Cornel
West, commenting on From Ike to Mao and Beyond
“Bob Avakian is a long distance runner in the freedom struggle against
imperialism, racism and capitalism. His voice and witness are indispensable
in our efforts to enhance the wretched of the earth. And his powerful
story of commitment is timely.”
* * * * *
From a letter from a prisoner
forwarded from Insight Press to Revolution, commenting
on Observations on Art and Culture, Science and Philosophy
“I could read Bob Avakian all day long, literally. His writings
speak to me very powerfully and profoundly. He doesn’t speak as
an 'intellectual' to the masses; he speaks intellectually
to the masses, in a way that’s easy to grasp a hold of and figure
into our everyday lives and scattered ideas and feelings about our
place in society and the system which exploits and oppresses us
and gives form and organization and orientation to all this. It’s
very motivating and inspiring when everything that troubles us finds
accessible interpretation and a 'bright' though 'tortuous' future
is unfolded before us.”
* * * * *
Howard Zinn, commenting on From Ike to
Mao and Beyond
“A truly interesting account of Bob Avakian’s life,
a humanizing portrait of someone who is often seen only as a hard-line
revolutionary. I can understand why Bob Avakian has drawn so many
ardent supporters. He speaks to people’s alienation from a warlike
and capitalist society, and holds out the possibility for radical
change.”
* * * * *
Comments from a proletarian,
after listening to Bob Avakian's talk "Conservatism, Christian Fundamentalism,
Liberalism and Paternalism...Bill Cosby and Bill Clinton... Not
All 'Right' but All Wrong!"
“This takes me back to all the stuff they have done to
us, all the discrimination... I get it now, it’s the system! It’s
the system that’s responsible for all this stuff that’s happened
to us. It’s the system. They always blaming us when it’s the system.”
* * * * *
Bill Martin, Professor of Philosophy, DePaul
University, in introduction to Marxism and the Call of the Future
“Perhaps I am being willfully naive in saying this, but I think
that most people in their heart of hearts understand that the system
is not a good one, that it is fundamentally unfair and often quite
horrible. Surely many people understand, too, that we can only do
so many nasty things to the planet and expect it to remain a place
that sustains human life. Some of this understanding is even expressed
in desperate attempts to deny these things. I am pleased to talk
with anyone who believes in the necessity for systemic change, but
Bob Avakian is in a special category for me, because he is not only
engaged with the attempt to theorize the world and what it would
take to change it, but he is also playing a special role in organizing
and leading that change.”
* * * * *
Communist artist, commenting
on DVD Revolution: Why It’s Necessary, Why It’s Possible, What
It’s All About
“Quite frankly, many people have never heard anyone
say the things Chairman Avakian said, or have ever heard anyone
talk about this world, this social system, this society and another
possible society and way of living in the way he did before. This
talk addressed questions that literally millions of people all over
the world are agonizing over at this moment.”
* * * * *
Tom Harker, Free Press review
“In addition to recounting a life lived during very interesting
and important times; in addition to recounting his involvement with
significant historical figures and events; beyond sharing his personal
story; in From Ike to Mao and Beyond, Bob Avakian offers
a fresh, new look at a system of thought that has, by some, been
consigned to the 'ash heap of history.'… Bob Avakian's new and innovative
conception of 'Communism' deserves consideration.”
* * * * *
From a letter from Joanne Rojas, proletarian
woman, printed in Revolution, Aug 20, 2006
“A different world is possible. And I think we need Bob Avakian
out there much more explaining to people what that different world,
a communist world, could be. And I think this all needs to happen
pretty fast because the Bush regime are trying to sew things up.
And they are going to try and shut Bob Avakian up, so more people
need to have his back and defend him.... Now, especially, I really
believe we need Bob Avakian’s leadership. The masses need him and
his ability to take really complex ideas about revolution and communism
and 'break it down' to people—like he says, 'Revolution: why it’s
necessary, why it’s possible, and what it’s all about.'”
* * * * *
Reverend George W. Webber,
Professor of Urban Ministry and President Emeritus, New
York Theological Seminary, commenting on Preaching
From a Pulpit of Bones: We Need Morality but Not Traditional
Morality
"For this clergyman who has struggled with the relevance
of the Biblical faith in the face of the crises in our society,
the critique of Bob Avakian comes as an urgent challenge. His thoughtful
analysis underlines the urgency of recognizing how shallow has been
our understanding and how futile has been much of our effort to
work for a just society. There is insight and truth-speaking in
this vital book which those of us of religious faith need to hear
and to which we need to respond."
* * * * *
Man from El Salvador commenting on Bob Avakian
at a reading of his memoir
“We are all human beings. Avakian has in his understanding
what is in the interests of humanity as a whole. He looks at the
world in its totality. His books need to be spread throughout Central
America, especially El Salvador and Nicaragua. We know about Lenin.
We know about Mao. But they don’t know about Avakian. He must become
visible to them.”
* * * * *
Elemental Magazine review of From
Ike to Mao and Beyond
“The reader gets information about the Black Power struggle and
black nationalist organizations that is available nowhere else.
Avakian’s recollections speak volumes about contemporary race relations
and recount the important events of several eras … entertaining
and honest.”
* * * * *
Hal Perry, member of the University of San
Francisco Dons NCAA basketball champions, 1955-56
“'That’s right, he’s good, that’s fantastic, ooh boy, that’s
a powerful statement.' These were some of the things I said while
listening to the talk by Bob Avakian, 'The NBA: Marketing the Minstrel
Show and Serving the Big Gangsters.' I really appreciated hearing
this talk. Everything he’s saying about sports, I lived through
it. While listening to Part 1 of the talk, I couldn’t believe how
deeply and accurately Bob Avakian described everything. Anyone who
listens to this talk is put in a better position to understand what
really went on. It’s unbelievable how it describes what happened
to Black players. It is so excellent and incredible, I can’t begin
to express everything I think about it and I need to listen to it
again. If you took a group of high school kids and had them sit
down and listen to this, they’d never be the same again.”
* * * * *
Comments by a woman after showing of the
DVD Revolución in Mexico City
“It’s like we’re in a situation where we don’t know where
to go. It feels like an atmosphere of distrust, fear of the future,
instability. I feel like there are no guidelines or parameters on
where to go. But I think Bob Avakian has a plan full of hope in
the face of uncertainty that weighs on people.”
* * * * *
San Francisco
Chronicle review of From Ike to Mao and Beyond
“Berkeley-bred Avakian’s new memoir… leaves a breathtaking impression.
Having deepened and purified his convictions over 40 years of personal
and political struggle, Avakian sounds a high, sustained cry for
complete social transformation almost as if he were the trumpet
of Lenin himself.”
* * * * *
Carol Downer, co-founder, Feminist Women’s
Health Centers, commenting on From Ike to Mao and Beyond
“Bob Avakian brings candor and sometimes retrospective
insight into what it means to grow up white and male in our patriarchal,
capitalistic culture and still to emerge as a leader of the fight
against social injustice. His memoir is fascinating and inspirational.”
* * * * *
Juan Gomez-Quiñones, historian and writer,
UCLA, commenting on From Ike to Mao and Beyond
“I thought of storytelling, and the way that Native Americans
talk about the importance and positive power of storytelling. What
I see is a very powerful updating of storytelling of our times…
Bob Avakian travels a journey from a certain yesterday to a possible
tomorrow in From Ike to Mao and Beyond. This diary of hopes
and journal of lessons narrates how some youth went from troubling
days to challenging actions to sharing dreams. Bob Avakian imagines
and knows he is not the only one and he is ready to share dreams,
his and ours. His shared experiences, with unflinching candor and
generous warmth, are his respects for those of strong heart and
clear mind, those ready to do the work of getting to the other side
of history."
* * * * *
Reverend Earl Kooperkamp, Pastor, St. Marys
Church, Harlem, NYC, commenting on Revolution: Why It’s Necessary,
Why It’s Possible, What It’s All About
“In times like these, this clear voice for social
change is a welcome relief from all the confusion and lies. Listen,
and you will truly hear a voice of reason, with sharp analysis and
deep understanding, going up against the tide of injustice and oppression.
Of crucial importance is the fearless opposition to the rise of
the Christian right and its pernicious effect on the political and
cultural life in this country. While you might not agree with everything
he says, he will challenge you with his insights and a clarion call
to what must be done.”
* * * * *
Allen Wood, philosophy professor, Stanford
University, commenting on Marxism and the Call of the Future,
by Bob Avakian and Bill Martin
“At this dark time in the history of our country and of the world,
we need some new conversations about Marx and the socialist tradition–conversations
free of dogmatism, open to ideas from all sides, but oriented in
a progressive direction and eager to learn from thinking critically
within the Marxist tradition. This book provides us with one model
of what those kinds of conversations can be like.” |
