BookWyrm

subcutaneous reviewed Zimbabwe by Masipula Sithole

Masipula Sithole: Zimbabwe (EBook, 2015, Chandiwana Sithole for Rujeko Publishers (Pvt.) Ltd)

This book is about the contradictions and infighting that occurred in the Zimbabwe liberation movement …

Important work, limited in scope

4 stars

A very critical & insightful work of political science/organizational theory that explains the internal conflicts among leaders of Zimbabwe's nationalist independence movement through the 1960s & 1970s. The author was a participant & so has important “insider” knowledge.

I shared plenty of quotes that I found helpful, so here are some limitations: • A fairly exclusive focus on the elites. This was presumably by design, but I'm still glad I read a book focused on the grassroots movement before this one & plan to read at least one more. • It's all a bunch of (very violently) squabbling cis men - there's not even a cursory acknowledgment of gender oppression despite the fact that I can only think of one person (Fay Chung) the author mentions at all who was neither a cis man nor one of his relatives. There's default “he” throughout in reference to political actors in the …

A very critical & insightful work of political science/organizational theory that explains the internal conflicts among leaders of Zimbabwe's nationalist independence movement through the 1960s & 1970s. The author was a participant & so has important “insider” knowledge.

I shared plenty of quotes that I found helpful, so here are some limitations: • A fairly exclusive focus on the elites. This was presumably by design, but I'm still glad I read a book focused on the grassroots movement before this one & plan to read at least one more. • It's all a bunch of (very violently) squabbling cis men - there's not even a cursory acknowledgment of gender oppression despite the fact that I can only think of one person (Fay Chung) the author mentions at all who was neither a cis man nor one of his relatives. There's default “he” throughout in reference to political actors in the abstract too. • There isn't much said about the role of open imperialists in the internal struggles. This is intentional, but still worth noting, just to clarify what the book won't discuss much.

subcutaneous commented on The Sellout by Paul Beatty

Paul Beatty: The Sellout (Hardcover, 2015, Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

A biting satire about a young man's isolated upbringing and the race trial that sends …

This one is gonna be a trip, huh.

subcutaneous commented on Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie (Imperial Radch, #3)

Ann Leckie: Ancillary Mercy (Paperback, 2015, Orbit)

For just a moment, things seem to be under control for the soldier known as …

Just learned the word "moue" from this book. Also, while I'm on the subject of vocabulary this trilogy has done a lot of work to bring back "gesture".

subcutaneous commented on Algeria by Martin Evans (The Making of the Modern World)

No rating

Invaded in 1830, populated by one million settlers who co-existed uneasily with nine million Arabs …

In 1956, the french army forced a plane of FLN leaders headed for a secret conference (which french officials were planning to attend!) to land in Algiers instead of Tunis, arresting the leaders as soon as they exited. The book calls this the first airline hijacking in history.

subcutaneous reviewed The Tupac Amaru Rebellion by Charles F. Walker

Charles F. Walker: The Tupac Amaru Rebellion (2014)

The largest rebellion in the history of Spain's American empire--a conflict greater in territory and …

Does what it says on the cover

4 stars

If you're interested in learning about this rebellion, the book will be interesting, & the detail+extensive notes will be helpful. If you're not, this is not one of those books that's Secretly About Something Else & you shouldn't bother.

subcutaneous commented on False Nationalism, False Internationalism by E. Tani

E. Tani, Kaé Sera: False Nationalism, False Internationalism (Seeds Beneath the Snow)

A history and critical analysis of armed struggle and anti-imperialist actions, from the Finnish-Russian anti-imperialist …

The closing chapter on the RATF really pulls no punches. Very curious how the Black movement of the time responded to it (& the book as a whole).

subcutaneous commented on Message to the Black Movement by Coordinating Committee, Black Liberation Army (CC-BLA)

Coordinating Committee, Black Liberation Army (CC-BLA): Message to the Black Movement (Paperback, 2002, Abraham Guillen Press, Arm the Spirit)

No rating

This statement was originally written in 1975 by the Coordinating Committee of the Black Liberation …

More marxist than I remembered honestly.

subcutaneous rated Skye Falling: 5 stars

Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie

Twenty-six and broke, Skye didn't think twice before selling her eggs and happily pocketing the cash. Now approaching forty, Skye …

subcutaneous finished reading Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie

Twenty-six and broke, Skye didn't think twice before selling her eggs and happily pocketing the …

Heartwarming, despite...me tbh. Listened to the audiobook read by Bahni Turpin.

subcutaneous finished reading Message to the Black Movement by Coordinating Committee, Black Liberation Army (CC-BLA)

No rating

This statement was originally written in 1975 by the Coordinating Committee of the Black Liberation …

Feeling like returning to this classic.

subcutaneous started reading Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie

Twenty-six and broke, Skye didn't think twice before selling her eggs and happily pocketing the …

This book has me gagging, like? I didn't expect this??

subcutaneous commented on Gender, Imperialism and Global Exchanges by Stephan F. Miescher

Stephan F. Miescher, Michele Mitchell, Naoko Shibusawa: Gender, Imperialism and Global Exchanges (2015, Wiley & Sons, Limited, John)

No rating

Gender, Imperialism and Global Exchanges presents a collection of original readings that address gendered dimensions …

Actually reading about T&T under Eric Williams means I'm never gonna read one of his history books, what a shit he was.

subcutaneous commented on Surveillance Valley: The Secret Military History of the Internet by Yasha Levine

Yasha Levine: Surveillance Valley: The Secret Military History of the Internet (Hardcover, 2018, PublicAffairs)

The internet is the most effective weapon the government has ever built.

In this fascinating …

Author needlessly misgenders Chelsea Manning...

subcutaneous commented on Surveillance Valley: The Secret Military History of the Internet by Yasha Levine

The internet is the most effective weapon the government has ever built.

In this fascinating …

LMAO, Google Earth was originally a CIA-funded company called Keyhole which made a name for itself using satellite mapping to support u.s. troops invading Iraq. Google was like “this is awesome let's buy it.”

subcutaneous commented on Surveillance Valley: The Secret Military History of the Internet by Yasha Levine

The internet is the most effective weapon the government has ever built.

In this fascinating …

This is important & helpful history but the author keeps saying stuff offhand that makes him come off socially normative/conservative as fuck despite the necessary attention to the norms of these military research types.