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Jura is very pleased to be hosting the launch of a new book by Dr Nicholas Apoifis. Nick spent several years researching the Greek anarchist movement, which has blossomed spectacularly in recent times. He will give a short introduction to the book, followed by questions and discussion. Snacks and drinks will be available by donation and copies of the book for $36.50.

“Fuck May ’68”, the Athenian walls scream, “Fight Now!” This graffiti is a call to arms from the world’s most militant anarchist and anti-authoritarian movement. This book, the first major ethnographic study of the Athenian anarchist milieu, provide rare on-the-ground insights into its struggles against capitalism, the state and rising fascism. It also unravels the movement’s internal complexities, unities and tensions. Greece, and specifically Athens, has become the epicentre of capitalist economic crisis – as well as of radical resistance to its consequences. In this context, this highly engaged and emotionally committed book has important implications for social movements and radicalism globally.6:30pm-8pm, Wednesday 21 December, at Jura.

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» Read more about Book launch – Anarchy in Athens: An ethnography of militancy, Emotions and Violence Jura's extended opening hours in December! Thursday, December 15, 2016 - 2:00pm to Saturday, December 24, 2016 - 5:00pm

Jura will be open everyday from the 15th December until xmas eve! Opening hours as follows:

Thursday 15th: 2-7pm Friday 16th: 2-7pm Saturday 17th: 12-5pm Sunday 18th: 12-5pm Monday 19th: 2-7pm Tuesday 20th: 2-7pm Wednesday 21st: 2-7pm Thursday 22nd: 2-7pm Friday 23rd: 2-7pm Saturday 24th: 12-5pm

» Read more about Jura's extended opening hours in December! Book reviews: Durruti, Utopia, Workers' Control, and The Death Ship Submitted by Sid on Fri, 29/07/2016 - 9:30pm

The Man Who Killed Durruti, by Pedro de Paz

Why worry about an man who died in November 1936, or about the man who killed him? Perhaps the more important question is 'who is Durruti and why be concerned about him?'. In this intriguing book both of the questions are addressed in two parts. The first is an investigative historical novel about the death of Buenaventura Durruti, in the form of a detective novel that leads to a conclusion about his killer. This section of the book won the 2003 Spanish Jose Saramago International Short Novel Award. The second part is a more straight historical account of Durruti, his actions and ideas, during the Spanish Revolution, and is by Stuart Christie. This second part covers more about Durruti as a person, a militant anarchist worker, an anarchist militia leader, and, overall, a partisan of the Spanish people with an internationalist vision. His death was a turning point in the Spanish Revolution and one of the events that lead to the defeat of the revolution. Half a million people turned out for his funeral in Barcelona, a tribute to the place he held in people's hearts.

The Anthropology of Utiopia: Essays on Social Ecology and Community Development, by Dan Chodorkoff

This is an interesting book which is a collection of essays that have been printed in various places over the years. What brings them together is a series of important themes: an exposition of the work and ideas of Murray Bookchin, examples of how some of Bookchin's ideas have already (and can be now and in the future) be put into practice, the importance of action to (re-) build community as part of the long term revolutionary project and a defense of Bookchin against the poorly thought-out ideological assaults of his post-modern/'post-anarchist' attackers. All this is wrapped in a major theme of looking at ourselves anthropologically. The parts that I liked the most were about Chodorkoff's and a participant and activist in the Lower East Side of New York, in helping to build community among poor Puerto Ricans in what was then a desolate part of New York. Also, how an academic can support and be a part of change, although admittedly he did this when in the Institute for Social Ecology - a radical/anarchist institute if ever there was one. So many lessons to learn, both positive and challenging, that I've got notes scribbled all over the copy that I read. Well worth getting into.

Ours to Master and to Own: Workers' Control from the Commune to the Present, Edited by Immanuel Ness and Dario Azzellini

This book is so inspiring and so annoying in so many ways! The various authors come from widely different backgrounds in terms of work, geographic and cultural location, and ideology. The best aspect is that many examples of attempts at workers' control are covered, from all over the world, although with a less than needed entries from non-European (and its offshoots) areas. So it's a rollikin' read going from workers' revolt to insurrectionary event to factory takeover, and is enjoyable if you don't look too closely into the ideological limitations and biases of many of the authors. So many are just stuck in the nonsense of marxist apologia, here is one example from a look at Russia, 1917-1920: "Some anarchist called for the takeover of factories, but a Bolshevik delegate replied: "control is not yet socialism, nor even taking of production into our hands....Having taken power into our hands, we should direct capitalism along a path such that it will outlive itself..." But no where, in this chapter, in a book about Workers' Control, is there the obvious critique of this marxist nonsense: if marxism is about 'directing capitalism' then it is not revolutionary, and certainly not about workers' control. One look at Simon Pirani's book The Russian Revolution in Retreat, 1920-1924: Soviet Workers and the new Communist Elite, should dispel the illusions that some of these authors have. So, if a reader can keep the rose coloured glasses off, and look critically at its limitations, then the book is a good read.

The Death Ship, by B. Traven

Traven, not his real name (which was possibly Ret Marut) was a mystery man who shunned fame and notoriety. He always insisted that his work should stand alone and be judged for what it was worth. This novel, his first after escape from his activities during the post WW1 Bavarian German Revolution of 1919, was probably a part biography of his experiences in the deep and dark holds of cargo ships. While the story itself is a great read, like all his other novels, the politics underlying the narrative is not hidden, but not always explicit. He attacked rampant authoritarianism in the form of the state, the boss, the military, religion, and any other of its manifestations that came across his path, or the paths that developed in his stories. Having read it 30 years ago and again recently, I thoroughly enjoyed his writing style and the pace of the action, while giving cause and pause for thinking of the meanings within. An easy read, but a provocative and stimulating one. Am now looking forward to re-reading The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, which was made into a great film with Humphrey Bogart.

» Read more about Book reviews: Durruti, Utopia, Workers' Control, and The Death Ship Sid's blog Opening hours Thurs: 2-7pmFri: 2-7pmSat: 12-5pmSun: 12-5pm

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