Review of Abbot Howard “Abbie” Hoffman’s Steal this Book
Abbot Howard “Abbie” Hoffman, a political and social activist as well as the Co-founder of the Youth International Party (“Yippies”). Typically a trouble-maker, a jokester, and a rebel in high school, carried over as he began the Yippie movement, a series of protests and events targeting United States government.
The introduction began with Abbie’s impression about his book, claiming it serves as “a manual for survival in the prison that is Amerika” (7). Hoffman altered the spelling of America, replacing the “c” with a “k” to emphasize that American law doesn’t represent justice to communicate the impudence he with-held towards America. The book was divided into sections: “Fight!”, “Survive!”, “Liberate!”. Each section title served a purpose assembling a three stage guide with informative steps, forming the layout to be like a manual. Hoffman anticipated when he started constructing the book. He touched upon foreign and domestic conflicts posing a general focus regarding government and laws, e.g. Vietnam or the Presidential corruption. Hoffman’s intentions were to rally readers to inherit a self-sufficient lifestyle. In addition, he preaches revolution, to facilitate the development of a “take no shit” attitude mirroring his own.
Steal this Book is a pocket knife of words that penetrate the nation’s heart, similar to the bible represented as the sword. Both nourish the mind with the power to overcome the inevitable, which in this case, the high authority of America.
Hoffman’s appearance reflected the average typical hippie with a “druggy” psychedelic swagger, long hair, no care, but his diplomatic intellect was beyond the measures of the legislation directing America. It surprised me one man can accomplish extraordinary measures after growing up with an anarchy bearing infused with oodles of drugs.
Hoffman’s proactive criticism compelled the reader to take his side contesting the uncompromising law. For instance “I believe in compulsory cannibalism. If people