Hey all – welcome to this week’s What I’ve Been Reading!

You might’ve noticed that I missed last week. I did too, a few days later when I had a complete “oh shit” moment. If you’ve followed me on Bluesky, you know the reason – last weekend, the New York Times emailed Trans News Network a response to our coverage from January 1. Needless to say, this threw me completely off my guard.

That’s why I’ll be making this one a bit longer by adding a special section talking about anarchist theory and history that I recommend people read. This will be in addition to everything else I’ve been reading, so I recommend checking it out!

If you have anything that you find interesting that you think should be shared in this, feel free to email me about it! Additionally, feel free to share any feedback you all have on this. You can reach me at miralazine@gmail.com :)

What Have I Been Up To?

On January 1, Trans News Network published an in-depth interview with former New York Times editor Billie Jean Sweeney, which I edited. This sparked quite a bit of an uproar, and has been linked across the web. It’s a damn good interview, my colleague David Forbes took it on and a ton of information was revealed. If you haven’t checked it out already, I seriously recommend it. She and Billie had a fantastic conversation.

I also attended, and reported on, the same-day vigil for Renee Nicole Good, the woman murdered by an ICE agent in Minneapolis a few days ago. The event was nothing short of horrifying and has left the city shocked. The vigil, however, gave me hope. I’ve never seen a community rally behind one of their own so intensely before. While I didn’t live in Minneapolis at the time, I’ve heard people compare it to 2020 after George Floyd was murdered. Whether it’ll bear out the same historically remains to be seen, but I can attest that there were thousands upon thousands of people present, lining the streets. It gave me hope. I recommend reading the thread and checking out others’ accounts as well.

What News Have I Been Reading?

Friends’ Works

A few friends of mine have done some killer work this week, and I wanted to highlight this first, given my personal connection to the folk involved.

maia arson crimew published one of its coveted data leaks, this week centering around spyware app SpyX. Its been working on this series of exposing spyware for a while, and this entry is a damn good deep dive into SpyX’s operations, its parent company, the immensely convoluted relationship it has to other programs, and the controversy around publishing this data. Give it a look and some support!

Over at DDOSecrets, a huge leak on British far-right group Free Speech Union was published, along with ensuing news coverage. The announcement piece is short and to the point, and yet it says so much. The leak is courtesy of the activist group BASHBACK, and has already resulted in legal threats against DDOSecrets. This is a wild, still developing story that I recommend looking into. Also, give the folks there some support!

And lastly, my friends over at the Asheville Blade (based in Asheville, North Carolina) started their winter fundraising drive. They do some of the best radical journalism in the country, and they’re criminally underfunded and overlooked. Give them some support or boosts if you can!

404 Media

This is something I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention. Joseph Cox at 404 Media provided a good introduction into some of the reporting, from 404 and beyond, on ICE’s mass surveillance of mobile phones. A lot of the information may not be new to people keeping frequent tabs, but it’s essential in this current week, so I’m making note to mention it right here.

Also at 404, Matthew Gault reported on some communal resistance to a new AI datacenter in Texas. If built, this threatens a huge region’s water supply, and could cause unthinkable harm to the region. People nearby are fighting back and pushing against this. It’s a good read, and I think something that is continuing to become widespread. As it should.

Al-Jazeera

Always my go-to for international stories, Al-Jazeera doesn’t disappoint with their coverage on Trump’s kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Written by Julio Blanca, this piece does a fantastic job at describing how Maduro was kidnapped. It’s probably one of the most detailed play-by-plays on the subject out there, while still remaining comprehensive for people out of the loop. It’s solid reporting of a chilling subject that’s a testament to what quality journalism ought to be.

Similarly, Hanna Duggal and Marium Ali wrote a great piece giving some much-needed context to the kidnapping – on why exactly Trump would even want to occupy Venezuela. It’s good data journalism, and one that will remain a timely descriptor of the context around this event.

Unicorn Riot

I’m nothing if not a sucker for radical journalism. Even before I lived in Minneapolis, Unicorn Riot has been what I considered the ideal of such writing. This perspective has only grown since I’ve been living in this city.

Their coverage of ICE’s assault on the city has been nothing short of remarkable. Clint  Combs wrote a much needed deep dive describing exactly what tactics ICE is using, especially after the murder of Renee Good. They’re just as much a pioneer in solutions journalism, with L. Cam Anderson publishing a look into some of the community’s acts of resistance.

I can personally attest that it’s remarkable how the community is coming together here – and elsewhere, too. People who have never gone to a protest in their lives are coming out in the streets to defend their neighbors from abduction. It’s horrifying that we’re at this point, but people’s capacity for protecting their community will never cease to amaze me.

Miscellaneous

Over at ProPublica, Max Blau covered a new lawsuit regarding a New York City health insurance providers’ “ghost network,” and how this led to immense harm to both patients and psychiatrists. This piece has a ton of moving parts, and my explanation can’t do it justice, frankly.

At Important Context, Walker Bragman wrote about genocide scholars recognizing that trans people are in the midst of a genocide in the United States. This is the first in a series on these policies, and it’s damn good reporting on this. Before this, I wasn’t familiar with the site nor Bragman’s work, but I can confidently say that I’m now subscribed.

And some fun news, NASA has revealed that they’re in the final stages of preparation for the launch of Artemis II. This will be the first manned mission to the moon (though they won’t be landing, only orbiting and going past it!) in over 50 years. 

Folks who know me know I’m a space nerd, and I’ve been eager for this ever since it was revealed in 2017. While I have some nerves given the current administration, this was years in preparation, and space technology has come a long way since the 70’s. It’s a fascinating story, and the crew will contain the first woman, the first person of color, and the first non-American to go beyond low earth orbit. It’s pretty exciting!

What Books Have I Been Reading?

Non-fiction

I recently finished reading Caitlin Doughty’s From Here To Eternity. It’s a fascinating look into death practices around the world, and how much of American culture around death is built on denying its a thing while also capitalizing heavily. It’s a damning critique of the American funeral industry, while also providing some fascinating insights into how different folk around the view treat and view death. Highly recommend it.

I also recently acquired a book I enjoyed a few years ago, Harry Frankfurtt’s On Bullshit. An analytical philosopher by trade, the book uses an eye catching name to explore lying, deception, and misinformation from a philosophical standpoint. I don’t agree with everything he says, but it’s a pretty solid read, and really short, clocking in under 100 pages. Gives a decent bit to think about!

Fiction

I recently finished reading TJ Klune’s Somewhere Beyond the Cerulean Sea, and just absolutely fucking loved it. It’s a sequel to his prior work, House in the Cerulean Sea, following the adventures of a meek government worker sent to investigate an orphanage for magical children. Both books are fun, light-hearted, poignant, and heartwarming. It’s not often you see this style of unabashedly wholesome queer fiction – and that’s characteristic of every one of Klune’s books. Nothing against darker reads, I love those works (Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin is a prime example), but I firmly believe that some more wholesome, silly stuff is worthwhile as well.

Somewhere Beyond goes a step further, however, and has some rather on-the-nose allegories expressing his support of trans kids. He’s a cis author that’s expressing his support via the very art he’s creating, and it’s just heartwarming to see. His books are something I go back to whenever I need a fun read to lighten my day.

A Bonus - Anarchist Theory I Recommend

As a promised bonus, this next section is going to be all about different bits of anarchist theory that I recommend people read. I’m going to keep my summations of all of them short, and I’m going to be grouping them by subject matter. I hope that this can be useful for people looking to learn more. 

Note that this isn’t at all fully comprehensive of all works, and is just a few that I particularly liked or found impactful. If I missed any you think should be added, let me know and I’d love to do a followup! Also, check out anarchist audiobook providers!

General/Basics

Are You An Anarchist? The Answer May Surprise You! by David Graeber – A solid introduction for people who aren’t too sure what anarchism even is.

Black Anarchism - A Reader, compiled by Black Rose Anarchist Federation – A compilation of some of the classic works by Black anarchist authors. It features introductory works, analytical works describing systemic racism and anarchy as an antidote, and the practice of anarchy abroad, all from Black anarchists across time and space. I highly recommend.

Anarchy by Errico Malatesta – A timeless example of why people become anarchists, what anarchism means, and how the fight for a good future is a passionate one. For a much shorter intro read, see his An Anarchist Programme.

To Change Everything by CrimethInc – A premier modern work describing the hows and whys of anarchism, from the perspective of people who are out there doing the work.

Economic Analyses

Debt – The First 5,000 Years by David Graeber – Graeber is a go-to author for reading about anarchist approaches, and analyses, of economics. Highly, highly recommend. Also see basically anything else by Graeber.

Endnotes – This is a bit of an unusual recommendation, because it’s a whole magazine. Described as “a Marxist journal for anarchists,” Endnotes features a range of people of different leftist ideologies, and has gotten some solid criticism for its tendency to allow people to advocate some dogshit views. Nevertheless, it has some impactful economic analyses that have become influential in academic anarchist spaces. I recommend Endnotes 1 and Endnotes 2 for interested readers – they primarily focus on economics, and have some damn good analyses that combine Marxist views with anarchist thought. I particularly like Endnotes 2’s ‘Communisation and Value-form Theory.’ Be warned with what I mentioned, however, and keep a critical eye.

Strange Matters – Another magazine recommendation, this one I’m a bit biased towards because I was published in the first two issues. I go back a few years with a couple of the editors, and they’re good people running it doing good work. Issue 2 contains some fucking amazing economic analyses from people that lean strongly, if not always identifying as, libertarian socialist. I recommend looking through their backlog of issues and the works therein – they’re hefty, but solid, solid works.

The Mythology of Work by CrimethInc – Solid read into antiwork views, or the perspective that 'work' as a concept does not need to exist. If this sounds bizarre, that's the point.

Queer Anarchism

Queering Anarchism by C.B. Daring, J. Rogue, Deric Shannon, and Abbey Volcano – A classic essay collection that I just can’t recommend enough.

baedan – Another broad recommendation from me, baedan is one of the seminal queer anarchist work collections. A set of journals chronicling queerness in relation to anarchy, there’s several issues that each explore queerness in fascinating ways. I haven’t read them all, only a few essays here and there in each, but what I have read has been thought provoking and impactful.

Queer Ultraviolence by BashBack – Highly influential, highly insightful, and containing a ton of amazing essays. I need to get through the rest of this, I got about halfway through before ADHD distracted me…

Black & Indigenous Anarchism

Anarchism and the Black Revolution by Lorenzo Kom’boa Ervin – Amazingly insightful book by one of the greatest modern anarchist writers. Powerful look into the way racism affects leftist movements, while also being a manifestation of hierarchy.

Black Capitalism by Lorenzo Kom’boa Ervin – Yet another impactful analysis by Ervin, this time taking a detailed look at racial dynamics under capitalism. I recommend seeing his Anarchist Library page for more.

Voting is Not Harm Reduction – An Indigenous Perspective by Rudy Indigenous Action – This is a fantastic read into an Indigenous anarchist look to voting, and in general towards working with the state. Also, check out other stuff by Indigenous Action. They do truly fantastic work.

The Wretched of the Earth by Franz Fanon – A book that I need to reread, this is one of the most impactful analyses of settler colonialism and systemic racism in relation to capitalism. Fanon’s a damn good author, and a classic in anarchist canon for a reason, even if he may not have

Indigenous Anarchist Federation – Once more I cheap out by recommending a broad source. IAF is just too good of a resource not to recommend – they’ve been around forever, and do damn good work. I recommend this reading list they posted a while ago.

Miscellaneous

Blessed Is The Flame by Serafinski – A harrowing read, this in-depth look into resistance amidst the Holocaust literally saved my life. I can’t recommend this book enough, especially now.

Zoe Baker’s Recommended Reading – Also known as Anarchopac, Zoe Baker is an anarchist historian and one of the main public communicators on the subject. She links to a much, much broader range of topics than I do, and she also writes damn good stuff. Check her out, and especially check out the works she recommends. There's a ton on here that I need to read.