'Anarchism and Other Essays' Summary

A young Russian immigrant, Emma Goldman, had arrived just the previous year in the United States. She was deeply affected by what came to be known as the Haymarket Affair. She took on various jobs, including that of a factory worker before becoming a writer and lecturer committed to anarchist philosophy. In the years to follow, she and her lover planned to assassinate a well known financier and industrialist. Though the victim survived, Goldman's lover was sentenced to life imprisonment while she received a lesser sentence.

However, she continued to spend time in and out of jail for various activities including distribution of literature regarding birth control, inducing people not to join the newly introduced military draft etc. She was deported back to Russia but found the regime there highly repressive and lived in Canada, England and France. She wrote passionately about issues that concerned humanity including prisons, religion, marriage, free love, the right of choice, capitalism, homosexuality, gender politics and militarism.

Twelve chapters delineate Goldman's philosophy and ideas. They include thoughts on Minorities versus Majorities, Prisons: A Social Crime and Failure, The Hypocrisy of Puritanism, Marriage and Love, The Tragedy of Women's Emancipation and several more. Living in an age marked by the rise of unbridled capitalism, self righteousness, imperialism and greed, in these essays she writes simply, passionately, earnestly and penetratingly about ideas and ideals and how individuals are constantly in conflict with society.