From Here To There: The Staughton Lynd Reader

Description

Collects unpublished talks and hard-to-find essays from legendary activist historian Staughton Lynd. The common theme is the conviction that humankind should reject capitalism and imperialism, and seek a transition to another world. In a wide-ranging introduction, anarchist Andrej Grubacic considers how Lynd's persistent concerns relate to traditional anarchism. Grubacic and Lynd both advocate a convergence of anarchism and Marxism. Inspired by the Zapatista upheaval in Mexico, the two friends find lessons for radicals everywhere in Zapatista ideas.

Andrej Grubacic is an anarchist dissident, historian, and sociologist who has written on anarchism and the history of the Balkans. He is the author of Wobblies and Zapatistas: Conversations on Anarchism, Marxism, and Radical History. He lives in San Francisco. Staughton Lynd is a former professor of history at Spelman College and Yale. He is the author of Nonviolence in America: A Documentary History. He lives in Youngstown, Ohio.

"I met Staughton and Alice Lynd nearly fifty years ago in Atlanta. Staughton's reflective and restless life has never ceased in its exploring. This book is his great gift to the next generations." --Tom Hayden "Staughton Lynd's work is essential reading for anyone dedicated to implementing social justice. The essays collected in this book provide unique wisdom and insights into United States history and possibilities for change, summed up in two tenets: Leading from below and Solidarity." --Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz "This remarkable collection demonstrates the compassion and intelligence of one of America's greatest public intellectuals. To his explorations of everything from Freedom Schools to the Battle of Seattle, Staughton Lynd brings lyricism, rigour, a historian's eye for irony, and an unshakable commitment to social transformation. In this time of economic crisis, when the air is filled with ideas of 'hope' and 'change, ' Lynd guides us to understanding what, very concretely, those words might mean and how we might get there. These essays are as vital and relevant now as the day they were written, and a source of inspiration for activists young and old." --Raj Patel "The Staughton Lynd Reader is a veritable treasure chest. Lynd shows unparalleled respect for rank-and-file movements. If you're interested in broad social change and meaningful democracy, you simply must read Staughton Lynd." --Daniel Gross