Perry Books

Forever For All is one of the most important philosophy and religion texts ever written. It is a, very well written, comprehensive disscusion of the promise and impications of the rapidy developing advances being made in science and technology and offers both hope, and guidance for the immenent singularity, and the more distant future in which we will all, eventually, live. Perry discusses, in non-technical language, the scientific evidence for and long term implicatons of the many worlds multiverse (Everett Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics), as well as more immediate developements in biostasis (cryonics), computation, nanotechnology and how these and other scientific developements correspond to and even affirm traditional religious concepts like immortality and the ressurection of the dead, heretofore taken on faith or intuition. This is the real deal!

Peter H. Christiansen M.Div.
Former Senior Minister
First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles
Mt Diablo (Walnut Creek CA) Unitarian Universalist Church

One of the most information-rich books ever published on an obscure subject. A subject that has normally dealt with by mystics, or cast aside by cynics. A splendid companion to Frank Tipler's Physics of Immortality, David Deutsch's Fabric of Reality, and Hans Moravec's Mind Children, and Robot, and Julian Barbour's "The End of Time", and also the papers of Max Tegmark.

The work deals with the subject of post mortem survival from two basic angles. The first is his involvement with cryo-preservation as a pssible means of medical restoration of life. The other, and in my opinion, more profound avenue; is Perry's investigation of the Cosmological potentiallities that exist in physics and the burgeoning capabilities of computation.

Also, R. Michael Perry examines what many thinkers from different disciplines regard as what is being preserved or reconstitued; what is your identity, what is your personality, what is the sense of self, that we all seem to know, but find difficult to precisely, define? Perry also focuses on the works of several physicists who dwell upon the possibilities of Multiple Universes-what the author calls "Unboundedness". This is just like Physicist, Julian Barbor's Platonia, in which all logically possible universes may indeed occur!

Perry continues with and examination of Good and Evil and what is preserved, and what is remidied. My only caveat, for this book is to those of religious bent who require "scripture" for their emotional needs. R. Michael Perry is a logical positivist, and is atheistic in direction. Yet, I for one, can see this as a plus, because if the author can explore and define possibilities for post-mortem survival; then "God" as the ultimate Mind in existence is practically a given--providing enormous amounts of time for the development of minds and mind that are trans-universal!

As I mentioned before, Perry works at one of the few cryo-preservation labs in the world, do if you need more information on cryo-preservation; or Biostasis, as the author terms it, this is an excellent source of data regarding this. I myself find the "cosmological" areas of the book much more compelling; since much of the biostatsis work seems at this point, in need of much greater research.

The work is a work of an essay into philosophy as much as it is a work of science and sdvocacy. I am glad I purchased it, because good news, even as a bit of purely materialist, good news, this is not a thing to turn down (you can't anyway!). The old phrase; "all this and Heaven too", comes to mind. Worth the bucks, in this reader's opinion.

If you buy this book, I strongly suggest a companion volume THE IMMORTALIST MANIFESTO by Elixxir. It goes beyond what R. Michael Perry has done in this book. Instead of putting most of our eggs into the Cryonics (i.e. freezing) basket, THE IMMORTALIST MANFIESTO, in stirring minimalist prose, provides a most compelling vision of the coming Immortalist Society, and how it will arrive. And it argues that the anti-aging life-extension breakthroughs are not likely to come in time for most of us, especially baby boomers, unless there is an Immortalist Movement powerful enough to make such breakthroughs happen soon.

Why read this book? It just might save your life.

Large part of this book is an argument, that present human beings may already be immortal by their very nature. Two basic assumtions are made, which the Author calls unboundedness and interchangeability. They amount to a many worlds multiverse (Everett Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics) and a pattern theory of identity, which should lead to abundance of all patterns and thus immortality of all persons without further saying. Yet somewhat half of the book is focused on working out the details.

For myself, being a more down-to-earth immortalist, this part was quite hard to get through and I must admit that I even left out some pages. The assumtion of personal interchangeability I find especially hard to accept. For an argument how it leads itself astray see John Perry's short but comprehensive "Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality" (Hackett).

It must be mentioned to the author's favor that he keeps on reminding us that his basic assumtions are to be regarded as working hypothesis, which need reconsidering when more information will be available.

Thus I was mainly interested in the second part which, after considering our motives to strife for eternal life, provides an extensive investigation of today's scientific prospects for immortality. Discussion ranges from such technical topics as cryonics, biochemical anti-aging research, nanotechnology, computer science and brain-computer interfacing to ethical and psychological ones the like free will, personal responsibility, gaming theory, dangers of Nietzschean eternal return, personal identity, memory problems, theology and more.

For the widespread opposition or indifference towards immortalism, a powerful memetic/genetic explanation is provided and possible counterstrategies are pointed at. The book helps the already convinced immortalist to develop his own moral standpoint, as well as it may introduce and fascinate the skeptic. We are called for an active stance in bringing about what many do not dare dream of.

All in all, overlooking the lengthy and not always really productive discussions in the first half, for the most comprehensive summary of today's immortalist thought and a beautiful read: Five Stars !

Superb book. Guenon is a truly profound thinker and well-versed in spiritual philosophy. His philosophical exposition is subtle and masterly, drawing on a wide variety of knowledge and a real understanding of the trials of the mystical life.

This book discusses, in the first few essays, the nature, source and purpose of mystical symbolism in general. The rest of the book tackles many of the symbols of the Western tradition. Each symbol has its own short essay, previously published in journals, and every essay gives much food for contemplation. Guenon doesn't expound a personal philosophy so much as draw together a scholarly summary of the world's esoteric teachings and fill it with his penetrating insight. His approach shows a deep understanding of Neo-Platonist tradition. A fascinating and valuable book - not the easiest of reads, but certainly not dry or merely intellectual, and the shortness of the essays makes them digestible.

This book is a magnificent recompilation of studies of René Guénon about symbolism, accomplished with extreme dedication by his follower Michel Vâlsan, published originally in 1962, by Gallimard, in France. - But, actually, what is a symbol? - According to the tradition, the symbols make the intermediation between the spiritual world and the manifested world, where we are at present. It can be inferred then the transcendental role that the symbols represent for all the traditional forms without exception, from the Hinduism to Islam, including the Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity and all the other authentic doctrines. It is important to mark that the work is not destined exclusively to studious or academics, but to all that have interest on the subject. Guénon demonstrates great domain and mastery, without being obscure or impenetrable. These are nothing less than 75 chapters distributed in 8 thematic parts, embracing a wide approach that contemplates several traditional aspects of practically all the religions and doctrines today existent. René Guénon in tells us of the symbols of " The Center and of the World ", in the ancient traditions (like Druids, for instance), dedicating to this theme 10 studies, among them, "The symbolic flowers", "The Guardians of the Holy Land", "The Zodiac and the cardinal points", and "The letter G and the swastika". Another general theme is the construtive symbolism, with 11 specific studies, among them "Lapsit exillis", "Black Stone and cubic stone", "The dome and the wheel", "The narrow door". About the axial symbolism, we have "The tree of the world", "The symbolism of the stairway", "The passage of the waters"; about the symbolism of the heart, we have "The heart and the brain", "The eye that sees everything" and much more. "Fundamental Symbols: the Universal Language of Sacred Science" is a very important and indispensable book to anyone who has true interest for this subject, of capital importance for all the religions and doctrines. Luiz Pontual IRGET

Este livro é uma magnífica recompilação de estudos de René Guénon sobre simbolismo, realizada com extrema dedicação por seu seguidor Michel Vâlsan, publicada originalmente em 1962, pela Gallimard, na França. - Mas, afinal, o que é um símbolo ? - Segundo a tradição, os símbolos fazem a intermediação entre o mundo espiritual e o mundo manifestado, onde nos encontramos presentemente. Pode-se depreender, por isso, a importância verdadeiramente transcendental que os símbolos representam para todas as formas tradicionais sem exceção, desde o Hinduísmo até o Islã, passando pelo Budismo, Taoísmo, Judaísmo, Cristianismo e todas as demais doutrinas autênticas. É importante assinalar que a obra não se destina exclusivamente a estudiosos ou acadêmicos, mas a todos que tenham interesse sobre o assunto. Guénon demonstra grande domínio e maestria, sem ser obscuro ou impenetrável, muito pelo contrário. Ao todo, são nada menos que 75 estudos/capítulos distribuídos em 8 partes/temas, abrangendo um amplo leque que contempla vários aspectos tradicionais de praticamente todas as religiões e doutrinas hoje existentes. René Guénon nos fala dos símbolos de "Centro e do Mundo", nas tradições antigas ( como os Druídas, por exemplo ), dedicando a este tema 10 estudos, entre eles, "As flores simbólicas", "Os Guardiães da Terra Santa", "O Zodíaco e os pontos cardeais", e "A letra G e a swastika". Outro tema geral abordado é o "Simbolismo Construtivo", com 11 estudos específicos, entre eles "Lapsit exillis", "Pedra negra e pedra cúbica", "Pedra bruta e pedra talhada", "O domo e a roda", "A porta estreita" e outros. Sobre o simbolismo axial, temos "A árvore do mundo", "O simbolismo da escada, " A passagem das águas", "Laços e nós"; sobre o simbolismo do coração, temos "O coração e o cérebro", "O olho que tudo vê" e outros. O Instituto René Guénon de Estudos Tradicionais há vários anos vem lecionando sobre temas tradicionais, e seu curso básico "Olhar Oriental", assim como os demais, são inteiramente fundamentados sobre a obra magistral de René Guénon. "Símbolos Fundamentais da Ciência Sagrada" é um livro importantíssimo e indispensável a quem tem verdadeiro interesse pelo assunto, de importância capital para todas as religiões e doutrinas.

LUIZ PONUAL IRGET

Este livro é uma magnífica recompilação de estudos de René Guénon sobre simbolismo, realizada com extrema dedicação por seu seguidor Michel Vâlsan, publicada originalmente em 1962, pela Gallimard, na França. - Mas, afinal, o que é um símbolo ? - Segundo a tradição, os símbolos fazem a intermediação entre o mundo espiritual e o mundo manifestado, onde nos encontramos presentemente. Pode-se depreender, por isso, a importância verdadeiramente transcendental que os símbolos representam para todas as formas tradicionais sem exceção, desde o Hinduísmo até o Islã, passando pelo Budismo, Taoísmo, Judaísmo, Cristianismo e todas as demais doutrinas autênticas. É importante assinalar que a obra não se destina exclusivamente a estudiosos ou acadêmicos, mas a todos que tenham interesse sobre o assunto. Guénon demonstra grande domínio e maestria, sem ser obscuro ou impenetrável, muito pelo contrário. Ao todo, são nada menos que 75 estudos/capítulos distribuídos em 8 partes/temas, abrangendo um amplo leque que contempla vários aspectos tradicionais de praticamente todas as religiões e doutrinas hoje existentes. René Guénon nos fala dos símbolos de "Centro e do Mundo", nas tradições antigas ( como os Druídas, por exemplo ), dedicando a este tema 10 estudos, entre eles, "As flores simbólicas", "Os Guardiães da Terra Santa", "O Zodíaco e os pontos cardeais", e "A letra G e a swastika". Outro tema geral abordado é o "Simbolismo Construtivo", com 11 estudos específicos, entre eles "Lapsit exillis", "Pedra negra e pedra cúbica", "Pedra bruta e pedra talhada", "O domo e a roda", "A porta estreita" e outros. Sobre o simbolismo axial, temos "A árvore do mundo", "O simbolismo da escada, " A passagem das águas", "Laços e nós"; sobre o simbolismo do coração, temos "O coração e o cérebro", "O olho que tudo vê" e outros. O Instituto René Guénon de Estudos Tradicionais há vários anos vem lecionando sobre temas tradicionais, e seu curso básico "Olhar Oriental", assim como os demais, são inteiramente fundamentados sobre a obra magistral de René Guénon. "Símbolos Fundamentais da Ciência Sagrada" é um livro importantíssimo e indispensável a quem tem verdadeiro interesse pelo assunto, de importância capital para todas as religiões e doutrinas. LUIZ PONUAL IRGET

You are never going to sing the song, "I've Been Working On The Railroad" quite the same again after reading this air hammer of a book. The milieu of the Fifties and the pressure to conform is as stifling as a 102 degree summer day standing on the rail lines with your pick and shovel in Central Ohio. You can sense the pressure, feel the heat and the limestone dust seeps in and stuffs up your nostrils and clogs your lungs. What this boy goes through and what happens to him still wakes me up sweating in the night. Best of all, it's Part I of a four part novel... I can't wait to get the rest of this series!

Excellent! In the song, Gandy Dancer's Ball, you'd think a gandy (railroad section hand) would get to dance. This one missed the ball all around and I won't reveal the big surprise ending...The story is absolutely masterfully handled.

Before Elvis and Rock and Roll and Marlon and James Dean the Fifties "Happy Days" were pure teen hell, and some of us expatriates were around to notice. Damn, this 44288 guy got it down; you feel like you're there, or back there, and you just want to come up to suck real air. It's a wonder anybody survived and more of a miracle anybody managed to grow up. Kudos to 44288, I really would have liked to have met the man. And kudos to Perry Aayr for rescuing this treasure from certain destruction. National Book Award class. I look forward eagerly to the rest of the Some Die Mad series: Gandy; Auschwitz, Ohio; The Place To Wait; Islands In Time. Get in at the beginning on a sure international winner.

Gandy Dancing is a super book. As lead volume in a four book series called Some Die Mad, it just couldn't be better. It has got the ten scene of the Fifties DOWN, baby. Why you can just feel all the pressures of conformist youthful hell before the explosions of Elvis, Jimmy Dean, Marlon Brando and the tumultuous Sixties. Perry Aayr's presentation of 44288's work does this world a service. I've also read Auschwitz, Ohio, which is Part II of Some Die Mad and the implosion of this man, this time and this era is like you're standing in a pressure cooker with the lid closed and the heat turned on high. Believe you me, this baby is going places and I can see there's a big bang cooking up in the real near future...

Stevenson has written a very detailed book given the time frame of writing, 1975. the information presented is first rate and detailed although dated.
I would like to see an updated edition given the drastic changes the F-14 has traversed since the A model. i would like to know more about the B and D mods with dispositions on the specific Bu number planes. Many have crashed or retired.
Enjoyed it and use it as reference for models.

As the previous reviewer noted, the book was published in 1975 and the F-14 was still in infancy. The information presented is pretty sensitivity as it is very hard to find the actual performance data on this aircraft even though the F-14 is 30 years old! Lots of money were spent on that swing wing design.

The book continues on about the inner workings of the F-14A and a little about the F-14B with the proposed engines. Excellent reference book.

This book was published in 1975. At the time, the F-14 is brand new, just reaching the fleet and it is without a doubt the most advanced fighter ever created. All of the Tomcat's advantages over its predecessor (the F-4J) and its Soviet adversaries (MiG-23, -21, -19, at the time) are explained in detail including the bubble canopy, weapons system, and untouched maneuverability. All of the aircraft systems are explained in detail with extra emphasis placed on the functioning of the AWG-9 radar. Though the book is very old, it contains information not found in other books. It's a great old book if you can find it!

This book was published just as the F-14 was coming into service. for being a new, and supposedly "sensitive" design, the author has included a large amount of data which I thought would have been considered Top Secret.

The book goes into very technical detail about various systems on the (new) F-14A Tomcat. The weapons system and radar, the heart and soul of the F-14, are covered in great depth. In fact, most systems are covered in a good amount of detail.

Of interest is the analytical comparisons of the F-14 to other contemporary aircraft. This section alone makes the price worthwhile.

The only system which is brushed over is the problems with the finicky and tempermental TF-30 engines which have plagued the F-14 through it's entire career.

If you are a Tomcat buff, then this is a MUST HAVE in your library!

Andrea Perry's collection of inventions that never were...but some day may be...is one of the wittiest books of rhyme I have ever read. Kids will love it - but it's also fun for all adults who haven't forgotten how to laugh. Ms. Perry's infectious cadence and rhyme are matched only by the ingenuity of her offbeat creations. She has out-Seussed Dr. Seuss!

Here's what you do when you can't find your shoe is an incredible book! Andrea Perry is an incredible author as well! she was my typing teacher when i was in 5th and 6th grades and her book reflects here personality incredibly! she is funny and fun to be around! Her book is very good for children! I hope there's more on the way Mrs. Perry!

Andrea Perry is an incredibly talented and creative poet. She has tapped into the interests, concerns and humor common to all children with this book.

My son roared with laughter, begging me to re-read many of Ms. Perry's clever poems. He especially loved "Veggies Be Gone", a hilarious ode to the hatred of all things green and leafy.

Alan Snow's wonderful illustrations captivate the reader. They bring Ms. Perry's words to even more vibrant, vivid life.

I would highly recommend this book for any child, or anyone who has been a child. It delights readers of all ages.

Andrea Perry certainly creates a wonderful world with words. With zany solutions to everyday problems, she brings adults and kids into a place where the answer makes us all smile.

Each time you read it, something new reveals itself. The cleverness is endless. Alan Snow acheives the same with elaborate illustrations.

My kid audience can't hear these stories enough, nor can I read them enough!

This is a fantastic book to be enjoyed by EVERYONE!

This is the best. It takes your breath away how Gai can come up with all these gorgeous inspirational quilts. The book is very easy to understand and English is my second language. She explains it in very simple terms. Your hands will itch to get started. It is like painting with fabric. Start collecting lots of fabric and she teaches you what to look for. You will never look at fabric the same way again. I also like to recoment her 'Color from the Heart' book. You learn so much that you use these books over and over again. Her books are real treasures.

This is the most marvelous book I have ever seen about impressionist or watercolor quilts, Gai did realy a great job with this book. It gives you lots of ideas to go on and make some beautiful Impressionist quilts of your own. I love all her books, and hope she write lots of more in the future, certainly about this type of quilts.

This is a truly wonderful book for the quilter who wants to create art, to go beyond traditional approaches. Ms. Perry's quilts are inspiring -- I went out and chose my fabrics for a new project the day after I got this book. She emphasizes the importance of putting certain colors and prints together to create marvelous impressionistic effects on a quilt top. The pictures of completed quilts are incredible, the writing instructional and clear, and the suggested projects are exciting and fun to make.

Of the many books currently available on watercolour quilting, Impressionist Palette is, in my opinion, the best. The pictures are absolutely stunning; the quilts exquisite. Apart from being an art book, the instructions on the technique of watercolour quilting are extremely clear and well-written, making it possible for myself, a fearful watercolourist, to attempt and succeed in making a watercolour quilt.

As a Karate Instructor, I wish that I had bought this book many years ago. Luckily, I've been taught the correct methods by my own Sensei's and have therefore taught the same correct techniques to my students.

Although the book is dated (1992), there are plenty of clear pictures & diagrams to enable you to understand exactly what is being demonstrated.
The book deals with correct form & technique in stances, blocks, strikes, punches & kicks. It goes into detail about how a certain move would be executed correctly and explains both good & bad posture and the consequences and damage to muscles, bones & ligaments of bad or incorrect body alignment.

The author trained with Sensei Kanazawa and also trained & represented the SKI for many years. There Forward by Kanazawa at the beginning is a glowing testimony to Paul.

I highly recommend this book to any karate instructor (Shotokan) or any karate-ka that has ambitions to go beyond Shodan and wants to reach retirement without being a cripple.

There are a couple of "tiny" mistakes in the photo's where occasionally the performer has his toes curled forward or his head dipped forward (as in mai geri), but if you're an instructor yourself, these inaccuracies will be instantly apparent.

I have read this book because Sensei Perry is my sensei. The book is fantastic and gives martial artists an insight into body mechanics and how their art can be improved. Sensei Perry is beyond the beyond when it comes to his knowledge and understanding of how to use the body as well as karate and its applications. Perry Sensei is not only a karate master but also a tai chi master, yoga master and chi kung master and he is accessable to anyone wanting to improve their art. With all these credentials this book is a must read for everyone in the world of martial arts.

Unfortunately, anatomy and physiology is not commonly taught in martial arts classes. The need for some knowledge of these fields becomes more apparent the older the age of the student. Not only does the older student take longer to heal from injuries, but repetitive stress injury becomes a real possibility.

This book addresses these issues in a forthright, helpful manner. Perry Sensei has put together a collection of text, diagrams and photographs that illustrate the common ways that even seemingly simple moves can be executed in a fashion that can cause injury.

This information is totally applicable across the divisional lines of modern martial arts. His Shotokan background speaks as strongly to my Tae Kwon Do training as to his own discipline. I highly recommend this work.

This book have many features. First: It make you realize the wrong way to move, and demonstrate how to keep out from injure yourself. Second: It teaches you how karate can be a healing excercise when correctly perform. Third: It teach those particular movements that are not frequently teach in class.

Never, never substitude a class with a book, but this kind of book can be an excelent complement to martial art instruction.

I have only near 4 years in the art, and I started old (25), but I got this book from the beginning and it prepare me to withstand and follow the class in a very good rate.

I not only recommend this book to students, I recommend it to Teachers, 'cause it will get them in the correct perspective of the movements.

We're redoing our large backyard water-wise, and this is by far the best book I've found to help us along. The pictures are clear and well-described, the checklists come in very handy, but the "specialty plant groupings" really did it for me. I'm using this in conjunction with my Sunset Western Garden Book, which has good information but misses several of the elements I found in Perry's book.

Essential for landscape architects, great reference book due to Perry's knowledge in plants.

Two years ago I had a hillside full of fire hazardous weeds and no knowledge of gardening. After a four day ordeal of clearing the brush I decided to plant the hillside and knew next to nothing about what would grow there, how to plant the shrubs, how much to water and what pests might attack. I only knew I wanted to use California natives but I didn't know any names and the only latin I remembered was from my Catholic boyhood. After a one hour session with a garden consultant and visits to the Theodore Payne foundation I discovered Bob Perry's books and a whole world opened up to me. Mr. Perry is a legend in gardening circles and this beautiful book is the fount of much wisdom. Everything I have learned about gardening in these two years I learned from Bob Perry and my plants. I have scoured the immense gardening book collection at Central libary (the largest west of the Mississippi) and find this book to be the cream of the crop. Not only are the color pictures terribly important in making choices, the advice is impeccable and the variety offered is exhaustive.Thanks to Mr. Perry and his superb books I now have a garden of some seventy natives, all doing well and giving me great joy. Some day I would like to meet the man and shake his hand but for now I can only recommend his books highly.

I'm a nursery professional, and I use this book extensively in planning areas and helping clients. I consider it a "must-have" for our area. The book is organized in very useful sections: plant groupings, water conservation, design checklists, & a good plant encyclopedia for the So. California region. Color photos make it more attractive than the more popular 'Sunset' book, & I prefer it because of its focus on appropriate plant use.

Having learned the skills of body and mind that made them the most skilled fighters in the universe-- they are the enemy.

This is the Third book of the Trilogy and the build-up is absolutly worth it! The action is both brutal and climactic as The Man Who Never Missed and his small band of Matadors challenge the despotically corrupt and failing Confed Empire and it's twisted and dangerous backer, the "kingmaker" Marcus Jefferson Wall, the most powerful man in Human Space. A man who will stop at nothing to see Khadajii and his Matadors dead and their dream of freedom for the peoples of the Confed utterly destroyed!!

Khadaji and the Matadors are now in direct conflict with the Galactic Confederation. Marcus Wall, the power behind the President of the Confed, is a master of plans within plans and will do whatever it takes to stay in, or at least near the center of power. But Khadaji is also a master, and his goal is to bring down the Wall, and the Confed along with him.

For once, a "book three" as inspired as its predecessors. The Machiavelli Interface (TMI) continues the story from The Man Who Never Missed (TMWNM) and Matadora. Unlike a normal series, which introduces few new themes or devices, TMI gives us plenty of both. TMI is, like all of the books in the Matador series, inspiring and an enormously fun read. If you can find a copy, buy it, whatever the cost.

Dr. Bruce Perry, former collaborator, more recently biographer of Malcolm X, searched for decades after Malcolm X died for more speeches and interviews by Malcolm X. He spent years tracking down the man who had the tapes that led to this book, finding him in the rain forest jungles of Guyana, and being able to interview him while the revolutionary government of Marice Bishop still ruled Grenada. He knew Pathfinder would publish them, because Pathfinder was the publisher Malcolm X chose while he was alive to publish his work, because they believe in Malcolm X's words because they are Malcolm's.
There are three sections, two speeches given before Malcolm split from the Nation of Islam from January and February 1963, two interviews from december 1964, and the last two speeches we have in full, one he gave February 15, 1965 and another he gave the next day. Malcolm X was murdered on February 21, 1965.
You can judge for yourself how Malcolm X grew and changed.l One thing, it wasn't to become someone just into peace and love and non-violence and all sorts of silly things that people say, but that Malcolm X never was into. I just leave you with the contrast in titles. The titles of the 1963 speeches are "Twenty million Black people in a political, economic, and mental prison" anmd "America's gravest crisis since the civil war," rooted in the problems of Black people in America. The speeches given in the last week of his life speak of the world: :There's a world wide revolution going on" and L:Not just an American problem, but a world problem."

In 1991 I met Malikah Shabazz (one of M/X's daughters) and she autographed my copy of this, telling me that this was her favorite of the varying complations that filled bookstores at the time. I agreed then and now. This presents a more complex look at the varying stages of Malcolm's evolving philosophy while other such compliations are more selective to represent such phases in Malcolm X's evolution Elijah Muhammad's teachings (which I personally have no use for), socialism, black nationalism, etc. to promote the point of view of the compliers. Here, we see that M/X, while consistant in his search for something better for Black people. So it can rightly be called "A Malcolm X Reader" or "The Evolution of Malcolm X Thought."

He also mentions Nelson Mandela in passing in this collection, and what he has to say about his days in the Nation of Islam near the end of this book will give fans of the pre-1964 thought of M/X much pause. After this, check out "Malcolm X Talks to Young People." While that is a representation of his later thought, it's also quite good. But read this after the "Autobiography" and M/X Speaks" to get the full enchilada of Malcolm X Thought.

This book has all of the themes that Malcolm spoke about during the last year of his life. He patiently explains over and over that the U.S. government is not and can't be "ours", not without a revolution : it is theirs, it belongs to the superrich
( mostly -white ) man. He calls this system " the power structure" or, most scientifically of all, then and now, "Western, or American, imperialism". He speaks of the need for Blacks in "America" to be proud of their African roots;
the need to become and to stay politically independent of the twin parties of capitalist racism; of women's equality and dignity - that's right ; it's one of the main reasons he broke from the Nation of Islam - and he speaks of the Chinese, Vietnamese, and Cuban revolutions as examples to emulate HERE. Above all he teaches you , of whatever color , creed ,or sex , to start with the standpoint that most of the people in the world are your potential allies and what is called " America" - the U.S. government and the Yanqui Empire - is your and my deadly enemy. Anti-capitalist and pro-socialist, this is not the Malcolm of biographers, or movie directors, or other "interpreters" - it is Malcolm X speaking for himself, putting forward a line of march relevant to every fighter for meaningful social change today, tomorrow, and beyond.

If your view of Malcolm X is from the Spike Lee movie, reading this book and the other books of speeches from his last year "Malcolm X: The Final Speeches" will turn your head around. Malcolm is depicted as a purely humanist, apolitical person, after his trip to Mecca who simply loved everyone. The speeches and interviews from his last year show him as an increasingly political person who was working with Cuban, Congolese, Algerian revolutionists and with revolutionary socialists in the United States to fight for African liberation and against the growing US War in Indochina.

Moreover, Malcolm's speeches from this year also document the reactionary and corrupt practices of the Nation of Islam under Elijah Muhammad and its terror campaign against Malcolm and anyone else who dissent. He had held back from this, but he needed to do this to expose the threats against himself and his family.

As in his other speeches and interviews Malcolm speaks in a voice with lots of practical school-of-hard-knocks knowledge and reasoning, in a soul stirring, voice, with lots of wit as well as wisdom thrown in.


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