Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination

by Robin D.G. Kelley
Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination
book data
73 ratings, 4.34 average rating, 18 reviews (more data...)
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published
June 15th 2003 by Beacon Press

binding
Paperback, 224 pages

isbn
0807009776   (isbn13: 9780807009772)

description
". . . bold and provocative celebration of the black radical imagination in the 20th century."...more






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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 130)



matthew
matthew rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
04/08/07

bookshelves: culture, history, race
Read in April, 2007
Robin Kelley should have called this book Freedom Dreams: Why I am No Longer in a Marxist Organization. The book is self-consciously utopian in approach, and interspersed with some potshots against Marxist organizations. Rather than examining the outcomes of particular groups or movements, Kelley tells the story of their "dreams," or the ways in which they attempted to envision or prefigure a new society. Perhaps Kelley anticipated some criticism of his utopian approach, so he says...more
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Colin
Colin rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
01/11/08

bookshelves: antiracism, culturalstudies, favorites, history, marxism, non-fiction, theory
Read in November, 2007
recommended to Colin by: bruin trouble
recommends it for: everyone
I love this book. period. These are some things I love about it: 1. It furthers the work started in Cedric Robinson's Black Marxism which i also really like. 2. It is a personal, hopeful book that incorporates theory in a non-pretentious and accessible way. 3. The chapter on black feminism is amazing. 4. I learned about a lot of grassroots organizations and activisms that i didn't know about before.
5. He makes the case that surrealism is a mode of liberatory thought originating in the ...more
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Sasha
Sasha rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
11/30/08

Amazing discussion of the history of Black radical dreams of various groups and individuals. Kelley reminds us that it is important to pay attention to the dreams as well as the actions of political groups.
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Eric
Eric rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
11/24/08

Read in August, 2008
A beautiful journey through the history and evolution of black revolutionary thought in the US and beyond with Kelley's poetic touch and surrealist punchline.
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Yuliana
Yuliana added it
12/04/08

I got to know him very casually while in LA.
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Cris
Cris rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
04/09/07

This book is a response to anyone who thinks critical/cultural scholarship endlessly talks about problems without providing solutions, or equates radical politics with gray and dreary socialism. Kelley can't imagine a revolution without Bootsey Collins, and in his account love, hope and dreaming fuel political action within the Black Diaspora.
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crazysaint
crazysaint rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
04/07/07

Read in April, 2007
the importance of the imagination in the process of changing the world.
surrealism as a political stance, type of revolution and source of power.
the necessity of envisioning "somewhere in advance of nowhere" --jayne cortez
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Kat
Kat rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
11/08/08

bookshelves: independent-study
Interestingly enough, written by my adviser's dissertation adviser. I had some problems with his research and the conclusions that he came up with, but overall I can see why my adviser respects and likes Kelley so much.
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Anjali
Anjali rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
02/11/08

This is one of my favorite books. RDGK is able to sift through history and think about the visions of alternative futures in a deeply hopeful way... his work is beautiful and inspiring.

Surreal and real both at once.
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Callie
05/08/08

Might be my favorite Robin Kelley book. This looks at Black radical movements - but it's not whether they failed or succeeded, it's the vision behind them that counts.
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Jonathan
Jonathan rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
09/26/08

reading robin d.g. kelley is like reading history that i was never told in a way was empowering and inspired hope, fire, and compassion in my soul.
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Beth
Beth rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
05/14/07

recommends it for: introduction readers
Uhm, in a really nerdy way, I believe this to be one of the best introductions to a nonfiction book ever. Ever.
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Samsonvilleite
Samsonvilleite rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
11/01/08

Read in November, 2008
Captivated from the first paragraph on ... a true visionary. This book made me very happy.
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Devin
Devin rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
05/25/07

Beautifully written. I love everything I have ever read by Robin D.G. Kelley
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Lacey
10/11/07

creative and brilliant. this is a good book for musicians and historians.
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Jen
Jen rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
10/05/07

Beautiful book on the importance of dreaming to cultural change.
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Vanessa
what brought me to graduate school...
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sonny
sonny rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
01/24/08

Read in January, 2006
inspiring and informative.
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Devynn
Devynn is currently reading it
12/02/08

bookshelves: currently-reading

Megan
Megan marked it as to-read
12/02/08

bookshelves: to-read


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Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination (Hardcover)






groups with this book

Social Change & Activism
Critical Marxist Reading Group