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pink_distro's review against another edition
4.0
real wise, some of the ideas had radiated out of this book thru people and reached me before i read it ! provides some good history on Black radical visions & movements, some of the more interesting bits of movement history imo were in the sections on nationalist movements and communist / labor ones. the real prizes in here are the sections on internationalism and surrealism. in "third world dreaming," he talks about the huge influence that chinese, cuban, and other revolutions had on radical Black spaces in the 60s and 70s, and its discussion of maoism is verrryyyy cool. then the surrealism section was really just magical, and generally makes the case for revolution led by creativity and imagination — not as a gushy stand-in for direct action or violence, but as a necessary grounding and guide. makes me want to get more in harmony with my OWN creativity more lol .... and also learn a little more about surrealism
josienaron's review against another edition
5.0
4.5, but i'll round up. really, really good. testing the limits of my revolutionary cynicism, i'm an optimist now
averyjpub's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
As a historian you expect Kelley to have a depth of knowledge however he puts it together in such a way that’s a gift to the reader. I had to put the book down several times in order to do deeper research on the Black organizations mentioned. I deeply appreciate Kelley’s connecting the Black freedom struggle across generations and this book is a must read primer for the history of the Black liberation movement.
andrewaackroyd's review against another edition
5.0
Any scholar who takes on utopia as a serious concept of study has my love
imiji's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
i think the lens that freedom dreams takes on social movements is ultimately what's going to stick with me: the conviction that it is vital to trace the history of movement leaders' ideas and to sit with the worlds that they envisioned in all their promise and imperfection. such a vital, insightful, approachable intellectual and ideological history of many Black freedom movements over the centuries, and one that takes many levels of social analysis and vision seriously. the reparations and surrealism chapters were especially new and reframing for me.
the_wistful_word_witch's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
I think this has to be one of the weightiest activism books I've read so far. I suggest getting the 20th anniversary edition simply because of all the additions that provide even greater context.
It took me longer to get through it because the history provided is so rich and dense. I had to go back and re-read/listen to several parts simply because I found myself getting lost in the history. There is a lot of inspiration to be found in these pages, but I'm actually at a loss of how to even begin to describe this book. I'm still reeling from it.
I will have to reread it several more times to take in all of the lessons on "the power of imagination to transform society" and all the inspirational freedom dreams discussed in its pages.
Because if you can't imagine the kind of future you want, you can't even begin to build on it. Like Alice Walker said, "Look closely at the present you are constructing: it should look like the future you are dreaming".
It took me longer to get through it because the history provided is so rich and dense. I had to go back and re-read/listen to several parts simply because I found myself getting lost in the history. There is a lot of inspiration to be found in these pages, but I'm actually at a loss of how to even begin to describe this book. I'm still reeling from it.
I will have to reread it several more times to take in all of the lessons on "the power of imagination to transform society" and all the inspirational freedom dreams discussed in its pages.
Because if you can't imagine the kind of future you want, you can't even begin to build on it. Like Alice Walker said, "Look closely at the present you are constructing: it should look like the future you are dreaming".
adisierra's review against another edition
5.0
Robin D.G Kelley is such a brilliant thinker and I love listening to him speak! Freedom Dreams urges us lean in towards radical imagination and contextualizes it with Black liberation movements throughout the diaspora, not so much to emphasize their successes but to highlight how much we’ve learned and continue to learn from the ones that aren’t considered as successful. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my version of radical imagination looks like and this book was a perfect companion to validate these thoughts. Surrealism, as he beautifully puts it, is crucial to “enlarge humanity in all of us,” with collectively creating a future for people not being merely for survival but to “evolve into more human human beings.” It reinforces the need for the act of imagination, solidarity and hope - all of which are very easy not to do!
kaleighbasso's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
4.25
In a world filled with cynicism and nihilism, there is Freedom Dreams. This book will guide us forward.
I struggled with the formatting of this book as well as the sheer density of information (especially in chapter 3) but I decided to borrow the audiobook from my library to listen to while I read the physical book and it helped IMMENSELY. I was able to finish the book faster and felt like I actually grasped the information and held it in place in my brain.
I struggled with the formatting of this book as well as the sheer density of information (especially in chapter 3) but I decided to borrow the audiobook from my library to listen to while I read the physical book and it helped IMMENSELY. I was able to finish the book faster and felt like I actually grasped the information and held it in place in my brain.