Welcome to the Kate Sharpley Library

The Kate Sharpley Library exists to preserve and promote anarchist history. (More information.)

Everything at the Kate Sharpley Library - acquisitions, cataloguing, preservation work, publishing, answering enquiries is done by volunteers: we get no money from governments or the business community. All our running costs are met by donations from members of the collective, subscribers and supporters, or by the small income we make through publishing. Please consider donating and subscribing.

We also try to promote the history of anarchism by publishing studies based on those materials - or reprints of original documents taken from our collection. Check out our books and pamphlets available for sale or explore our online documents or browse back issues of our Bulletin.

Our physical library (in California) includes books, newspapers, pamphlets, manuscripts and ephemera documenting the history of anarchist movements. Contact us to arrange a visit.

Recent news

New photos and Miguel Garcia tributes

We have added a new set of photos to the Phil Ruff photo album http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/76hfpf (mainly of Albert Meltzer)

We also now have a Col Longmore photo album http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/1rn9g5 including images of the first homes of the Kate Sharpley Library, in Railton Road and St George's residences.

We have also just added two pieces by comrades who knew the stalwart Spanish anarchist Miguel Garcia:
Remembering Miguel Garcia by Stuart Christie and
Miguel Garcia : a review and tribute by Nick Heath

Anarchist potraits

The Kate Sharpley Library website has recently been updated with photo collections from two British anarchists. See famous names from anarchist history at conferences, walking their dogs and even negotiating a wage rise at the Daily Telegraph!

Phil Ruff photo album http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/76hfpf
Featuring Leah Feldman, Stuart Christie, Miguel Garcia, Albert Meltzer and more.

Stuart Christie photo album http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/gqnmc8
Featuring Stuart Christie on Sanday (Orkney), Miguel Garcia, Octavio Alberola, Antonio Téllez, Franco Leggio, Victor Garcia and others.

We've also just put links up to the three volumes of the expanded version of Stuart's "Christie file" biography:
My granny made me an anarchist : 1946-1964 : the cultural formation of a west of Scotland 'baby-boomer'.
http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/08kqff
General Franco made me a 'terrorist' : 1964-1967 : the interesting years abroad of a west of Scotland 'baby-boomer'. http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/g79dsh
Edward Heath Made Me Angry : 1967-1975 : the later memoirs of a west of Scotland 'baby-boomer'.
http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/31zd4d

October 2010 KSL Bulletin online

KSL: Bulletin of the Kate Sharpley Library No. 63-64, October 2010 [Double issue] has recently been posted on the site. You can get to the contents here or read the full pdf here.

Contents:
Pateman, Barry. The Kate Sharpley Library Then, Now and Next: An Interview with Barry Pateman.
Mat Kavanagh and the History of Anarchism.
Kavanagh, Mat. Some little known anarchists: James Harrigan.
Liverpool Anarchists in the Early 1980's.
Gutiérrez Molina, José Luis. Love, Sacrifice and Revenge by Diego R. Barbosa.
Guillamón, Agustín. Chatting on the Phone with Miquel Mir (22 April 2010).
Free Francsco Ghezzi From Bolshevist Inferno .
Commander Bomb Explodes.
Bookunin, M.Class War in Barcelona: "Anarchism and the City: Revolution and Counter-revolution in Barcelona, 1898–1937" by Chris Ealham [Review].

New publication: The Third Revolution?: Peasant and worker resistance to the Bolshevik government

The Third Revolution?: Peasant and worker resistance to the Bolshevik government
by Nick Heath

The Makhnovist movement of the Ukraine is the best known of the revolutionary oppositions to the Bolshevik regime. But it was not the only radical challenge the Bolsheviks faced from below. Numerous peasants revolts occurred in the years 1920-22, aiming not to restore the old regime but calling for a third revolution to defend themselves from the new one. Nick Heath here examines their extent, causes and limitations.

Contents:
Introduction : The Third Revolution? Peasant and worker resistance to the Bolshevik government
The West Siberian uprising (1921-1922)
1920: The Sapozhkov Uprising and the Army of Truth
The Fomin mutiny on the Don, 1920-1922
1921: The Maslakov mutiny and the Makhnovists on the Don
Brova, Mikhail or Brava aka Batko Brova, ?-1921
The Kolesnikov Uprising
Workers Revolts against the Bolshevik regime
Lamanov, Anatoli Nikolaevich 1889-1921
(Most of these articles were originally posted in the Libcom.org library. http://libcom.org/tags/nick-heath)

Nick Heath became an anarchist in 1966 by reading books on anarchism in the public library. He helped set up Brighton Anarchist Group (1966-1972) and went to Paris in early 70s for a year and participated in the anarchist movement there. Now a member of the Anarchist Federation, he's the author of large number of biographical articles about anarchists as well as articles on the Hungarian Revolution, the Makhnovists etc.
The cover art features Roberto Ambrosoli's Anarchik.

The Third Revolution?: Peasant and worker resistance to the Bolshevik government
by Nick Heath
ISBN 9781873605950  Anarchist Sources #14
http://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/9zw4mk

London Anarchist Bookfair 2010 talks

All the meetings and films at the 2010 London Anarchist Bookfair are now on the bookfair website at: http://www.anarchistbookfair.org.uk/whatson.html
* There are two talks on Friday night - see the "other events" on the website
* There is a gig on the night of the bookfair
* Freedom Bookshop are also having a social in the evening.

So, to remind you:
The 2010 London Anarchist Bookfair will be at Queen Mary’s, University of London on the Mile End Road. The date for the 2010 bookfair will be SATURDAY 23RD OCTOBER from 10am to 7pm.
see http://www.anarchistbookfair.org.uk/

See you there!