The Anarchist Handbook: A Guide to Revolutionary Thinking by Michael Malice

Gabriel: Malice really puts together a masterclass of the best anarchist thinking all in one place. If you were ever curious about what anarchy, look no further than this book.

United States on May 10, 2023

Amazon Customer: Loved the essays included in this book. It’s the kind of book that you can pick up and turn to any page and start reading. It’s helped me understand that anarchy is really about peace. As a Bahai, Ive studied the early history of our Faith and understand how corrupt governments have been destroying peaceful movements and killing people around the globe. I am seeking a personal philosophy that can encompass a spiritual and secular way of life and feel closer to it now than ever before.

United States on Jan 17, 2023

Jordan Clarke: Excellent collection that spans the many colors of the black flag

Canada on Jan 06, 2023

a: Eine sehr lesenswerte Zusammenstellung.

Germany on Sep 18, 2022

Jacob T.: First, yes, these essays and excerpts can all be found online. I'm still of the opinion physical books are an important way to consume content. Highlight interesting phrases. Make notes in the margins. Challenge and test these ideas. Discuss them with others. Examine your preconceptions and biases using these radicals as your litmus test. Then, go online or to your local library and read more. We've been spoon-fed a worldview without any real critical thought anywhere. This book is the perfect starting point for anyone who is realizing there is a deeper problem than just the wrong party getting elected every couple years.

As for the book itself, it's a basic paperback. Sturdy enough, but not as good as hardcover. Docked a point for the absence of that option. Michael, publish a reference book like this in proper library quality! I'm hoping a second expanded edition in hardcover is forthcoming.

United States on Jun 12, 2022

Steve S / Noon Sun Publishing: As a voluntaryist and individualist anarchist influenced most heavily by Lysander Spooner and Murray Rothbard, I was never much interested in socialist anarchism, and I particularly disdained those individuals calling themselves anarchists who practiced "propaganda of the deed" -- i.e., violence. Bringing it up to today, it dismays me that some black-clad antifa punk hurling a brick through a McDonalds window is called an anarchist, when he is nothing of the sort. Anarchism is NOT destructionism.

That said, this anthology has given me new appreciation for those 19th/early 20th century writers whose brand of anarchism might not have matched mine on all points (and sometimes on many points), but whose hatred for the state was both righteous and on-target. No one's anarchism, including the type that I find most congenial and "correct," has all the answers. We are all struggling to reach a clear picture of the power dynamics at play in the relationship of the state to the individual, and to forge a path forward out of the mess we find ourselves in.

I recommend this book to all who claim the anarchist label, or who are merely interested in this way of viewing the world...

United States on Aug 03, 2021

Trevor Murray: Statism is run on force while Anarchy (voluntary relationships) is run on things getting done voluntarily. Statism uses force, violent and deadly force if needed to implement it's ideas. Voluntaryism (Anarchy) shares ideas and doesn't use violence to achieve it's goals. Does a business come to your home every week and demand you pay them for their service whether you use said business or not? I think Not! Statism "government" Does use violence to collect money from you and one cannot unsubscribe from it's "service" rendering "government" an organization full of subjects forced to live in Involuntary Servitude.

Thank you kindly Michael Malice, you are a thoughtful man who promotes peaceful ways of relating to one another. You are not deceitful nor are you delusional when talking about Anarchy.

Yours truly,

Trevor Murray

Canada on Jul 18, 2021

Madhan: A well done book, good collection of essays about a very conventional topic. Unfortunate that Noam Chomsky couldn't make it

As a young kid I say this, a world without Michael malice I would have been more lonelier. Thank you for existing ❤️ and you don't have to turn back and look at us!

India on Jul 07, 2021

Rainer Boegle: Learn as much as you can and see what you agree on and what is not for you, but please engage with everything in here, you certainly won't learn this in school!
There is so much essential material in here, the only essay missing here is Ted Kaczynski "industrial society and its future", but this can be excused because Uncle Ted is a special esoteric and extravagant style of anarchist as his main concern is the resistance of organized technological society and therefore the state but not necessarily individual anarchism, however still he places highest importance on living on your own terms, which is a big theme in this book.

Learn to dispel the myths of the state!
This is your handbook!

Germany on May 29, 2021

Ancapadam: Michael Malice has crafted the definitive anthology on anarchist thought for general audiences. Mr. Malice covers the entire spectrum of anti-authoritarian thought, ranging from the left-anarchist thinking of individuals such as Bakunin, Proudhon, and Goldman, to the pro-capitalist, austro-libertarian tradition of Rothbard, Friedman (the son; not the father), and Spencer. What's awesome about this work is that Malice doesn't try to force (hint, hint, wink, wink) readers into accepting one school of thought over the other. His primary objective is to introduce readers to the thoughts and ideas of individuals who understood that all forms of government--democratic, communist, monarchist, etc.--are simply incompatible with Man's ability to live a life that's free from the shackles of despotism. Now, don't get me wrong: there will be those who favor one branch of anti-authoritarianism over the other. As you can clearly tell by my Amazon username, I will always take the side of individuals such as Rothbard, Hoppe, and Casey any day of the week. However, that doesn't mean that those on who created the foundation for anarcho-communism didn't have moments of genius from...

United States on May 23, 2021