As an avid reader of radical/critical as well as social science/scholarly literature, I have basically become the libcom equivalent of the ‘keymaker’ from Matrix Reloaded. I compile countless lists of resources on many different topics, I like to find freely-downloadable and freely-shared options to read things so that no one is faced with the capitalist gatekeepers of IP, academic publishers, or even just being unable to go to a specific library that’s out of one’s reach (geographically).
But various other people or groups have already created some really good lists/databases with reading recommendations, copies or download links to the texts, and more. I have highlighted the my favorites, but I tried to pick a variety of radical traditions (whilst not necessarily agreeing or really liking each and every one of them) rather than merely the ones I find best. Hopefully there’s therefore something for everyone – including folks that don’t share my views on everything (in terms of socialist and/or radical theory and praxis). Nonetheless, what I guarantee is that all of these are really good (quality) and useful, whatever where one’s specific allegiances lay.
[Note: I will eventually do a general resource guide of my own, with the things I find most relevant (which doesn’t mean being exhaustive, hence why linking to these other lists is necessary!]
- A Guide to Value-Form Theory: a wonderful list (with links to pdfs/etc.) of the very best recent critical theory/literature. I’m not exaggerating: this is a compilation of the most important and advanced discussions and theorizations of modern capitalist society, based on a revival of Marx’s Critique of Political Economy & overall thought (or rather, a first (re)birth of Marx’s critical thought undistorted by the ‘Marxist’ tradition which has never done justice to Marx’s actual insights; the CofPE being the central part of this legacy, but certainly not the whole of it…)
- An even more exhaustive bibliography of overall critical/materialist/contemporary radical theory [gravitating around and coming to a large extent from the Marxist tradition; this excludes – because of scope and perspective – traditions such as anarchism or feminism which are, of course, very important too] can be found in the bibliography of Søren Mau’s Mute Compulsion, which I have copied here (as well as adding links to free ebooks/files).
- black books: anarchic literature‘s …:
- https://bandilangitim.noblogs.org/reading-lists/
- https://matcomindpol.home.blog/2020/04/02/linegoesdown-reading-list/
- http://www.bibliomarxiste.net/soleil-rouge/
- https://socialecologylondon.wordpress.com/2008/01/06/a-social-ecology-reading-list/
- https://anti-imperialism.org/recommended-readings/
- https://www.jalands.org/politedu/readings
- The great folks at BSA (Black Socialists in America) have put together a nice list with texts from various perspectives, with of course some key Black thinkers (Bell Hooks, DuBois, Lorenzo Kom’boa Ervin, ..) https://blacksocialists.us/resource-guide
- Anarchopac, an awesome anarchist who also makes youtube videos, has put together some reading lists (anarchism, feminism, marxism, anti-racism, ..): https://anarchopac.wordpress.com/reading-lists/
- http://www.redblacknotes.com/reading-list/
- An ultra-left’ list (left communism, council communism, open marxism, and so much more!) https://gofile.io/?c=HuK6db
- Thread on books by Indigenous authors: https://twitter.com/turqouisehippie/status/1249178310183137291.
- Post-Classical Anarchism: A Reading List –> https://buriedincontemplation.com/2019/11/23/non-classical-anarchism-a-reading-list/
- https://twitter.com/Enaemaehkiw/status/1251993828946579456 (decolonial/Indigenous) and also (bigger list): https://onkwehonwerising.wordpress.com/indigenous-critical-theory-study-guide/basic-reading-list/
- List by the Indigenous Anarchist Federation:https://iaf-fai.org/2020/04/23/recommended-readings/
- ORGANIZING RESOURCES [WORK IN PROGRESS]: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17uu7q7I6tAgHSwp66MCUdMwlkI2rz-LJIX0Igvl2Ws0/edit
- Master List of Black Revolutionary Readings: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aYPe21Rve3YPpozxZJE4C3WfWCvkvo_pyXkdzOARxho/edit
- https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/1SO242n9iDba5t5lHAEmmUVtNvwUHjjtA
- https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/0Bz011IF2Pu9TUWIxVWxybGJ1Ync
- https://twitter.com/halfatlanta/status/1266758671628894208?s=21
- https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/0ByrbBNHYgx75UjI5RUlVdWpzY2s?usp=sharing
- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zEaw-QWjN8kTnmYS5FGEYnW7NN2FnRgYAW5_M86Q4U8/mobilebasic
- https://cryptpad.fr/drive/#/2/drive/view/b6yBrM6eFqqatzkiqYhdBO3FFCZ-asK7h49Wk8bbN78/
- The ‘Abolitionist Library’: https://www.thedigitalabolitionist.com/resources
- https://buriedincontemplation.com/2019/11/23/non-classical-anarchism-a-reading-list/amp/
- https://libcom.org/library/anarchism-reading-guide
- https://tankie.fandom.com/wiki/Tankie_Wiki
- https://nycstandswithstandingrock.wordpress.com/standingrocksyllabus/ (+pdf?)
- https://thenewinquiry.com/a-time-for-treason/
- https://ithanarquista.wordpress.com/contemporary-anarchism/
Ravenwood 