librarianguish's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting look at the early days of the Occupy movement, told in graphic novel form (mostly). I have to say though that what I ended up taking away from this was a sense of the futility of the fight against "The Machine." Sigh.
peggah's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable, thought-provoking, but slightly haphazardly put together.
Though, I read this while sick, so the haphazard might have been in my own brain.
Though, I read this while sick, so the haphazard might have been in my own brain.
otterno11's review
2.0
Thought that this would be an appropriate read for the first of May. While I am not an activist myself, I was always deeply sympathetic of the Occupy movement and supportive of my friends and acquaintances who worked and continue to work with it, so I was very interested reading about Stephanie McMillan's experience in Occupy Wall Street, through her stylish, colorful, comic account. Sadly, I did not like it nearly as much as I hoped. Following the enthusiastic rise of Occupy Wall Street in 2011 and McMillan's participation at Occupy Fort Lauderdale, it alternates idealism and the struggle to reach consensus in the face of sectarianism, such as fears that engaging in foreclosure protest would constitute "encouragement" of the concept of "private property."
Less than a comic record of this extremely diverse movement and its varied goals and demands in fighting against industrial capitalism, "The Beginning of the American Fall" is much more a political pamphlet for the author's own brand of radical political philosophy. Even if I am on board for many of her arguments and beliefs regarding the unsustainability of capitalism in the ecosystem and the need for change, some of her points strike me as a little questionable; "we need to go back to the land" or "elderly Maoists in China are supporting us!" In spite of a few flow charts, little is explained about how this revolution could be implemented. Still very good food for thought, especially when thinking about what revolution could look like and, at worst, could be called preaching to the choir.
Less than a comic record of this extremely diverse movement and its varied goals and demands in fighting against industrial capitalism, "The Beginning of the American Fall" is much more a political pamphlet for the author's own brand of radical political philosophy. Even if I am on board for many of her arguments and beliefs regarding the unsustainability of capitalism in the ecosystem and the need for change, some of her points strike me as a little questionable; "we need to go back to the land" or "elderly Maoists in China are supporting us!" In spite of a few flow charts, little is explained about how this revolution could be implemented. Still very good food for thought, especially when thinking about what revolution could look like and, at worst, could be called preaching to the choir.
will_sargent's review
1.0
One of the most frustratingly insider views inside occupy that I've had the misfortune to read. The problems with occupy get shoved under the hood, and the demands for "activism" mean nothing by themselves... But instead of an examinations or an explanation, there's a list of talks and "prominent figures." Occupy itself barely gets a lock in before it is tied into the writer's philosophy.
The wired article by Quinn Norton is much better. Read that instead.
The wired article by Quinn Norton is much better. Read that instead.
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