Review:Red Ink Bookshop

Thursday May 19, 2005 12:00

by WSM

New Radical Bookshop in Dublin's Temple Bar

Anarchism in Ireland has been on the up in the last few years. Libertarian organised events have included large demonstrations like Mayday, RTS street parties, forcing the agenda on Shannon, as well as massively increasing our propaganda through newsletters, magazines and the internet. Sure, anarchism is still a minority past-time but as any bourgeois economist will tell you, it's the rate and direction of growth that counts!

In keeping with this decentralised growth, Dublin has acquired an anarchist inclined bookshop located on Fownes Street in Temple Bar. For years, the main source of Anarchist books in Ireland was the WSM Book-Catalogue which is obviously useful but as it's not the main focus of the group it has remained relatively small if well focussed. Red Ink which opened just under a year ago, expands greatly the selection of libertarian, commie, and plain bizarre books and magazines on offer to the dangerously curious.

It's got anarchist primers like Berkman's introduction, anarchist classics like Emma Goldman's autobiography or Kropotkin's Mutual Aid, as well as in-depth anarchist analysis of the Russian and Spanish revolutions. Besides all the anarchism, it stocks a selection of general anti-capitalist books, audio including Bill Hicks and the ubiquitous Chomsky, a load of zines, and a varied - in style, content and quality - collection of magazines. There's also a helpful sex guide section that's proving very popular. Who would have thought there could be such thick tomes on fellatio and cunnilingus? Clearly a revolution is happening in the bedroom if not on the streets!

Red Ink is a good example of people acting for themselves, and reaching out towards the public, which is necessary as anarchism requires the mass involvement of a politically conscious population. How are people going to attain that mass consciousness? Well, there are many roads to enlightenment, but the quickest is through a book shop. Check it out!

First published online on indymedia.ie