Expropriation Books

Too bad that the bottom-line economics of publishing have let this searing account of Indigenous struggles over land and ecology go out of print. Because of its concentration on environmental and land-use issues, this is one of the author's most focused works, though they are all worthwhile. The documentation is thorough; the presentation is relentlessly didactic but always readable. No country that treats its indigenous people as the US always has can claim moral superiority over others. Cf. also Alvin Josephy, "Now That the Buffalo's Gone," a slightly older but still valuable book on many of the same issues.
N.B. Many of Churchill's books reprint essays published elsewhere, so beware of overlap with the contents of several other titles by this committed scholar-activist.

Ilyich wrote this a generation-plus ago, yet his messages resonate today. We have depersonalized our lives in so many ways, by bringing the industrial model into realms that were meant for emotion, feeling, and art. The influx of industry-thought into medicine has torn the sensitive heart from many care-givers and patients alike. His text is a bit lengthy and is repetitive in spots, and can be challenged on the facts in others. Overall, his concerns about the choices we have made socially and medically remain valid.

This highly referenced text, orginially written in the late 70's, outlines a well presented documentation of why medicine has not positively impacted modern life. Illich argues that iatrogenic illness is far more common than we realize. It's a must read for anyone intersted in the evolution of our views on "disease" and what constitutes health!

In this book, much like Deschooling Society, Illich attacks the issue from all sides. He consistenly provides an excellent argument with examples, statistics, and well-done research. Though this book is not quite as fast-paced as Deschooling Society, it is equally engaging. Illich not only presents the problems in a realistic way, he also presents alternative methods for dealing with the issues he's attacking. This book is well worth the time it takes to read, and although it was written several years ago, the issues addressed in this book are even more prevalent now. Illich is a wonderful writer and this is an incredible book.

beautifully written,terrific insight.
best book on the subject