For a week of my life I lived for little except pouring throught the pages of Emma Goldman's revolutionary autobiography, "Living My Life". It is one of those books you cannot put down because, in truth, it has become a part of who you are. After reading it you are forever changed.
I had always thought I knew American history, after all I read Howard Zinn's lengthy and detailed history of the U.S., "A People's History". Well most of it. But Goldman's autobiography adds great detail, or more importantly, great passion to the picture of history of American politics. Here we find worker's movements, presidential assassinations, free love (in the 1800's!?), the struggle over birth control, imprisonment, and anarchist movements. In her complicated life, Goldman played a part in some of the most turbulent times America has ever witnessed.
We think of the 1960's as the time of social protest and our views of it are defined by either personal experience or, for younger generations, by movies and music. But Goldman's account forces you to look at our history and realize it has not been a unilinear march towards the dream of the white picket fence, two kids, a house, and a dog. Many dreams were dreamed about America, and many were violently quashed by the forces of capital.
But the value of this book lies less in its account of politics and activism in the late 1800's and early 20th Century and more in Goldman's unrelenting analysis of herself and her world. Rather than an unflinching radical, we witness inner conflict. She battles between being the symbol of "free love" and the desire for family and stability. Her soul is haunted by the long imprisonment of her revolutionary comrade and lover.
She is hunted in connection to the assassination of a U.S. president. Her philosophy of anarchism is berated as the ideology of killers and bombthrowers, yet everywhere she speaks people listen. Newspapers decrying her arrival printed praisefilled editorials after her speeches.
Activist. Conspiritor. Humanitarian. Feminist. Anarchist. Rebel. Humanitarian. Hero. "Red" Emma as been known as many things. I humbly submit that this is book that may change the way you think about everything.
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