RZH Book Distro and Commodity Zone
The Rhizome House now has books available. All money goes towards supporting the social center.
These books have been chosen by collective members and we encourage you to check them out!
Stop in during an event or open hours, most Sundays 1-4pm (check calendar here for current info).
Cash and Venmo accepted @TheRhizomeHouse.
All books are list price or capped at $20 - stop in and browse!
Copies also available in our library.
Learn more and browse our library titles here.
Why RZH recommends it: a book designed for people with questions about anarchism, answering each question about how anarchy might work not with hypotheticals but with real examples, near and far, recent and ancient, from stateless societies and revolutionary movements, opening a window on the rich but intentionally obscured history of anarchy in practice.
Why RZH recommends it: Written as a dialog, Malatesta's Between Peasents is a modest work of anarchist propaganda. Despite its age, it still serves as an approachable entry into anarchist thought for the unpretentious reader.
Why RZH recommends it: Leah is one of my favorite voice in the disability justice world. In CARE WORK they illuminate the failures of our healthcare system, the complexities of living in disabled bodies, and the joys and hardships of taking care of one another. This is a nuanced, thoughtful reflection and also in many ways a practical guide on how we can all do better to "take care of us."
Why RZH recommends it: Fragments of an anarchist anthropology, exceptionally readable despite its title, offers exactly what one might expect, an anarchist anthropology. Or, more exactly, the beginnings of one. To be honest, I don't recall exactly what I liked about this book, only that after discovering it, I made everyone within shouting distance read it. Where my memory fails, my conviction remains, READ IT.
Why RZH recommends it: The fact that we relate to one another through money is dragging us towards extinction. John Holloway brings hope to revolutionary movements through the abolition of money, value and ultimately capitalism. Holloway's latest reads well alongside Michael Heinrich's Introduction book and ultimately towards a world beyond markets and state planning.
Why RZH recommends it: Michael Heinrich's short guide covers all 3 volumes of Capital. It highlights the strengths and weaknesses of Marx's critique and takes these critiques towards a society beyond the commodity, money, and the state. *Comes with a study guide developed by your own Rhizome House community! You can also check out the study guide here.
With Islamophobia rampant and Donald Trump claiming that New York City, Portland and Seattle are "anarchist" cities after protests in 2020 (lol), clarification about what Islam and Anarchy actually stand for is needed. Read this book to understand.
Why RZH recommends it: An absolute delicious book for theory nerds who want the high-in-the-clouds ideas to matter on the ground. Bergman and Montgomery offer a window of how we might hold both sorrow and rage alongside hope and joy, all the while maintaining a commitment to militant (broadly defined) resistance.
Why RZH recommends it: Much of the history of anarchism, as told in history books, has been the history of mass movements operating through mass action. The Galleanisti had a very different idea. They focused on attacking people and places that either had symbolic value or operational utility, worked on antagonizing revolt here and now (rather than waiting for some "right moment"), and was the most dangerous and effective (yet often least well known) faction of anarchists in early 20th Century America. Galleani's politics play a bridge between the anarchism that was prevalent in Italy in the late 19th and early 20th Century and the insurrectionist tendencies within anarchism that we see today.
Why RZH recommends it: Dean Spade offers a clear and concise overview of the concept of mutual aid, with attention to it's radical roots, insisting that we must not let it get co-opted by nonprofits or the state. With clear examples from weather disasters, the pandemic, and more, Spade illustrates the many ways we are already showing up for one another, and reiterates the importance of keeping this collective work non-hierarchical and for everyone.
Why RZH recommends it: Klee Bennaly writes from the forefront of anticolonial movements in Turtle Island, discussing the affinities between anarchism and the resistance of traditionally stateless societies, the difficulties of subverting authoritarian structures imposed or strengthened through colonialism, and the importance of a spiritual connection with the land and all living beings.
Why RZH recommends it: Society of the Spectacle is one of the foundational books in the shift from traditional politics, grounded in generalizations and systems analysis, to what I would consider a more contemporary political mode, focusing on power dynamics, logistics, and operations politically. In many ways it foreshadowed a lot of post-structuralism, and is a text that still finds expression clearly in the work of not only people like Jean Baudrillard, but also Crimethinc.
Why RZH recommends it: William C. Anderson is renewing the tradition of Black anarchism, making sure it remains most of the most relevant perspectives on social struggle in North America and globally.
Why RZH recommends it: the mainstream response to the climate crisis has only accomplished one thing:. making tons of money for those who already have more than they could ever spend. It is based on a series of lies and delusions, and it excludes the real work being done, from a place of solidarity, intersectionality, and survival. This book offers an anticolonial approach to the ecological crisis.
Why RZH recommends: Long-time organizer Mariame Kaba writes how we can practice transformative justice in our communities now and grow the movement for abolition. This collection of essays and interviews shares many lived experiences and teaches us that "hope is a discipline" - much needed in our movements. This pairs well with John Holloway's book Hope in Hopeless Times.
Why RZH recommends: You or Someone You Love is a compassionate and comprehensive reflection on the scope and roles and work of abortion doulas, from funding to transportation to emotional and physical support. With stories and interviews from abortion seekers and abortion workers, including in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, this book is an essential read for anyone looking to learn more about reproductive justice and, really, anyone that can become pregnant or who loves someone that can.
Page last updated 8/2024