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Summary: More Leftist liberal tripe
Review: It is easy to see who mentored Hillary and a lot of other baby boomers in politics.Ridiculous diatribes abound in this book about how the "have nots" in our society can practice true democracy, however, I hate to point out that we live in a republic and what Sal calls democracy is actually mob rule. Fertile ground for those who will never amount to much more that activist pains in the ... who hug trees, free lemmings to likely die a few days after release, and put the rights of criminals, and politicians above those of the individual, as was guaranteed by our Constitution.
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Summary: Required reading for any community or labor organizer.
Review: Its hard to find a subject that organizers of social change face that isn't in this brief book. Alinksy is not an academic writer, instead his writing comes out of years of experience in direct action organizing and training of organizers. While some of his suggestions are a bit off the wall, belying his sarcastic tone, his general musings make the book worth re-reading each year for career organizers and required reading once for anybody involved in community change.
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Summary: Prince and Pauper Alinsky captures a moment with true ease
Review: Like the Prince, Rules for Radicals sets a course for action that emphasizes the extreme to draw attention to the point. A great read for the wit offered by Alinsky, an opportunity to learn if the mind opens to see the possabilities of change.
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Summary: Hillary's Playbook
Review: Marxist Alinsky was Hillary's mentor at Yale. This is her playbook. Read it. Now we know what to call her: An Alinskyite--not that she hasn't moved to the left of old Saul by now.
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Summary: Rebel without a clue
Review: Mr Alinsky is really a symptom, rather than a shaper, of his times. Anyone who encountered the students for a democratic society or their brethren will be well acquainted with the breed. This book is useful if your goal is to understand how a spoiled juvenile from a, (relatively), wealthy, privileged background would approach social change. Starting from the position of most adolescents, (the assumption of absolute moral and intellectual authority based upon little knowledge and no practical experience at having to actually make a life in the real world), Mr Alinsky goes into great detail how to organize a 60's style counterculture movement. Productive? No, not really. But perfectly reasonable to a rebellious adolescent dabbling at cultural revolution. After all, any real damage done will be to the working middle or lower class, and daddy will still be happy to bail you out if anything goes wrong.
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Summary: Smashing the status quo!
Review: Mr. Alinsky captures the outrage organizers have with the status quo. 'Why organize?' is the central question that permeates throughout this book, and Mr. Alinsky answers this question with a scathing attack on the powers that be, who are beholden to maintaining the status quo. Mr. Alinsky allows the reader to not just dream of a better America but doles out powerful, practical methods to either; A. work within the current system to effect positive change, or B. bring the system to its knees in the quest toward positive change. An absolute must read for anyone wishing to take on the status quo of poverty, injustice, hatred, and discrimination.
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Summary: Essential Reading
Review: Right or Left--this book is essential reading. As a young (conservative) political activist, I was required to read this book by my boss. I loved it! Alinski teaches how creative thinking and attacking your opponent's weak areas can magnify a small organization's impact. Some of his anecdotes are unforgettable! This is an easy read full of real-life demonsrtations. Think Sun Tzu goes in to activist politics. You may have to hold your nose at some of his politics, but you can still learn from this man. And, yes, I did enjoy beating the Left with their own tactics.
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Summary: Organizer's Bible
Review: Rules for Radicals, Saul Alinsky's third book, though written with a 60s slang that now seems a bit dated, brilliantly sets out the basic concepts of organizing for power. Alinsky does this with engaging, often humorous, and too often self promoting anecdotes drawn from his many experiences as an organizer in American cities including Chicago, Illinois and Rochester, New York. In the process of explaining how an organizer thinks and acts, Alinsky also reveals many of the issues and problems that confronted America during this era -- and still confront us today. The books mission is to show the well-intentioned but often misguided activists of the 60s and 70s that the best chance of making a difference in our American society lies not in the anti-Establishment counter-culture Movement nor in the destructive and alienating protests embraced by many campus radicals of the day. Instead, Rules for Radicals presents a guidebook on how to practically go about confronting and changing powerful institutions and individuals with well organized action. Insofar as this book inspired and still inspires many earnest organizers to pursue their work, Alinsky's mission was successful. The longevity of the national organization that Alinsky founded, the Industrial Areas Foundation, and the dozens of urban organizations now affiliated with it is further testimony to the significance of this mission.
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Summary: Timeless classic by Alinsky
Review: Saul Alinsky wrote this book before I was even born, but little did he know that we would still be reading his work thirty years later. When I was finished with the book, it was full of underlines and thoughts of wisdom about advocacy, organization and political reality. I will catalog this book in my library with the rest of my timeless treasures.
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Summary: It's easier to tear down than to build up
Review: This book describes the operating tenets of the radical left-wing about as well any I've read. In it, Alinsky skillfully describes his techniques for disrupting civil society in this how-to manual on "how to" throw sand into the gears of a smoothly functioning, free-market, capitalist economy. His presumptions follow the usual Marxist tripe with regard to class warfare and the labor theory of value, Never, repeat never, does he talk about how to build a better society or how to bring greater prosperity to the people. He just assumes that his human wreaking ball approach will lead to some kind of peoples utopia. Alas for poor Alinsky experience has rendered his presumptions to the ash heap of history; read "Commanding Heights" by Yergin for a starter. Any reader of this reveiw can merely visit Freedom House and acquaint themselves with the statistics about the shift in worldwide governing systems over the last 25 years. Unfortunately, our universities today have many disciples of Alinsky on their faculties, and they continue to preach his dated nonsense. But, hide and watch as that too will soon undergo a disruptive change for the better; a move back toward the political middle. It's interesting that Ann Coulter has been critised so harshly by the Left when in fact she has merely turned some of Alinsky's Communist organizer tactics on his cohorts who abound in the movements of the political Left, those who have so thirstily imbibed Alinsky's cool-aid. This is a good read for those who wish to better undestand the M.O. of the former Clinton administration.
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