12 books to help you fight the system

(Image courtesy bell hooks)

Brush off your shock, educate yourself and get ready to fight the system with these books of resistance

I promise I’m not going to talk about the election, or at least not directly. We’ve had enough of it already, and we will be forced to deal with its effects in the years to come.

That said, there is now, more than ever, a great need for discussion and subsequent action. For many, recent weeks have shown the rifts that run throughout our society. Many of us found it all too easy to simply ignore these deep cultural issues; for others, it has been an ever-present, often unwanted force in their lives. At any rate, we’re all facing them now.

Your first reaction may have been something like despair. I know I certainly felt helpless for what seemed to be an eternity. The issues we’re facing are monolithic and rarely change on a dime. As a nation, we’re grappling with racism, sexism, homophobia, and an entrenched political process that often seems to benefit only a privileged few. It can be frustrating to realize that substantial change is often incremental and achingly slow. Obviously, it can also backtrack and zig zag like no one’s business.

But, change can happen. Even if it’s slow or frustrating, even if that change is difficult to comprehend or explain, it is almost inevitable. Moreover, every one of you can work to create real, positive effects in your own communities. You can speak up for less privileged people. Volunteer for a cause that is important to your community or provides much-needed to assistance to others. Call your congresspeople, local and federal. Call them a lot, actually. There’s plenty to do in order to become even more involved citizens.

So, is your head still spinning? That’s okay. If you weren’t already an activist (or even if you already are), there’s a lot to take in. With that in mind, there’s one more thing you can do that will leave you better equipped to deal with the next four years: educate yourself.

With that in mind, what follows is a list of books that will help you on that journey. It is by no means an exhaustive list, but it is certainly a good place to start.