Left Coast Reads ππΉ
@leftcoastreads.bsky.social
πPacific Northwest
πHistory. Philosophy. Political economy. Occasional sci-fi.
πΉTrying to show solidarity and keep an open mind. A veces posteo en espaΓ±ol tambiΓ©n.
πHistory. Philosophy. Political economy. Occasional sci-fi.
πΉTrying to show solidarity and keep an open mind. A veces posteo en espaΓ±ol tambiΓ©n.
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Hi everyone! I'm JB and I like to share the books I read. I have an Instagram account with lots of book reviews. Moving forward I'll be sharing those here, too. ππ
Portland folks, how about some friendly competition: Which city council district has the best restaurants?
February 11, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Portland folks, how about some friendly competition: Which city council district has the best restaurants?
Zimmerman gets his marching orders from Metro Chamber and PPB. He'll scrutinize pocket change on pedestrian infrastructure and then shovel heaps of money to the cops. This is his normal behavior as I'm sure you are all too aware.
February 10, 2026 at 12:01 AM
Zimmerman gets his marching orders from Metro Chamber and PPB. He'll scrutinize pocket change on pedestrian infrastructure and then shovel heaps of money to the cops. This is his normal behavior as I'm sure you are all too aware.
All the book girlies beating up their local fascist
February 9, 2026 at 6:10 PM
All the book girlies beating up their local fascist
I think the book would benefit from more direction from Taylor--more background, filling in details, course-correcting, etc. From what I can tell many people love the book and get a lot from it. Maybe it's just not written for me and that's 100% ok.
February 8, 2026 at 8:37 PM
I think the book would benefit from more direction from Taylor--more background, filling in details, course-correcting, etc. From what I can tell many people love the book and get a lot from it. Maybe it's just not written for me and that's 100% ok.
At times it feels a bit disorganized. There are times the interviewee can't remember something (understandable for events 50 years ago) or gets off track discussing some interpersonal conflict in activist spaces.
February 8, 2026 at 8:37 PM
At times it feels a bit disorganized. There are times the interviewee can't remember something (understandable for events 50 years ago) or gets off track discussing some interpersonal conflict in activist spaces.
I was hoping for more theoretical or philosophical insight, but the book feels intensely personal, especially since it's really a transcription of interviews.
February 8, 2026 at 8:37 PM
I was hoping for more theoretical or philosophical insight, but the book feels intensely personal, especially since it's really a transcription of interviews.
A really interesting common theme was a sort of "aha" moment when they first encountered feminism and had words for what they were already feeling but couldn't quite articulate.
February 8, 2026 at 8:37 PM
A really interesting common theme was a sort of "aha" moment when they first encountered feminism and had words for what they were already feeling but couldn't quite articulate.
All the women interviewed discussed their frustrations with male-dominated organizing spaces. Several of them got their first political experiences protesting the Vietnam war.
February 8, 2026 at 8:37 PM
All the women interviewed discussed their frustrations with male-dominated organizing spaces. Several of them got their first political experiences protesting the Vietnam war.
The CRC is credited with creating the concept of identity politics, which has since been co-opted and abused in many ways. They were socialists and often did coalition work with other radical groups, but the term today seems to be associated with a negative, superficial liberalism.
February 8, 2026 at 8:37 PM
The CRC is credited with creating the concept of identity politics, which has since been co-opted and abused in many ways. They were socialists and often did coalition work with other radical groups, but the term today seems to be associated with a negative, superficial liberalism.
How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor is a series of interviews with founding members of the Combahee River Collective (CRC) and one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement.
February 8, 2026 at 8:37 PM
How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor is a series of interviews with founding members of the Combahee River Collective (CRC) and one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Portland demographic geography is interesting. For the black population, we see a clear shift from Albina to East Portland.
February 7, 2026 at 8:26 PM
Portland demographic geography is interesting. For the black population, we see a clear shift from Albina to East Portland.
*Austin, TX drivers staring at their phones*
February 7, 2026 at 5:48 PM
*Austin, TX drivers staring at their phones*
About 1.5? Haha
February 7, 2026 at 12:09 AM
About 1.5? Haha
Dan Ryan represents D2, not D3 but I agree he's terrible lol
February 6, 2026 at 7:15 PM
Dan Ryan represents D2, not D3 but I agree he's terrible lol
Do we know if there is another progressive candidate running in D3 that could cooperate with Angelita and Tiffany? Like a slate of 3?
February 6, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Do we know if there is another progressive candidate running in D3 that could cooperate with Angelita and Tiffany? Like a slate of 3?
My partner and I were talking about this and she showed me a podcast that touched on some of these thoughts. I wonder if I can find it
February 6, 2026 at 3:55 PM
My partner and I were talking about this and she showed me a podcast that touched on some of these thoughts. I wonder if I can find it
Reminds me of Kwame Ture saying, "If a white man wants to lynch me, that's his problem. If he's got the power to lynch me, that's my problem."
February 6, 2026 at 5:45 AM
Reminds me of Kwame Ture saying, "If a white man wants to lynch me, that's his problem. If he's got the power to lynch me, that's my problem."
Fan fiction is proletarian literature.
The culture surrounding it resists commodification. It's a reappropriation of the ideas, characters, and perceived legitimacy of the capitalist publishing industry.
Write that fanfic, girl. The revolution might even have a few real life enemies to lovers.
The culture surrounding it resists commodification. It's a reappropriation of the ideas, characters, and perceived legitimacy of the capitalist publishing industry.
Write that fanfic, girl. The revolution might even have a few real life enemies to lovers.
February 6, 2026 at 5:09 AM
Fan fiction is proletarian literature.
The culture surrounding it resists commodification. It's a reappropriation of the ideas, characters, and perceived legitimacy of the capitalist publishing industry.
Write that fanfic, girl. The revolution might even have a few real life enemies to lovers.
The culture surrounding it resists commodification. It's a reappropriation of the ideas, characters, and perceived legitimacy of the capitalist publishing industry.
Write that fanfic, girl. The revolution might even have a few real life enemies to lovers.
Overall, a decent summary of this era of German politics from a leftist viewpoint, but its strong focus on class makes it feel a bit too simplistic in its handling of antisemitism and other Nazi prejudices. Could be a good first read on Nazism for someone interested in Marxism.
February 6, 2026 at 4:16 AM
Overall, a decent summary of this era of German politics from a leftist viewpoint, but its strong focus on class makes it feel a bit too simplistic in its handling of antisemitism and other Nazi prejudices. Could be a good first read on Nazism for someone interested in Marxism.
The book also considers how the Holocaust and slave labor during the war benefitted capitalists and fit within an extreme interpretation of the capitalist ideology of treating humans as objects.
February 6, 2026 at 4:16 AM
The book also considers how the Holocaust and slave labor during the war benefitted capitalists and fit within an extreme interpretation of the capitalist ideology of treating humans as objects.
The KPD had wild swings in rhetoric and strategy depending on their instructions from Moscow. Much of their energy was spent criticizing the SPD as fascists and they dabbled in natuoniatic rhetoric. Their union strategy was sometimes too adventuresome, calling strikes they had no hope of winning.
February 6, 2026 at 4:16 AM
The KPD had wild swings in rhetoric and strategy depending on their instructions from Moscow. Much of their energy was spent criticizing the SPD as fascists and they dabbled in natuoniatic rhetoric. Their union strategy was sometimes too adventuresome, calling strikes they had no hope of winning.
For example, when their leadership was removed from a state-level government in a coup, rather than taking to the streets or calling a general strike, they told their supporters to vote in the upcoming election.
February 6, 2026 at 4:16 AM
For example, when their leadership was removed from a state-level government in a coup, rather than taking to the streets or calling a general strike, they told their supporters to vote in the upcoming election.
He also criticizes the left wing parties for their mistakes. The SPD was absolutely, blindly committed to parliamentary action.
February 6, 2026 at 4:16 AM
He also criticizes the left wing parties for their mistakes. The SPD was absolutely, blindly committed to parliamentary action.
He does point out that approximately a third of members were working class, perhaps conned by the party's occasional vaguely anticapitalist rhetoric or motivated by antisemitism.
February 6, 2026 at 4:16 AM
He does point out that approximately a third of members were working class, perhaps conned by the party's occasional vaguely anticapitalist rhetoric or motivated by antisemitism.