William Blum
Monroe, Maine (USA):
Common Courage Press, 2005, $18.95, p/b
Blum is a grey-bearded, spook-wise, American lefty who was radicalised by the Vietnam War. He wants to look the beast in the eye with as much information as possible. He isn’t concerned with theoretical questions but he knows imperialism, atrocity and bullshit when he meets it.
This is a collection of Blum’s recent essays, talks, e-mail exchanges (including the beginnings of one with Christopher Hitchens which Hitchens seems to have flunked), letters to editors, and the texts of some of his e-mail Anti-Empire Reports.([10]) If you know his previous work on the CIA and American imperialism ([11])you know what to expect. If you don’t know Blum, you should; and this is as good and as entertaining a place to start as any. In effect, we are seeing Blum’s notes for his next book, his thoughts and comments on the American empire since his Rogue State, five years ago; and there has been much to discuss!
Notes
[10] Bill Blum’s Anti-empire Report can be had by adding yourself to his mailing list. Send an e-mail to with ‘add’ in the subject line.
[11] See, for example, Rogue State, reviewed in Lobster 40 and his memoir, West Bloc Dissident, reviewed in Lobster 43.