Ninetenths Of The Law Property And Resistance In The United States

Can't help but give this five stars. This is the best-written and most comprehensive book on squatting and property rights that I've read since No Trespassing by Anders Corr (which is over ten years old at this point, and does not focus on squatting per se, let alone hone in on American squatting movements). While Dobbz's anti-authoritarian leanings are obvious (the book is published by AK Press after all), any anarchist theory hinted at in the book is tempered by discussions of squatting in practice. Dobbz refuses to ignore the reality of squatting in our current political climate and within the current economic system, interviewing practitioners of a wide variety of resistance tactics and occupation methodologies, going so far as to identify myriad squatters' and activists' long-term goals and initial inspirations. Dobbz discusses the history of land occupations, evictions, and the disenfranchisement and removal of targeted groups from their homes in America, touches on tent cities, transitional housing, "legitimized squats," the banking practices that lead to the current foreclosure crisis and the federal government's response, etc. The appendices contain advice on organizing for occupation and squatting more generally and provide a helpful glossary and index.

A couple of friends have eyed the book as I read it and exclaimed something along the lines of "WHOA small type, huh?" and there's definitely a lot of information packed in here. At the same time, Dobbz is a skilled writer, and like Corr, she has experience with squatting and housing advocacy, which makes for an engaging read. Her sense of humor remains intact, but she clearly takes the housing issues that are facing so many Americans very seriously, as indicated by the thorough and frequently-referenced research that went into the book.