Wages of Rebellion - Softcover

Hedges, Chris

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0345807871 ISBN 13: 9780345807878

Publisher: Vintage Canada, 2016

Synopsis

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For bestseller and Pulitzer Prize winner Chris Hedges, we are once again riding the crest of a revolutionary epic, much like 1848 or 1917, from the Arab Spring to movements against austerity in Greece to the Occupy movement. From the vantage point of a world on the edge, Wages of Rebellion investigates what social and psychological factors cause revolution, rebellion and resistance.
     Drawing on an ambitious overview of prominent philosophers, historians and literary figures, Chris Hedges shows not only the harbingers of a coming crisis but also the nascent seeds of rebellion. His message is clear: popular uprisings across the globe are inevitable in the face of environmental destruction and wealth polarization.
     Focusing on the stories of rebels from around the world and throughout history, Hedges investigates what it takes to be a rebel in modern times. Utilizing the work of Reinhold Niebuhr, he describes the motivation that guides the actions of rebels as "sublime madness"--the state of passion that causes the rebel to engage in an unavailing fight against overwhelmingly powerful and oppressive forces. For Hedges, resistance is carried out not for its success, but as a moral imperative that affirms life. Those who rise up against the odds will be those endowed with this "sublime madness." From South African activists who dedicated their lives to ending apartheid, to contemporary anti-fracking protests in Alberta, to whistleblowers in pursuit of transparency, Wages of Rebellion shows the cost of a life committed to speaking the truth and demanding justice.
From the Hardcover edition.

About this title

About the Author

CHRIS HEDGES, a senior fellow at The Nation Institute, spent nearly 20 years as a foreign correspondent in Central America, the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans. He was part of the New York Times team that won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for the paper's coverage of global terrorism. He writes a weekly original column for Truthdig, and has written for Harper's, The New Statesman, The New York Review of Books, The Nation, Adbusters, Granta, Foreign Affairs and other publications. He is the author of the bestsellers Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt (with cartoonist Joe Sacco); Death of the Liberal Class; Empire of Illusion; and War Is a Force that Gives Us Meaning, among others.

Review

“You can’t write off Chris Hedges. . . . The worst part of his book is the way it doggedly, repeatedly asks: what kind of person, really, are you? That is, Hedges said, the defining question. It’s not what you did in life, it’s ‘what you stood for.’” —Rosemary Westwood, Metro

“Hedges delivers a lively, wholly accessible treatise that focuses on individuals—lawyers, activists and others—to demonstrate what goes into the resolve to fight for change. . . . Hedges is absolutely relevant. He comes across as a prophet on a mission. Heed his words.” —Susan Cole, NOW (Toronto)

“Hedges has penned an indispensable guide to rebellion.” —Rabble.ca 

“Like early twentieth-century muckraking journalists and, more recently, I.F. Stone, Hedges makes a boisterous, outspoken contribution to revolutionizing the national conversation.” —Kirkus Reviews

“[Chris Hedges] doesn’t miss a beat. . . . If he’s right, then hope and fear hang in the balance.” —Alex Good, The Record (Kitchener-Waterloo)
 
“This brilliant book will be uncomfortable reading, especially for progressive people. . . . His book is polemical, poetic and encyclopedic. He weaves together plenty: personal stories; analyses of the America’s role in creating terror abroad and suppressing dissent at home; citations from leading revolutionary theorists; apocalyptic prophecies; interpretations of classic literature; and exhortations to rebel non-violently. Although extremely readable, the seamless quality of the excellent writing is deceptive—its apparent simplicity belies its great depth. Thus his theme can be summarized, but the book cannot be. The cumulative effect is far greater than the sum of its parts. . . . Hedges’s view of the coming dismal times is equally eloquent and stunningly depressing. . . . This is a thought-provoking, profound and inspiring book that deserves to be read by anyone concerned about the future of our world. But be warned: it attacks whatever complacent feelings you may have and may spur you on to become a rebel.” —Lawrie Cherniack, Winnipeg Free Press

“So rich and layered.” —The Real News Network
 
“[O]ne of his best and most significant books.” —Proactive Activists Voice
 
“[A] powerful call to action that investigates what social and psychological factors cause revolution and resistance and what it takes to be a rebel in modern times.” —Ian Masters, Background Briefing
 
“[Wages of Rebellion is] his most vociferous attack yet on the political and civic culture of America.” —Tirdad Derakhshani, Inquirer Sideshow

About this edition

• Publisher: Vintage Canada
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0345807871
• ISBN 13: 9780345807878
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304