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All the Power: Revolution Without Illusionby Mark Andersen Non-Fiction/Politics | Trade Paperback
An "anti-manifesto" from the co-author of Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital with a preface by Jennifer Baumgardner, author of Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future One of Washington, DC's leading political activists offers a contemporary update of Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals for the launch of the new Akashic imprint, Punk Planet Books. An ambitious, accessible mix of history, autobiography, and how-to-manual, this "anti-manifesto" challenges popular concepts of radical activism. Long-time inner-city organizer and punk rabble-rouser Mark Andersen takes aim at the illusions that tend to keep North American radicals self-satisfied but ineffective. A whirlwind tour across decades -- through punk and student activism, identity and lifestyle politics, animal rights, armed struggle, patriotism, globalization, and beyond -- this book seeks a radicalism that is both rigorously self-critical and genuinely populist. Leaping from agrarian socialist experiments of the early twentieth century to embattled 1960s streets to the fiercely independent punk underground of the 1980s and '90s to the present-day global-justice movement, All the Power suggests how the seemingly most idealistic of enterprises -- revolution -- might be practically accomplished. Mark Andersen is the co-author of Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk in the Nation's Capital (Akashic, 2003). He is outreach coordinator for Emmaus Services for the Aging, an advocacy group that assists inner-city seniors in Washington, DC. He remains active with Positive Force DC, Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive, Women's Advocates to Terminate Sexism (WATTS), as well as with the parish council and justice & service committee of St. Aloysius Catholic Church. He lives in Washington, DC.. Praise for All the Power: "Mark loves to dance with words: He finds struggle in right as well as wrong, all the while keeping time with a cadence of thoughts and approaches. He is a free-agent believer open to possibility. His decision to reflect on his personal journey through what he refers to as 'revolution' may lull the reader with the packaging, as the written word is often mistaken for the truth. The fact that questions in a written form can at times resemble answers is a danger for most activist writers, as well as writing activists. Be that as it may, it is Mark's content, the inexhaustible work ethic and boundless hope for the better, that serves as the true ballast of his conviction." --Ian MacKaye"Does organized rebellion need its own Martha Stewart? Relax, this isn't it. In your grasp is a heartfelt, brick-by-brick guide from a committed veteran activist on heart, soul, music, his own life's surprises, and how we can all bring ongoing change to our own communities." --Jello Biafra "Mark Andersen is the living Holden Caulfield, committed to making the world a better place for all its children. This book reflects his deep caring and concern for the human condition, urging us to hold onto the dream of King and find a way to come together, again, toward humane revolutionary change." --Elaine Brown, former Chairman of the Black Panther Party "By naming some of the difficult, unanswered questions from past movements, All The Power opens up exciting conversations about how to proceed in today's world. This fascinating examination of activism over the past fifty years is a must-read for anyone wanting to contribute effectively to movements for change." --Cathy Wilkerson, Students For a Democratic Society and the Weather Underground "Mark's decency and vision are both appealing and effective in suggesting practical strategies to make systemic change. All the Power is an incisive and important look at past and present North American radicalism that can help us build a better world." --Heather Booth, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, cofounder of "Jane" collective and Midwest Academy All the Power is the second title on our Punk Planet Books imprint, which originates from Punk Planet magazine. |
