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Topic: starter chomsky

S1m0n
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 11427

posted 01 August 2006 12:38 AM

A friend--who's just coming to terms with the thought that she's an outsider in her own country and city (DC) was asking me about Chomsky. Howefer, I don't know his work well enough to recommenda book.

Is there one which gives a good overview of his political thought and analytic process?

From: Vancouver | Registered: Dec 2005 | IP: Logged

Paul Gross
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3576

posted 01 August 2006 01:42 AM

The Chomsky Reader is a good readable introduction/overview. It was published in 1987 however and stuff has happened since.

Tons of info is online, including entire books:
http://www.zmag.org/Chomsky
http://www.chomsky.info

ETA Blog: http://blog.zmag.org/blog/13

[ 01 August 2006: Message edited by: Paul Gross ]

From: central Centretown in central Canada | Registered: Jan 2003 | IP: Logged

kropotkin1951
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2732

posted 01 August 2006 11:27 AM

Tell her to rent Manufacturing Consent. It is a film about Noam and one of his books by the same name. An excellent book as well.

From: North of Manifest Destiny | Registered: Jun 2002 | IP: Logged

Lord Palmerston
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4901

posted 01 August 2006 12:09 PM

I think Understanding Power is an excellent place to start.

From: Toronto | Registered: Jan 2004 | IP: Logged

sgm
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5468

posted 01 August 2006 02:17 PM

I second the recommendation about Understanding Power: don't let the thickness of the book put you off, you can easily dip in and out reading excerpts of these Q&A sessions.

Znet also archives shorter topical pieces by Chomsky.

ETA: Whoops, I missed Paul Gross's post above.

[ 01 August 2006: Message edited by: sgm ]

From: I have welcomed the dawn from the fields of Saskatchewan | Registered: Apr 2004 | IP: Logged

thorin_bane
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6194

posted 01 August 2006 02:39 PM

I would recomend 9/11 good starter, Light read so they aren't detered from reading more of his work. She should know it is a dry read though.

From: Looking at the despair of Detroit from across the river! | Registered: Jun 2004 | IP: Logged

S1m0n
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 11427

posted 01 August 2006 03:36 PM

quote:
Originally posted by thorin_bane:
I would recomend 9/11 good starter, Light read so they aren't detered from reading more of his work. She should know it is a dry read though.

I found 911 unreadably incoherent.

From: Vancouver | Registered: Dec 2005 | IP: Logged

M. Spector
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 8273

posted 01 August 2006 09:19 PM

My recommendation for "starter Chomsky" would be the topical book, Failed States: The Abuse of Power and the Assault on Democracy (April 2006).

From: One millihelen: The amount of beauty required to launch one ship. | Registered: Feb 2005 | IP: Logged

angrymonkey
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5769

posted 01 August 2006 10:40 PM

I would say if someone wanted to ease into chomsky to watch manufacturing consent or listen to some of his talks like propoganda and control of the public mind or case studies in hypocrisy.

From: the cold | Registered: May 2004 | IP: Logged

-=+=-
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7072

posted 02 August 2006 11:00 PM

Also check out Chomsky Torrents for audio and video material. Chomsky is a great speaker so there's lots of excellent stuff.

From: Turtle Island | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

angrymonkey
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5769

posted 03 August 2006 12:16 PM

ooooh. There's some good stuff there. Thanks for the link.

From: the cold | Registered: May 2004 | IP: Logged

Flash Walken
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 11223

posted 03 August 2006 01:00 PM

Rogue States is also an excellent book.

I would also suggest 'Killing Hope' by William Blum, as it's a good overview of most of the topics noam talks about in depth (in regards to the nation state and historical reference).

From: Vancouver | Registered: Dec 2005 | IP: Logged

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