Fugitive Days Memoirs of an AntiWar Activist (Audible Audio Edition) William Ayers Jeff Woodman Audible Studios Books
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Bill Ayers was born into privilege and is today a highly respected educator and community activist. In the late 1960s he was a founder of the militant activist group the Weather Underground. Living on the run, stealing explosives, and hiding from the law, Ayers was involved in the defining moments of his generation the Days of Rage, SDS, the Black Panthers - and the explosion that killed his beloved comrade, Diana Oughton.
Fugitive Days tells of these turbulent events, and of the tenacity with which Ayers slowly rebuilt his life after it all came apart. Ayers writes openly about his regrets and what he continues to believe was right. The result is a profoundly honest account of an incendiary chapter in our history.
Fugitive Days Memoirs of an AntiWar Activist (Audible Audio Edition) William Ayers Jeff Woodman Audible Studios Books
I am troubled by this book, that someone can admit to as much as Ayers did and yet be treated as a completely normal member of a functioning society and a premier educator. I can no more comprehend his logic and self justification for his actions than I can any other modern terrorists and he seems to say that Hitler, Hussein, and other leaders are merely victims of the victors who painted them in a bad light.It was a valuable book; I've read the Pentagon papers, Daniel Ellsberg, Malcolm X, am Saul Alinsky, so I don't consider myself politically naïve, yet the logic is mind boggling. I also am constantly amazed by the complete lack of sensitivity to other social and political issues that plague society besides peace and civil rights.
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Fugitive Days Memoirs of an AntiWar Activist (Audible Audio Edition) William Ayers Jeff Woodman Audible Studios Books Reviews
Bill Ayers shares an incredible journey in his book, Fugitive Days. He takes threads from his childhood, college days, his personal values, and weaves a picture of a young American male caught up in the protest against America's involvement in Viet Nam. His journey is one of growth, study, networking, regrets, and reinvention as he struggles to find a course of action that is consistent with his values and conscience.
Ayers is a gifted writer. He shares his story and rationale for his actions in a way that puts the reader in a frame of mind to wonder. What would I have done in his place? Does the US government have the right to invade other countries? What can an American citizen do to EFFECTIVELY influence how the US interacts on a global scale? How can America's global interactions reflect what we consider to be "American values"?
This is a must-read book.
What's one to make of the Weather Underground, the SDS splinter group that blazed briefly in 1969 and 1970? Outraged by the war in Vietnam, the Weathermen tried to DO something to stop the bloodbath -- and doing something, for them, didn't mean signing petitions or voting for feckless anti-war politicians. Instead, they Weathermen took direct action against the American power structure -- often at great risk to themselves. They refused to let their lives make a mockery of their values. As a middle-aged functionary, I salute their memory.
But what they tried to do was crazy. They tried to overthrow the U.S. government. All five or six dozen of them. They tried to "bring the war home to America," as if they were Viet Cong, not white college kids. They convinced themselves that they were the vanguard of the American working class. They even thought they could manufacture bombs without blowing themselves up. It was delusional. It was violent. In the end, the Weathermen played into the hands of opportunistic pols like Nixon, who used their tactics to smear the whole anti-war movement.
"Fugitive Days" was written by one of the inner circle, but it doesn't clear up the paradoxes. It is impressionistic, disorganized, and solipsistic. It has too much sexual boasting. Parts gush like a teenager's diary. Even worse, it has no analysis of what motivated the Weathermen, how the group functioned, or how it related to the broader left. There's hardly even a chronology. One example the Days of Rage is described in florid, first-person detail, but no context is given to explain why anyone could think that a few days of vandalism would end the war in Vietnam.
I liked "Fugitive Days" a lot, because the author loved a girl who died in a blast in New York, and because '60s militancy was an understandable response to the crimes of the Vietnam War. But the book isn't useful as history.
We were assigned this book for a class on the 1960's and the Vietnam War by a professor of mine. Overall I found the book a fascinating read with an exciting fast paced writing style. It is however, a book that hangs in limbo between fact and fiction. It should be understood that as a personal memoir, this book will be biased to the views of the author. However, it is Ayer's writing style and insistence on hyperbole that give the book that "based on a true story" feeling you get from someone's story about "the war" or "the big one" they caught at the lake. There will be many instances where the reader will have to question whether or not to believe what is being told to them. It is because of this that the book deserves only three stars of five. Yes the book is entertaining, but it is being sold as a memoir of historical value and it lacks the credibility needed to be taken seriously as a work of non-fiction.
I definitely would not recommend this book as a resource for a true insight into 1960s activism. Instead it should be viewed as a novel that will impart upon you the mood of some of the most radical participants of the anti-war movement. I would however, recommend the book to anyone who is just looking for a good story or an interesting read.
Great read about the 60's and 70's and the rise of the different anti-government groups.
Excellent memoir of a turbulent time from one of WUO's leaders. Moves fast, many good details and brings era to life.
Bill Ayres who has been in the nations conscience during the 2008 Presidential Election by association with then candidate Senator Barack Obama. Reflects on the 1960's anti war movement and how after realizing that signs and protest were simply not going to be enough to bring the war to a end and more aggressive actions would be needed. The Weathermen were the group that took those more aggressive actions. Were they correct ? The answer to that would probably be split 50-50 if you ask in a poll. Ayres does show some remorse on the tactics they used but he is not apologetic and on that I agree. The first 75% of this book is a interesting historic read I do feel the final part of the book slows down a bit however I still do recommend reading this book
I am troubled by this book, that someone can admit to as much as Ayers did and yet be treated as a completely normal member of a functioning society and a premier educator. I can no more comprehend his logic and self justification for his actions than I can any other modern terrorists and he seems to say that Hitler, Hussein, and other leaders are merely victims of the victors who painted them in a bad light.
It was a valuable book; I've read the Pentagon papers, Daniel Ellsberg, Malcolm X, am Saul Alinsky, so I don't consider myself politically naïve, yet the logic is mind boggling. I also am constantly amazed by the complete lack of sensitivity to other social and political issues that plague society besides peace and civil rights.
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