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No Surrender: Writings From an Anti-Imperialist Political Prisoner
A founder of Columbia University SDS, and a veteran of the Civil Rights and anti-Vietnam War Movements, David Gilbert joined the Weather Underground Organization in the late m60's. After more than 10 years of clandestine resistance, he was captured in the course of an armed action in 1981. Gilbert has been a revolutionary political prisoner for 22 years, continuing his work as an AIDs activist, and author from behind the walls. This first collection of David Gilbert's prison writings is a unique contribution to our understanding of the most ambitious and audacious attempts by white anti-imperialists to build an underground movement "within the belly of the beast." With unsparing honesty (and unfailing humor), he discusses the errors and successes of the WUO and their allies; the pitfalls of racism, sexism and ego in revolutionary organizations; and the possibilities and perils facing today's growing anti-imperialist resistance. Includes forewords by political prisoners Marilyn Buck and Sundiata Acoli. "This book stands alone in the growing number of books about the 1960s, the anti-Vietnam War Movement, and the Weather Underground Organization because of David's willingness to own it and analyze it. His discussion of the strength's and weaknesses of this history, the role of armed struggle, the rise of terrorism, the continued aggression of the U.S. government speak directly to the concerns of everyone working for justice anywhere. David's discussion of these topics is freer, more alive, and more honest than any I have read. This book should stimulate learning from our political prisoners, but more importantly it challenges us to work to free them, and in doing so take the best of ourhistory forward." Susan Rosenberg, former U.S. political prisoner] "David Gilbert is a warrior in the most profound sense of the term. Imbued with a near-crystalline clarity of principle, the indomitable courage to live his life in accordance with the values he holds true, and, most importantly, his every action guided by the immensity of his love for the wretched of this earth, he is truly an inspiration. Predictably, given the strength of Gilbert's character, his writings are offered as tools -- nay, WEAPONS -- in the ongoing struggle for liberation. They are thus of incalculable value to each of us who aspires to the attainment of freedom, justice and dignity for ALL people." Ward Churchill
300 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2004
2 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
David Gilbert
11 books7 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
David Gilbert is an American radical leftist organizer and activist who is currently imprisoned at Auburn Correctional Facility. Gilbert was a founding member of Columbia University Students for a Democratic Society and member of the Weather Underground Organization. After about ten years underground, he was arrested in October 1981, along with members of the Black Liberation Army and other radicals including Kathy Boudin, his partner and mother of Chesa Boudin. The details of his arrest are included in the entry on Kathy Boudin in the section entitled "1981 Brinks Robbery." He and she both participated in that robbery and were sent to prison for their part in the resulting murders of Nyack police officers Waverly Brown and Edward O'Grady and Brinks guard Peter Paige. (In 2004 the US Post Office in Nyack was renamed in honor of the slain men.)
David Gilbert is an American radical leftist organizer and activist who is currently imprisoned at Auburn Correctional Facility. Gilbert was a founding member of Columbia University Students for a Democratic Society and member of the Weather Underground Organization. After about ten years underground, he was arrested in October 1981, along with members of the Black Liberation Army and other radicals including Kathy Boudin, his partner and mother of Chesa Boudin. The details of his arrest are included in the entry on Kathy Boudin in the section entitled "1981 Brinks Robbery." He and she both participated in that robbery and were sent to prison for their part in the resulting murders of Nyack police officers Waverly Brown and Edward O'Grady and Brinks guard Peter Paige. (In 2004 the US Post Office in Nyack was renamed in honor of the slain men.)
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 24, 2018
It is hard to believe that David Gilbert ever fired a gun at anyone, let alone three cops on a thruway near a mall which has always been a big deal where I live.
His analysis of The Vietnam War, capitalism, and just about every "revolution" in history is sober, on point, and lacking in romanticism. Odd to imagine this scholarly figure tunnelling down the windows of Columbia University in 1968 or travelling with a band of not so merry pranksters in the 1980's, robbing banks in a foolish grab for money and arms that was ill planned, as he admits, and quickly degenerated into violence.
He refuses to participate in a trial unless "he is tried according to the same laws as John Brown".
Like Noam Chomsky but in a much different mindset and place, David Gilbert has been doing hard time since the early 80's and will never get out of prison. He could be any university professor very easily, and yet during the slick prose of this book he plainly illustrates holding uzi's and handguns and sometimes just directly confronting the police. He learned early on that "he could take a punch and give a punch" during protests that were SDS and intended to end the war in Vietnam. Having received humanitarian awards in jail because of his work with AIDS patients, he gives the impression of a man who is a soldier in a war, who has his enemy constantly in sight, and who has undoubtedly suffered many a beating because of what he's done. Yet one is liable to learn as much from him as any of the big named celebrity philosophers that yuppies flock to so often.
In the era in which the the Left barely has any visible presence at all, it is fascinating to read Gilbert's book and understand that there was a time when a Donald Trump would barely be possible in America.
His analysis of The Vietnam War, capitalism, and just about every "revolution" in history is sober, on point, and lacking in romanticism. Odd to imagine this scholarly figure tunnelling down the windows of Columbia University in 1968 or travelling with a band of not so merry pranksters in the 1980's, robbing banks in a foolish grab for money and arms that was ill planned, as he admits, and quickly degenerated into violence.
He refuses to participate in a trial unless "he is tried according to the same laws as John Brown".
Like Noam Chomsky but in a much different mindset and place, David Gilbert has been doing hard time since the early 80's and will never get out of prison. He could be any university professor very easily, and yet during the slick prose of this book he plainly illustrates holding uzi's and handguns and sometimes just directly confronting the police. He learned early on that "he could take a punch and give a punch" during protests that were SDS and intended to end the war in Vietnam. Having received humanitarian awards in jail because of his work with AIDS patients, he gives the impression of a man who is a soldier in a war, who has his enemy constantly in sight, and who has undoubtedly suffered many a beating because of what he's done. Yet one is liable to learn as much from him as any of the big named celebrity philosophers that yuppies flock to so often.
In the era in which the the Left barely has any visible presence at all, it is fascinating to read Gilbert's book and understand that there was a time when a Donald Trump would barely be possible in America.
September 18, 2008
I recommend this book. David Gilbert, lifelong political prisoner in New York since 1981, and former member of the Weather Underground (now being exploited in McCain political ads), here writes on many subjects of interest to all anti-imperialist activists.
David's a great writer; very straightforward, focused, but with tenderness and humor, and he has a way of making sense of complicated and terrible political dramas in short and effective little essays. In addition to essays on Gilbert's own history in SDS and Weather, the best samples here are on the U.S. white working class historically, the prison system, Colombia, Afghanistan, and neoliberalism. But Gilbert delves into a wide array of subjects from feminism to AIDS to institutional racism in many forms, and always with an amazing insight without requiring a lot of effort on the part of the reader.
It's a damn shame that this man is behind bars, but luckily he's still able to share his wisdom with us. Check this out!
David's a great writer; very straightforward, focused, but with tenderness and humor, and he has a way of making sense of complicated and terrible political dramas in short and effective little essays. In addition to essays on Gilbert's own history in SDS and Weather, the best samples here are on the U.S. white working class historically, the prison system, Colombia, Afghanistan, and neoliberalism. But Gilbert delves into a wide array of subjects from feminism to AIDS to institutional racism in many forms, and always with an amazing insight without requiring a lot of effort on the part of the reader.
It's a damn shame that this man is behind bars, but luckily he's still able to share his wisdom with us. Check this out!
June 23, 2009
Amazing read for folks straddling the liberal/radical line & looking towards the latter. DG has an incredible analysis of US racism and global imperialism. Interesting format: DG dispenses most of his wisdom through book reviews. Not sure what the strategic choice was behind that but it works for me. I, of course, enjoy his personal story & analysis of his personal political transformation.
January 22, 2008
Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant! One of my favorite books. David Gilbert is a great writer, full of love and great radical analysis.
May 24, 2012
A wonderful collection of book reviews and essays from the gentle rebel, David Gilbert, a political prisoner who continues to speak out against racism and social injustice.
January 8, 2008
this is pretty much my favorite book.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews