An American Anarchist: The Life of Voltairine de Cleyre

"An American Anarchist closes a major gap in our understanding of American an- archism and particularly a gap in our understanding of its deep roots in American radicalism. It makes the same contribution to our understanding of American feminism." --Richard Drinnon, author of Rebel in Paradise: A Biography of Emma Goldman

"Paul Avrich's book is very well researched--it fascinated me as I am sure it will fascinate many other people who are interested in the anarchist personality." --George Woodcock

An American Anarchist marked the trail historians of American anarchism are still following today: above all else, to understand anarchists as human beings. Narrative-driven like all of Paul Avrich's works, this story highlights famous characters like Emma Goldman and Alexander Berkman and the infamous, like Dyer D. Lum--Voltairine de Cleyre's lover and the man who sneaked a dynamite cartridge into Louis Lingg's cell so the accused Haymarket Martyr could die at his own hand and not the state's. De Cleyre (1866-1912), born in Michigan, is noted as the first prominent American-born anarchist. From her voluminous writings and speeches, the illnesses that plagued her, the shooting on a streetcar in Philadelphia that left de Cleyre clinging for life, to her eventual death at forty- five in Chicago, she worked tirelessly for her ideal.