kenny g
Sheeple Awake!
I was told there was a disruption but wasn't present.
London Anarchist Bookfair 2023/24
- Thread starter steeplejack
- Start date
Wilf
Slouching towards Billingham
An 'intervention'?
Someone came in wearing wrong dress code.
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
Always best to set your stall out early imo
PTK
Paul Kegan
In the light of recent claims, perhaps the 2024 event will be known as the Anarchist Book Unfair.
Fozzie Bear
Well-Known Member
Fozzie Bear
Well-Known Member
Old / second hand.
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
Who was behind the 5th Estate paper?
danny la rouge
More like *fanny* la rouge!
I think it’s an IKEA rug.
Fozzie Bear
Well-Known Member
A bunch of anarchists in Detroit, including John Zerzan. It went eco/green later but was still fairly decent I think.
The lead article is quite a good satire on media coverage of the RAF deaths in Stammheim.
There’s an interesting looking piece on the UK too which juxtaposes punk with Grunwicks.
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LDC
On est tous des pangolins
Started in Detroit in the '60s as a countercultural and anti-war paper, drifted much more towards anarchist and anti-State communist stuff after that, then more towards an anti-technology/anti-civ/primitivist tendency in the late '80s and '90s where Zerzan had lots of his first stuff published. Lost its way and struggled to continue in the 2000s I think but still manages to publish. I used to really like reading it years ago, it did publish lots of thoughtful stuff.
Fifth Estate - Radical publishing since 1965
Home%Fifth Estate Magazine % Radical publishing since 1965
www.fifthestate.org
Not a bad summary here Fifth Estate Records, 1967-2016 (majority within 1982-1999) - University of Michigan Special Collections Research Center - University of Michigan Finding Aids
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
Ta. Not being finicky but you might want to spell check for your last sentenceStarted in Detroit in the '60s as a countercultural and anti-war paper, drifted much more towards anarchist and anti-State communist stuff after that, then more towards an anti-technology/anti-civ/primitivist tendency in the late '80s and '90s where Zerzan haad lost of his first stuff published. Lost it's way and struggle in the 2000s I think but still manages to publish. I used to really kike rading it years ago, it did publish lots of thoughtful stuff I think.
Fifth Estate - Radical publishing since 1965
Home%Fifth Estate Magazine % Radical publishing since 1965www.fifthestate.org
Fozzie Bear
Well-Known Member
I’d never seen a copy from the 70s before, it also has an article on domestication and against civilisation by Pat Halley (I.e. not Zerzan). So they were into all that earlier than I thought.
Lurdan
old wave
Zerzan was a contributor - he wasn't in Detroit (west coast I'm pretty sure), and wasn't part of the collective which published it.
Fifth Estate had been a commercial local alternative paper (think Time Out rather than an 'underground paper'), but it got taken over by the 'Eat the Rich' gang in the mid-70s. They dropped the advertising and made it an anarchist paper - although that's anarchist in a specifically late '70s sense. It was one of the clearest expressions of "generation '77". It was printed by the print co-op which Fredy Perlman and others set up in Detroit. Perlman typeset it and clearly influenced it without being part of the collective.
Focus changed slightly in the early 80s as the 'long 1968' came to an end. I never saw it as 'primitivist' although it addressed some of the same issues primitivism did.
My favourite paper in the late 70s/early 80s. Really ought to see about scanning issues.
LDC
On est tous des pangolins
So the Bookfair...
It was actually better than I expected in some ways, especially attendance which felt OK numbers wise, although as it was spread out over a few venues and different floors in the main stall venue it was hard to get a complete picture of numbers really.
It's hard to draw a clear position of it, but it did feel quite different to me; much more internally focused, younger and more sub-cultural, more trans/queer/disability visibility and stalls, and a vibe much more of anarchism as activism/rebellion rather than an outward looking and serious political movement.
The meetings reflected that too; nothing on the strike wave, nothing on the 'cost of living', nothing on climate change, one very poor meeting on Ukraine (and even that was internally focused). The 'old' bookfair had meetings with 100s of people on some big topics, speakers from important international struggles, that kind of thing. Very sad that's been lost.
It felt a bit tragic to me really, and emblematic of the wider shift politically in that scene. I'm not sure I'd bother going again.
It was actually better than I expected in some ways, especially attendance which felt OK numbers wise, although as it was spread out over a few venues and different floors in the main stall venue it was hard to get a complete picture of numbers really.
It's hard to draw a clear position of it, but it did feel quite different to me; much more internally focused, younger and more sub-cultural, more trans/queer/disability visibility and stalls, and a vibe much more of anarchism as activism/rebellion rather than an outward looking and serious political movement.
The meetings reflected that too; nothing on the strike wave, nothing on the 'cost of living', nothing on climate change, one very poor meeting on Ukraine (and even that was internally focused). The 'old' bookfair had meetings with 100s of people on some big topics, speakers from important international struggles, that kind of thing. Very sad that's been lost.
It felt a bit tragic to me really, and emblematic of the wider shift politically in that scene. I'm not sure I'd bother going again.
LDC
On est tous des pangolins
A friend of mine was cheery, he was like, "Oh it's great, feels like the baton has been handed to a younger generation!" Whereas that felt quite sad to me, and symbolic of how many people see those politics; something for rebelling young people that they mostly grow out of and then a new generation 'takes over'. Urgh.
The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
LDC
On est tous des pangolins
I suspect the answer from the Bookfair group would be something along the lines of, 'Well, they weren't offered'. But it's a shit and lazy excuse, if you're putting on an event like this you chase people and get speakers in for things that are important, not just leave it all to offers or you'd end up with the program full of all sorts of random shit.
It's also probably in part that some of the people that would have run meetings like that don't see the Bookfair as that important anymore, so also don't offer to run a meeting.
Fozzie Bear
Well-Known Member
I think that’s fair LDC although as you say it’s reflective of wider issues as well as the new organisers. Like the different venues is I assume just because room hire in London is insane these days for big events.
And to be fair the organisers are building something from scratch so it’s not really fair to compare it to the previous Bookfair that I think had fairly steady organisers for decades.
There was less punk and animal rights stuff on the stalls than in the 1980s.
And to be fair the organisers are building something from scratch so it’s not really fair to compare it to the previous Bookfair that I think had fairly steady organisers for decades.
There was less punk and animal rights stuff on the stalls than in the 1980s.
LDC
On est tous des pangolins
Be grateful for small mercies. Although still had the aroma of unwashed punks in the entrance.
Fozzie Bear
Well-Known Member
Fozzie Bear
Well-Known Member
Anyway this artwork from Hopeless Tasks is hitting hard today. 
Sadly I have to report that one of the people that left the AF to form the ACG gave a talk at the bookfair in London yesterday. By platforming this nazi the organisers have shown themselves to be worse than Hitler. Such crimes can never be forgiven and the organisers have no option but to ban themselves from future bookfairs.
My talk went fine though.
My talk went fine though.
TopCat
Putin fanboy
I went along. Was in a daze as had just finished a week of night shifts. The energy was a bit diluted being spread over several sites. I did not need the excercise involved in walking up and down Brick Lane.
Anyway there were books and stalls and nothing of interest to me. I missed the meetings in the afternoon. Did not feel like a confrontation so avoided the Ukraine meeting.
Went to LARC for a meeting there and left when Lisa was defending the attacks on ULEZ cameras.
Saw old comrades and that was great.
Anyway there were books and stalls and nothing of interest to me. I missed the meetings in the afternoon. Did not feel like a confrontation so avoided the Ukraine meeting.
Went to LARC for a meeting there and left when Lisa was defending the attacks on ULEZ cameras.
Saw old comrades and that was great.
kenny g
Sheeple Awake!
I found it interesting and bought more than usual. Actually found the range of texts good. Bought a wonderful zine called Aagh aghhzine | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree
There have always been non overtly political stalls. Hunt sabs spring to mind.
Was sorely tempted by the fifth estate edition fozzie got hold of. Good to know it went to a good home. Nice to see the Cunningham Amendment still going strong.
The range of talks was limited and the time slots were too long. 90 minutes is a long time. They could have put a lot more on with shorter slots. The bar and Rich's Mix was a no alcohol bar for the event which seems a missed opportunity...
There have always been non overtly political stalls. Hunt sabs spring to mind.
Was sorely tempted by the fifth estate edition fozzie got hold of. Good to know it went to a good home. Nice to see the Cunningham Amendment still going strong.
The range of talks was limited and the time slots were too long. 90 minutes is a long time. They could have put a lot more on with shorter slots. The bar and Rich's Mix was a no alcohol bar for the event which seems a missed opportunity...
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