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acsaper's review against another edition
4.0
Bill Ayers, Public Enemy Number One. Or, at least that's what the media reported as Barrack Obama ramped up his inaugural presidential campaign.
Bill Ayers, a long time activist, organizer, and radical educator, describes the period in his life when he came under fire for having stood on his values, and, at one point, stood too closely to the future president. Bill's years as a student organizer, and then a fugitive, were quickly grabbed by media outlets to try and paint him as a violent agitator, not too be trusted and deeply supportive of Obama. Ayers debunks this perception, describing his life's work against war, capitalism, racism, and the like, in turning earning him a reputation as Public Enemy, as a champion of justice is ought to do.
The book is not so much a memoir of Ayer's life (that can be found in Fugitive Days), but rather an honest portrayal of the deeply troubling campaign to ruin a man's name and his history all in the name of politicking.
Bill Ayers, a long time activist, organizer, and radical educator, describes the period in his life when he came under fire for having stood on his values, and, at one point, stood too closely to the future president. Bill's years as a student organizer, and then a fugitive, were quickly grabbed by media outlets to try and paint him as a violent agitator, not too be trusted and deeply supportive of Obama. Ayers debunks this perception, describing his life's work against war, capitalism, racism, and the like, in turning earning him a reputation as Public Enemy, as a champion of justice is ought to do.
The book is not so much a memoir of Ayer's life (that can be found in Fugitive Days), but rather an honest portrayal of the deeply troubling campaign to ruin a man's name and his history all in the name of politicking.
marcymurli's review against another edition
4.0
I really loved this sequel to Ayers' first memoir, Fugitive Days. Although some of his history overlaps a bit with the previous book, this one is bookended by the Obama election campaign and Ayers' unwitting involvement in it. The best part of the book is when he talks about teaching and parenting and the interconnection of the two. I especially enjoyed the first chunk of the book when he narrates his experiences, some of which while he was still underground, working for a day care center in New York City and how this sent him down the path of pursuing a career in education. The reflective quality about the teachable moments in life are moving and often quite funny, too. I think that many readers, especially those who demonize Ayers, will find themselves tickled when they pick up a book with such a cover and title and find out that being an American dissident involves leading a relatively quotidian life. And that's one of the refreshing things about the book, too.
librarylapin's review against another edition
4.0
If you wonder about all the rumors the right spread about this man during the 2008 election, this is the perfect book to read. This book is insightful, witty, and humble. It humanizes someone who was turned into a monster by the media without the facts behind Ayers real life and hope for building a peaceful world. The information in this book is important but it is also a fun read as Ayers is a skilled writer.
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