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saranies's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent book describing the protest movements of the past few years and looking into what caused them--the factors that made people fed up--and what they led to. I didn't realize how interconnected things like Occupy and Black Lives Matter were, although it makes sense.
After the election, I've struggled with feelings of hopelessness. This book hasn't necessarily pulled me out of my gloom, but it has lightened it a little.
After the election, I've struggled with feelings of hopelessness. This book hasn't necessarily pulled me out of my gloom, but it has lightened it a little.
nickjagged's review against another edition
3.0
Surveys of late '00s, early to mid '10s protest movements have been done to death at this point, but it's a testament to Jaffe's stirring writing and meticulous research that this is the clear gold standard for the topic.
dustcircle's review against another edition
4.0
All the important, recent political movements explored: Occupy, BLM, etc. An important read that sets up her next book about what to do about it and how.
joemacare's review against another edition
4.0
Necessary Trouble is one of the most essential books of the year -- an extensive, vivid overview of "trouble-making" organizers and movements from the 2008 financial crisis until, if not quite today, then the moment the book went to press. Each chapter not only covers a movement or group of campaigns, but also provides a concise but nuanced historical summary of the issues at hand.
It's a book that feels "necessary" indeed, almost overdue. Whether we realized it or not, we have been in need of a book that traces the connections between the Wisconsin Capitol occupation and the campaigns waged by Walmart and fast-food workers, that looks honestly at what the Tea Party has had both in common and in conflict with protesters at Occupy Wall Street and in Ferguson, and that gives due credit to Moral Mondays and Black Lives Matter.
And we have been in need of someone like Jaffe to do it, someone who understands intersectionality and class struggle, who resists simplistic narratives and avoids backseat organizing or condescending lectures about strategy, instead largely letting the people who made these movements happen tell their own stories.
(Take from the intro to my interview with Sarah Jaffe, which you can read here: http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/37396-necessary-trouble-and-a-long-hard-struggle-talking-movements-with-sarah-jaffe)
It's a book that feels "necessary" indeed, almost overdue. Whether we realized it or not, we have been in need of a book that traces the connections between the Wisconsin Capitol occupation and the campaigns waged by Walmart and fast-food workers, that looks honestly at what the Tea Party has had both in common and in conflict with protesters at Occupy Wall Street and in Ferguson, and that gives due credit to Moral Mondays and Black Lives Matter.
And we have been in need of someone like Jaffe to do it, someone who understands intersectionality and class struggle, who resists simplistic narratives and avoids backseat organizing or condescending lectures about strategy, instead largely letting the people who made these movements happen tell their own stories.
(Take from the intro to my interview with Sarah Jaffe, which you can read here: http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/37396-necessary-trouble-and-a-long-hard-struggle-talking-movements-with-sarah-jaffe)
savannahj's review against another edition
4.0
It's a good read for anyone who's interested in sort of social justice and the intersections between social justice and politics, especially if you don't know much of the history. It's definitely written for a public general audience, so if you're pretty well-read in the matter, you may not learn much, and it will feel more like a comprehensive review, or even "preaching to the choir". I already knew most of the things mentioned in the book, and I don't consider myself a particularly well-read person when it comes to this stuff, but you'll recognize a lot if you've been an engaged citizen and keep up with news/current events for a few years. If you're new to this whole world (possibly stirred into interest from the 2016 election) and looking for something that is readable and not too niche, this is for you! It's not boring or overly repetitive at all, so if you're on the fence, I say go ahead and give it a try.
k_b00kish's review against another edition
4.0
Highly recommended reading for gaining insight into recent sociopolitical movements and activism in light of recent events (mortgage crisis/student loan crisis).
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
One of those contemporary social history books you can read most of and get the juice from or that you can skip around and pull what it is you're looking for. Good, readable, albeit for me, a little longer than necessary and at times repetitive. A look at the ways that the people in the US have been demanding more from/of their governments and society as a whole and how the movements -- Occupy, Black Lives Matter, Anti-Austerity -- have similar goals and intentions and motions behind them. Jaffe's goal is to highlight the power of and necessity of intersectionality and she does a pretty good job at it. This would be an especially good read for those budding feminists and social justice folks still grappling with what intersectionality means.
It was nice to see a whole chapter about the Wisconsin anti-austerity movement (aka, prop 10), since that is criminally under discussed in social movements.
It was nice to see a whole chapter about the Wisconsin anti-austerity movement (aka, prop 10), since that is criminally under discussed in social movements.