Guns Under the Bed, Jody A. Forrester
Guns Under the Bed, Jody A. Forrester
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Guns Under the Bed
Memories of a Young Revolutionary

Author: Jody A. Forrester

Narrator: Toni Orans

Unabridged: 6 hr 56 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: PublishDrive

Published: 08/17/2021


Synopsis

It is 1969 and Jody A. Forrester is in her late teens, transitioning from sixties love child to pacifist anti-Vietnam War activist to an ardent revolutionary. Guns Under the Bed: Memories of a Young Revolutionary revolves around her three years in the Revolutionary Union, a Communist organization advocating armed overthrow of the ruling class. In readiness for the uprising, she sleeps with two rifles underneath her bed.
One of millions protesting the war, what sets Jody apart her from her peers is her decision to join a group espousing Mao Tse Tung’s ideology of class war. But why? How does she come to embrace violence as the only solution to the inequities inherent in a capitalist empire? To answer that question, Jody goes into her past, and in the process comes to realize that what she always thought of as political is also deeply personal.
More than a coming-of-age story, this memoir tells the more universal truths about seeking a sense of belonging not found in her family with themes of shame, pride, secrecy, self-valuation, and self-acceptance explored in context of the culture and politics of that volatile period in American history.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Deborah on November 09, 2020

How does a nice, if somewhat rebellious, young Jewish girl become a Maoist revolutionary? Jody Forrester takes us on a vivid trip back to the 60s and the events and forces that turned young people into activists -- some of them ready to undertake a violent overthrow of the US government. It recreate......more

Goodreads review by Nancy on October 06, 2020

This engaging memoir written from a woman’s perspective is a welcome addition to the history of the sixties radical antiwar and anticapitalist movements. The author deftly brings the reader along for the rollercoaster ride through her youth as she transforms herself politically and personally, never......more

Goodreads review by Angie on October 21, 2020

I was lucky enough to read this wonderful book recently. It was chosen for our book group and I'm so happy it was . From the very first sentence you are grabbed and taken through a journey just proving the political is personal. A vivid and evocative account of turbulent times and a testing of loyal......more

Goodreads review by Barbara on July 31, 2020

Wow! Jody Forrester writes about the time of my own 'coming of age,' but my life was nothing like hers. While I dreamt of husbands and babies, Jody went from being a flower child to a full-fledged revolutionary who slept with guns under her bed. Why does Jody embrace violence is the question she rais......more

Goodreads review by Mary Reagan on August 19, 2020

This memoir tells the story of a girl who loves to fight for a cause. We all know one. She's the adventurous one that we all marvel at her bravery to step out against what is wrong. She's the one who seems so sure of her beliefs and philosophy that it is easy to believe her. She's also one of those......more