Gramsci Is Dead: Anarchist Currents in the Newst Social Movements Book

Despite the fact that i've preferred to read non fiction over fiction for the past ten years, i would never touch political theory. history, memoirs, whatever, but theory and philosophy scared the shit out of me. damn if i was about to willingly put myself in a position of being subjected to obscure-ass words and concepts from old or dead men who made me feel dumb. so reading this has taken a certain amount of confidence-mustering.
that said, this book was hard as shit to read!
im going over it again and taking notes now for two reasons: to see if i can understand some of the concepts better the second time around, and to later use as a reference when i read some full-of-shit-i-use-fancy-language-to-get-my-tired-point-across communique that is "all the rage among anarchists."

anyway, this book follows two theoretical threads. the first is the theories of hegemony over the years. the second is what he calls "affinity." i didn't understand it all and i didn't agree with all the ideas he was trying to push, but it was still quite a lesson.
he covers theories from clasical liberalism, neo liberalism, marxism, postmarxism, autonomist marxism, classical anarchism, post anarchism, and post structuralism. thrown in there is a bit of post colonial, feminist, and queer theory.
damn dog.
the book is only about 200 pages so he's cramming a lot in a small space. he flies through names and ideas so fast that it's sometimes hard to even tell what century he's speaking about. none-the-less i'm glad i read it; and i'm even more glad i'm re-reading it.
i now figure reading political theory is kinda like gross vitamins your mom gave you as a child that you didn't enjoy taking, but now that you're grown and have strong bones and clear skin you're glad you did it.