Top 16 Books Like The Anarchist Cookbook Updated 04 /2024

Anarchist Cookbook was branded "one of the crudest, low-brow paranoiac writing efforts ever attempted" by the FBI. LSD, weapons, and phone hacking manuals are all included in the book, so the government's shit-list isn't too much of a surprise.

Originally published in 1971, it was William Powell's big fuck you to America's government and the country's participation in the Vietnam War. After Lyle Stuart sold his company to Steven Schragis in 1991, he decided to discontinue the publication of the book.

Since Delta Press purchased the copyrights in 2013, the book has been back in print.

As a result of his conversion to Christianity, Powell has made it his mission to remove the Cookbook from circulation and to emphasize that he no longer supports what was written in it.

Here are a few books like The Anarchist Cookbook that don't include recipes, but instead encourage critical thinking and breaking free of the system.

‘Steal This Book’ (Abbie Hoffman, 1971)

Steal This Book by Abbie Hoffman belongs on any list of books like The Anarchist Cookbook.

Abbie became well-known as a prominent activist in the 1960s and 1970s for his ideals and tactics in the struggle against the government and traditional values.

Survive!, Fight!, and Liberate! are the three sections of the book.

Sections cover everything from preparing for violent demonstrations to surviving on the run, setting up guerrilla radios, press, and TV and how to grow the best cannabis possible.

As the "Pig Empire" is referred to in this book, Hoffman asserts that it would be morally wrong to refrain from stealing from the government.

The index of the books contains a list of books and organizations that have been deemed appropriate for piracy.

Steal is similar to The Anarchist Cookbook. In addition, there are numerous how-tos in this book for making bombs and aiding injured street fighters.

After being rejected by over 30 publishing houses, Hoffman was forced to start his own publishing company.

It spread mainly by word of mouth and became a classic of the Woodstock era.

`Junk’ (Melvin Burgess, 1996)

This book has a special place in my heart.

Gemma and Tar's story was heartbreaking and tragic, but I was able to connect with the characters' emotions. With Junk, Melvin Burgess really outdid himself.

The film is set in Bristol and introduces us to Richard, a vegan anarchist who dislikes smoking and takes in Tar, a kindly teen who has run away from home to escape his father's abuse. Richard, Vonny, and Jerry all share a squat in the East Village.

On a regular basis, Richard organizes "stick ups." Tar and his friends Gemma, Vonny, and Jerry, as well as Tar's girlfriend Tara, glue the bank locks, leaving behind amusing stickers that read:

LOCKTITE SUPERGLUE (ANARCHY IN THE UK, INC) HAS KEPT YOU OUT.

 

Gemma, on the other hand, grows tired of Richard's philosophy and wants to find her own source of entertainment. The bad news for everyone is that she finds it in heroin, and Tar soon follows suit.

‘Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs’ (Hunter S. Thompson, 1966)

The Hell's Angels are a sure bet for Hunter S. Thompson. Hunter was the epitome of a fearless journalist who was able to blend seamlessly into any environment.

Sons of Anarchy, the FX series, is a favorite of mine. If you say yes, Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs is a must-read for anyone interested in motorcycle gangs.

As opposed to other journalists, Hunter was up front and honest with them from the start of the assignment to write about the notorious motorcycle gang. The year he spent with them was relatively uneventful....

After Hunter said, "Only a punk beats his wife" when he heard about "Junkie George" and his wife-beating tendencies, he got a beating from his wife.

‘The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test’ (Tom Wolfe, 1968)

What comes to mind when you think of the US rebels of the 1960s? Ken Kesey, of course. Timothy Leary was a man like him who paved the way for a new generation of open-minded individuals.

In addition to Grateful Dead music and psychedelic paint, these parties were known for their use of fluorescent paint and all things psychedelic.

However, no one has been able to paint a picture of the Hell's Angels as accurately as Tom Wolfe did in The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.

When Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters set out on their quest for higher states of consciousness, an entire generation was mesmerized by his contagious energy.

As much as the hippie movement promoted communal living, it could also be seen as an anarchist movement in and of itself because of the emphasis placed on living in harmony with nature and engaging in recreational drug use.

A Clockwork Orange’ (Anthony Burgess, 1962)

There are many books like The Anarchist Cookbook that express a strong dislike of the government and a strong desire for violence. One of these books, A Clockwork Orange, might be of interest.

Alex and his "droogs" pursue ultra-violence in a futuristic London setting.

Law and police are not threatening to them in the slightest, and their entire existence seems to be dependent on rape, beatings, and burglaries.

During one of their missions, Alex is sentenced to fourteen years in prison and forced to undergo an experimental behavior-modification technique that causes him to vomit whenever he thinks of sex and violence.

But will that put an end to his desire to feel his knuckles vibrate with the sound of bones breaking?

More Anarchist-Style Books

Check out Jerry Rubin's book Do It!: Scenarios of the Revolution if you were inspired by the books mentioned above (1970). Rubin once ran for mayor of Berkeley, where he advocated for the decriminalization of marijuana and opposition to the Vietnam War. 20 percent of the votes went to him!

Revolution for the Hell of it: The Book That Earned Abbie Hoffman a Five-Year Prison Term at the Chicago Conspiracy Trial and The Autobiography of Abbie Hoffman, which details some of his craziest stunts and most memorable actions, are also available for further reading.

Finally, Kyle Bravo's Making Stuff and Doing Things Book provides illustrated instructions on how to juggle, fix a toilet, repair your shoes, and lead a more liberated lifestyle.........

And a whole lot more! In the end, who cares if we have a system? All about the do-it-yourself, baby!

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