New at the DIRA: « Going Underground: American Punk 1979-1989, Second Edition » by George Hurchalla

Here is a new book obtained by the DIRA. This book presents the underground punk scene by someone involved directly in the scene with unique interviews from people who where there.

The product of decades of work and multiple self-published editions, Going Underground, written by 1980s scene veteran George Hurchalla, is the most comprehensive look yet at America’s nationwide underground punk scene.

Despite the mainstream press declarations that “punk died with Sid Vicious” or that “punk was reborn with Nirvana,” author Hurchalla followed the DIY spirit of punk underground, where it not only survived but thrived nationally as a self-sustaining grassroots movement rooted in seedy clubs, rented fire halls, Xeroxed zines, and indie record shops.

Rather than dwell solely on well-documented scenes from Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, DC, Hurchalla delves deep into the counterculture, rooting out stories from Chicago, Philadelphia, Austin, Cincinnati, Miami, and elsewhere. The author seamlessly mixes his personal experiences with the oral history of dozens of band members, promoters, artists, zinesters, and scenesters. Some of the countless bands covered include Articles of Faith, Big Boys, Necros, Hüsker Dü, Bad Brains, Government Issue, and Minutemen, as well as many of the essential zines of the time such as Big Takeover, Maximum RocknRoll, Flipside, and Forced Exposure.

Going Underground features over a hundred unique photos from Marie Kanger-Born of Chicago, Dixon Coulbourn of Austin, Brian Trudell of LA, Malcolm Riviera of DC, Justina Davies of New York, Ed Arnaud of Arizona, and many others, along with flyers from across the nation.

Nouveau au DIRA : « La peur du peuple: Agoraphobie et agoraphilie politiques » par Francis Dupuis-Déri

Voici un nouveau livre donné au DIRA par les éditions Lux. Ce livre plus théorique présente la relation complexe entre les systèmes de domination politiques et les groupes qui les dénoncent.

Zapatistes, altermondialistes, Indignés, Occupy, Printemps érable et Nuit debout. Alors que ces mouvements populaires sont présentés par certains comme l’incarnation de l’idéal de la démocratie directe, d’autres n’y voient que des mobilisations certes sympathiques mais insignifiantes, quand ils ne tentent pas de les discréditer en les associant à la violence.

S’appuyant sur une très bonne connaissance de ces expériences politiques ainsi que de l’histoire des pratiques démocratiques, y compris hors de l’Occident, Francis Dupuis-Déri propose une réflexion inspirée et critique. Il présente de manière dynamique la lutte entre l’agoraphobie et l’agoraphilie politiques, soit la haine et l’amour de la démocratie directe, dévoilant les arguments et les manœuvres des deux camps. Il discute aussi du rapport délicat entre le peuple assemblé à l’agora pour délibérer (le dêmos) et celui qui descend dans la rue pour manifester, voire pour s’insurger (la plèbe). Cet ouvrage à la fois original et provocateur est d’autant plus stimulant qu’il se situe à la croisée des chemins entre la philosophie politique, l’anthropologie et la sociologie.

New at the DIRA – « The Revolution Starts at Home: Confronting Intimate Violence Within Activist Communities » by multiple authors.

Here is a new book obtained by the DIRA. This helpful handbook helps collectives create better safe spaces in the midst of the current patriarchal society.

The Revolution Starts at Home is as urgently needed today as when it was first published. This watershed collection breaks the dangerous silence surrounding the “secret” of intimate violence within social justice circles. Just as importantly, it provides practical strategies for dealing with abuse and creating safety without relying on the coercive power of the state. It offers life-saving alternatives for survivors, while building a movement where no one is left behind.

New at the DIRA – « Anarchy Comics: The Complete Collection » by multiple authors

Here is a new book recently obtained by the DIRA. This book presents a collection of classic comics from the 1978-1987 period.

Anarchy Comics: The Complete Collection brings together the legendary four issues of Anarchy Comics (1978-1986), the underground comic that melded anarchist politics with a punk sensibility, producing a riveting mix of satire, revolt, and artistic experimentation. This international anthology collects the comic stories of all thirty contributors from the U.S., Great Britain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, and Canada.

In addition to the complete issues of Anarchy Comics, the anthology features previously unpublished work by Jay Kinney and Sharon Rudahl, along with a detailed introduction by Kinney, which traces the history of the comic he founded and provides entertaining anecdotes about the process of herding an international crowd of anarchistic cats.

Contributors include: Jay Kinney, Yves Frémion, Gerhard Seyfried, Sharon Rudahl, Steve Stiles, Donald Rooum, Paul Mavrides, Adam Cornford, Spain Rodriguez, Melinda Gebbie, Gilbert Shelton, Volny, John Burnham, Cliff Harper, Ruby Ray, Peter Pontiac, Marcel Trublin, Albo Helm, Steve Lafler, Gary Panter, Greg Irons, Dave Lester, Marion Lydebrooke, Matt Feazell, Pepe Moreno, Norman Dog, Zorca, R. Diggs (Harry Driggs), Harry Robins, and Byron Werner.

New at the DIRA – « Panthers in the Hole » by Bruno and David Cénou

Here is a new book recently donated to the DIRA by a reader. This book presents in comic book form the true struggles of Black Panther activists against their racist state, and the system supporting it.

The real-life story of the Angola 3: Three americans kept in solitary confinement for over a century between them, in the Louisiana State Penitentiary known as Angola.

In the early 1970s, deep in rural Louisiana, young inmates Robert Hillary King, Albert Woodfox, and Herman Wallace were silenced for trying to expose continued segregation, inhumane conditions, and prisoner abuse at the 18,000 acres former slave plantation known as Angola. The men who became known as the Angola 3 served more than a combined century in soliraty confinement, before Albert Woodfox, the last member to remain incarcerated, was released in 2016.

Panthers in the Hole is a dramatic story of courage, perseverance and solidarity inside a prison system that seems more at home in a totalitarian regime than in the contemporary United States.

Nouveau au DIRA – « Alexandre Marius Jacob, voleur et anarchiste » de Jean-Marc Delpech

Voici un livre récemment donné au DIRA par nada éditions, une biographie d’Alexandre Marius Jacob (1879-1954). Plus qu’un hommage au coloré personnage de Marius Jacob, il s’agit d’une illustration de la propagande par le fait, telle qu’elle était pratiquée au début du XXe siècle.

En ce début de XXe siècle, la criminalité augmenterait dans des proportions inquiétantes. La France a peur et la Belle Époque n’est qu’un leurre. Tout en haut, une bourgeoisie arrogante et triomphante. Tout en bas, la masse des traîne-misère et l’ordre répressif. Pas bouger, le pauvre ! Sinon, prison, bagne, échafaud. Le droit de vivre ? Il ne se mendie pas pour le voleur Alexandre Jacob. Le droit de vivre ? Il se prend, nom d’une pince-monseigneur ! Avec Jacob et sa bande, le vol se pratique de manière industrielle et la rapine devient politique. Travailleurs de la nuit, maison anarchiste fondée en 1900. Mais l’honorable entrepreneur de démolition sociale va payer cher ses atteintes à la propriété.

Un gros merci pour les dons de livres ! – A big thanks for the gifted books!

La bibliothèque DIRA était à l’édition 2017 du salon du livre anarchiste de Montréal. Plusieurs maisons d’éditions présentes ont eu la générosité de donner des livres à la bibliothèque. La bibliothèque tient à remercier en particulier Lux éditeur, nada éditions et AK Press pour leurs dons de livres, ainsi que PM Press pour avoir offert des livres au prix coûtant. La bibliothèque tient aussi à remercier tous les groupes et collectifs qui nous ont offert des brochures gratuitement. Merci !

The DIRA library was at the 2017 Montreal Anarchist Bookfair. Many editing houses present had the generosity to give books to the library. The Library wants to thank in particular Lux éditeur, nada éditions and AK Press for their free books, along with PM Press for offering books at cost. The Library also want to thank all the groups and collective who offered us free brochures. Thank you!