11 books to read about activism that will inspire you
Activism has a long history in the United States for exerting positive social change, and it is important to remember that you can make a difference. Not only that but fighting for what you believe in will eliminate feelings of powerlessness. There can be no change without action.
Moss’ mother in Anger is a Gift said: “Anger is a gift. Remember that…You gotta grasp on to it, hold it tight and use it as ammunition. You use that anger to get things done instead of just stewing in it.”
Here are 11 books about activism to inspire you.
- I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai (Goodreads)
- When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors, asha bandele, Angela Y. Davis (Goodreads)
- No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump’s Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need by Naomi Klein (Goodreads)
- On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder (Goodreads)
- This Is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt Is Shaping the Twenty-First Century by Mark Engler, Paul Engler (Goodreads)
- Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In by Bernie Sanders (Goodreads)
- How I Resist: Activism and Hope for the Next Generation by various contributors (Goodreads)
- Civil Disobedience and Other Essays by Henry David Thoreau (Goodreads)
- Letter from the Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr (Goodreads)
- What We Do Now: Standing Up For Your Values in Trump’s America by various contributors (Goodreads)
- We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler by Russell Freedman (Goodreads)
This, of course, is not an exhaustive list but does encompass some of the most popular “activism” books based on Goodreads ratings, many of which I have read myself.
I do want to mention that I did my best to draft this post without bias as much as possible as I strongly believe that every person – even those with different views from my own – has the right to peacefully assemble and protest. Literature surrounding activism seems to fall decidedly left, and while that is where my leanings fall, it is not my intention to ostracize people with differing opinions.
I am always open to dialog and debate from differing viewpoints, but please be respectful when doing so.
What do you think of this list; have you read any of these or did you add any to your TBR? Is there anything that you think I missed?
Let’s go on another adventure together!
Sara @ The Bibliophagist
June 23, 2018 at 12:57 PMI haven’t read any of these yet, but I’m hoping to read How I Resist and Our Revolution sometime soon!
confessionsofayareader
June 23, 2018 at 4:03 PMGreat list!
(Danielle) Books, Vertigo and Tea
June 23, 2018 at 6:02 PMRocked it! The first 2 are on my TBR and I am guessing a few more need to be. Nothing here felt biased in any way. This is such a wonderful post 🖤
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
June 25, 2018 at 4:50 PMOh good, and do let me know what you think when you read some of these!
(Danielle) Books, Vertigo and Tea
June 25, 2018 at 5:14 PMFor sure! 😊
fictionnochaser
June 24, 2018 at 10:05 AMAh this list is great! You picked some of my favorite activist reads!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
June 25, 2018 at 4:52 PMThank you, and which are your faves?!!?!
fictionnochaser
June 25, 2018 at 6:39 PMI am Malala and Our Revolution (💜 Bernie)
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
June 28, 2018 at 7:24 AMBoth of those are SO GOOD!
Vicky Who Reads
June 25, 2018 at 3:45 PMOh these sound great! I’m looking to read more nonfiction and so i’ll definitely have to refer to this list because I love this topic! thanks so much for sharing!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
June 25, 2018 at 4:54 PMThanks so much for stopping by, and I hope that you enjoy whatever you choose to read off of this list!
Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks
June 28, 2018 at 9:35 AMThis is a very interesting topic 🙂 I have heard of some of these (mostly just I Am Malala), but I think it’s because not all of them are released where I live – some of these will be pretty localized, I bet. Very relevant in today’s situation, though!
Kaleena @ Reader Voracious
June 29, 2018 at 7:42 AMDefinitely a lot of these look at the US situation and are applicable here, and that is a good point. Do you have any more international books that I should include? I Am Malala was an incredible read and I would love to find more stories like that.
Mid-Year Book Freakout Tag 2018 – Reader Voracious Blog
July 10, 2018 at 8:45 AM[…] I think it would have to be 11 books to read about activism that will inspire you. […]