# Libertarian Socialism; Social Anarchism; Left-Libertarianism; Anarchist Communism; Etc. Gimme books.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libertarian-socialism-social-anarchism-left-libertarianism-anarchist-communism-etc-gimme-books/731590
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [September 17, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libertarian-socialism-social-anarchism-left-libertarianism-anarchist-communism-etc-gimme-books/731590 "2015-09-17T19:59:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libertarian-socialism-social-anarchism-left-libertarianism-anarchist-communism-etc-gimme-books/731590/1 "2015-09-17T19:59:55Z")
I’m looking for good, preferably contemporary books that can help me make sense of political thought that is anti-authoritarian and leftist.
I’ve just read through articles on Wikipedia on topics such as Libertarian Socialism, Social Anarchism, Left Libertarianism, Communalism, Libertarian Municipalism, and Anarchist Communism.
My brain is about dead now.
Are there any good books to read on topics like these (or good websites I haven’t found) which give _clear_ expositions of these kinds of ideas for those who are generally _ignorant_ of political issues that don’t involve the words “Republican” or “Democrat”?
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### Author:  [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)
#### Post date: [September 18, 2015, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libertarian-socialism-social-anarchism-left-libertarianism-anarchist-communism-etc-gimme-books/731590/2 "2015-09-18T02:59:45Z")
By contemporary, do you mean “written recently” or “about contemporary anarchism”?
On the former, Mark Leier’s Bakunin, is the most recent biography of the 19th century anarchist.
Daniel Guerin’s Anarchist was written I think in 1970 but is still a good introduction to classical anarchist thought.
Iian MacKay, An Anarchist FAQ, is good, as is Lucien van der Welt and Michael Schmidt, Black Flame.
Best title goes to Tom Goyens, Beer and Revolution, which is about 19th century anarchists in New York. You’ll learn lots about where they drank, but little about their politics.
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### Author:  [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)
#### Post date: [September 18, 2015, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libertarian-socialism-social-anarchism-left-libertarianism-anarchist-communism-etc-gimme-books/731590/3 "2015-09-18T03:50:20Z")
I’m not sure if they’re exactly up the alley that you’re trying to explore, but I would highly recommend _[Ain’t Nobody’s Business If You Do](http://www.amazon.com/Aint-Nobodys-Business-You-Consensual/dp/192976717X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1442547919&sr=1-1&keywords=ain%27t+nobody%27s+business+if+you+do)_, by Peter McWilliams, and _[Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered](http://www.amazon.com/Small-Beautiful-Economics-People-Mattered/dp/0061997765/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1442548079&sr=1-1&keywords=small+is+beautiful+by+e.f.+schumacher)_, by E. F. Schumacher.
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### Author:  [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)
#### Post date: [September 18, 2015, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libertarian-socialism-social-anarchism-left-libertarianism-anarchist-communism-etc-gimme-books/731590/4 "2015-09-18T13:38:34Z")
Two Cheers for Anarchism by James C. Scott is interesting, an argument, sort of, for anarchism now.
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### Author:  [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)
#### Post date: [September 18, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libertarian-socialism-social-anarchism-left-libertarianism-anarchist-communism-etc-gimme-books/731590/5 "2015-09-18T15:54:48Z")
My favorite is _The Machinery of Freedom_ by David Friedman, an influential Anarcho-Capitalist.
> **[The Machinery of Freedom: Guide to a Radical Capitalism: David D. Friedman:...](https://www.amazon.com/Machinery-Freedom-Guide-Radical-Capitalism/dp/0812690699)**
>
> The Machinery of Freedom: Guide to a Radical Capitalism \[David D. Friedman\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. The Machinery of Freedom: Guide to a Radical Capitalism
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### Author:  [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)
#### Post date: [September 19, 2015, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/libertarian-socialism-social-anarchism-left-libertarianism-anarchist-communism-etc-gimme-books/731590/6 "2015-09-19T01:37:42Z")
Op asked for left, communist anarchism.