodify everything Read more [...]
Comments Off on Heath, Joseph and Andrew Potter. The Rebel Sell: Why the culture can’t be jammed. 2004. HarperCollins, Toronto, ON.
Filed under Andrew Potter, Book Reviews, Joseph Heath
Hildebrandt, Zeporah. MARINA SILVA: Defending Rainforest Communities in Brazil. 2001. The Feminist Press, New York, USA.
“To see families that lived in the forest in dignity; in the favelas, in terrible poverty— that was a great motivation to become involved in political work, in social movements.”
One of my memorable moments at The World Social Forum in Porto Alegro, Brazil was seeing and hearing a small frail woman take the stage and capture the hearts of the audience when she spoke. Marina Silva was then the Senator from the Amazon in Brazil´s national government and was passionate about protecting the people and the ecology of her home.
Silva was Read more [...] Comments Off on Hildebrandt, Zeporah. MARINA SILVA: Defending Rainforest Communities in Brazil. 2001. The Feminist Press, New York, USA.
Filed under Book Reviews, Zeporah Hildebrandt
Hines, Colin. Localization: A Global Manifesto. Earthscan Publications, London, UK, 2000.
This British writer-activist has excellent ideas on how to create a necessary alternative to industrial, monoculture globalization. How to create cultural diversity and preserve biodiversity while localizing economies with human priorities.
Follow
Comments Off on Hines, Colin. Localization: A Global Manifesto. Earthscan Publications, London, UK, 2000.
Filed under Book Reviews, Colin Hines
Hodges, Tony. WESTERN SAHARA: The Roots of a Desert War. Lawrence Hill & Co. USA.
Described by a Canadian expert on the issue as the canonical work on this little known part of African history and geography; Hodges, a UK scholar and journalist, provides readers with a coherent and comprehensive record of the Western Sahara. For those coming late to the issue of Africa´s last colony, this issue, there is a wealth of complex history going back to the Neolithic to learn in order to understand the present day ongoing struggles for independence.
Hodges provides the essential background to understand the struggle for independence Read more [...] Comments Off on Hodges, Tony. WESTERN SAHARA: The Roots of a Desert War. Lawrence Hill & Co. USA.
Filed under Book Reviews, Tony Hodges
Honoré, Carl. In Praise of Slow: How a worldwide movement is challenging the cult of speed. Vintage Canada. 2004.
"There is more to life than increasing its speed"
Gandhi, quoted in this book
It started with the slow food movement which has spread from Italy to many countries. So Honoré starts his journey of slowing down with a report of the most popular slow movement, but his own epiphany as a frantic London-based journalist trying keep up with he demands of work and his attention to his small children. He saw an "AD" for "The one-Minute Bedtime Story". Too good to be true - until he realizes that his whole life has become an exercise in hurry – Read more [...]
Comments Off on Honoré, Carl. In Praise of Slow: How a worldwide movement is challenging the cult of speed. Vintage Canada. 2004.
Filed under Book Reviews, Carl Honoré
