Thursday, March 20, 2008

Recommended reading and music List

The reading lists are for insight into the hegemony we are living in today, while the music is meant to inspire political activism. enjoy.

1984 - George Orwell
Genre(s): Dystopian, Political Novel
Publisher: Secker and Warburg (London)
Publication date: 8 June, 1949
ISBN 0-452-28423-6 (Paperback edition)

"War is Peace"
"Freedom is Slavery"
"Ignorance is Strength"
Need I say more?


Brave New World - Aldrous Huxley

Genre(s):Utopian novel
Publisher: Chatto and Windus (London)
Publication date:1932
ISBN 0-06-080983-3

Babies aren't grown anymore, they're harvested and cloned by the thousands. If you liked the movie Gattaca, you'll enjoy this book.


Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

Genre(s): Dystopian novel
Publisher:Ballantine Books
Publication date:1953
ISBN 978-0-7432-4722-1 (current hardcover edition)

Books are banned and burned in this literary masterpiece




This Perfect Day - Ira Levin
Genre(s): Science fiction
Publisher: Random House
Publication date: 1970
ISBN: 0394448588

All the races of men are eugenically merged into one race with one language and one world controlled by UniComp. Everyone is medicated to be sheeple, and euthanized at 62. This is THE BEST dysotopian novel I've ever come across.


Christ, Marx, Wood and Wei, Led us to this perfect day.
Marx, Wood, Wei and Christ, All but Wei were sacrificed.
Wood, Wei, Christ and Marx, Gave us lovely schools and parks.
Wei, Christ, Marx and Wood, Made us humble, made us good.




Battlefield Earth - L.Ron Hubbard

Genre(s):Science fiction
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication date: 1982
ISBN 1-59212-007-5

Johnnie Goodboy Tyler tries to unite the last remaining tribes on Earth in a final showdown with the Alien suppressors. Great for learning subversive military tactics in the presence of an occupying force. The movie was sacrilege, read the book.



Inferno - Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle

Genre(s):Science fiction novel
Publisher:Pocket Books
Publication date :1976
ISBN 0-671-80490-1

Dante Alighieri's divine comedy in a modern day science fiction novel. It's a wild ride through the 12 circles of hell. Hold on tight, because you never know where you might end up.



The New Testament
books Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Revelations.
Jesus; he was a revolutionary, a hippie, and an all round nice guy. He gives new meaning to the concept of passive resistance.


Stand My Ground - Traveling Wilburys
Dixie Chicks - Not ready to make nice
Edwin Star - War, what is it good for?
Pink - Dear Mr President
Pink Floyd - Another brick in the wall
Greenday - American Idiot
Greenday - Minority
The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony
Get Up, Stand Up - Bob Marley
Do the Evolution - Pearl Jam
Rage against the machine - Killing in the name of
Rage against the machine - Testify

Send me your picks to add to the music and reading list for Political Activists (ideology non-specific).

Your Choices
Music
Working Class Hero - John Lennon
The 4th Branch - Immortal Technique
Take the Power Back - Rage Against the Machine
Prayer of the Refugee - Rise Against
Shakedown -Behind Crimson Eyes
The Good Soldier- Nine Inch Nails
Black Masks and Gasoline - Rise Against
A Perfect Circle's "Emotive" album - they covered a bunch of protest songs like, 'Gimme Gimme Gimme', 'Imagine' and 'People are People'
Capital G - Nine Inch Nails
Suvivalism - Nine Inch Nails

Books
One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kessey
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

1984 is my favorite book!

Some songs that have inspired me politically are:

Thieves in the Night by Black Star
Working Class Hero by John Lennon
The 4th Branch by Immortal Technique
Till We Get There by M1

You might want to check them out and consider adding them to your list.

Alex said...

1984 is a brilliant novel, but This Perfect Day by Ira Levin makes it look like a nursery rhyme. I’d definitely recommend you get yourself a copy. I’m not sure why, but This Perfect Day was never proliferated like 1984 was, perhaps because it’s message is more dangerous? :-)

I don't really think that Thieves in the Night has a political message, while Till We Get There is really about black solidarity. Not that I have a problem with that, but black solidarity isn’t going to “smash the system”, if you know what I mean.

But working class hero is brilliant, I hadn’t heard of that one, so I can’t really accuse you of being a youngen now can I?

Thanks for your music picks.

Anonymous said...

Might be a little dark for you but,

Rage Against the Machine - Take the Power Back
Rise Against - Prayer of the Refugee
Behind Crimson Eyes - Shakedown
Nine Inch Nails - The Good Soldier
Rise Against - Black Masks and Gasoline
A Perfect Circle's "Emotive" album - they covered a bunch of protest songs like, 'Gimme Gimme Gimme', 'Imagine' and 'People are People'.

Books

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Catch 22

Alex said...

Cheers Royce, I'm becoming a big fan of A Perfect Circle.

Good picks.

Anonymous said...

Oh and I forgot these ones,

Nine Inch Nails - Capital G
Nine Inch Nails - Suvivalism

Anonymous said...

Disturbed has some good songs for this list, try "10,000 fists" and "land of confusion"

-Harrison
harrison5678@gmail.com



The problem with smashing the system? There are still peices left behind.