Steal This Dream

Steal This Dream follows the life and activism of Abbie Hoffman through extensive interviews with those who knew him. Based on over 100 interviews, the oral history captures the cultural and political upheaval of the 1960s through personal accounts of protests, campaigns, and counterculture movements. The book chronicles Hoffman's evolution from student activist to founding member of the Yippies and prominent anti-war protestor. Through multiple perspectives and firsthand testimonies, it documents major events like the Democratic Convention protests of 1968, the Chicago Seven trial, and Hoffman's years underground. The narrative spans beyond Hoffman to examine the broader landscape of American activism in the 1960s and 70s. Key figures from the civil rights movement, anti-war demonstrations, and radical political groups provide their accounts of an era marked by social transformation. This oral history format creates a complex portrait of both an individual and a movement, exploring questions of effective protest, the relationship between performance and politics, and the long-term impact of radical activism on American society.

Readers appreciate the oral history format and depth of interviews with Abbie Hoffman's friends, family, and fellow activists. Many note it provides multiple perspectives on Hoffman's life and the counterculture movement, through first-hand accounts rather than just author interpretation. Readers liked: - Extensive research and primary sources - Balance between personal and political content - Coverage of lesser-known periods in Hoffman's life Readers disliked: - Jumps between time periods can be disorienting - Some redundancy between different accounts - Limited analysis or context for quoted material Ratings: Goodreads: 4.4/5 (39 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (9 ratings) One reader noted: "The oral history format lets you draw your own conclusions rather than being told what to think." Another critiqued: "The chronological jumps made it hard to follow the narrative thread at times." Limited review data exists online for this book, with most reviews appearing when it was published in 1998.

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe This chronicle of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters captures the same countercultural revolution period as Steal This Dream through a mix of journalism and storytelling.

The Autobiography of Abbie Hoffman by Abbie Hoffman, Jonah Raskin Hoffman, a central figure in Steal This Dream, presents his own account of the 1960s protest movements and radical activism.

Hell's Angels by Hunter S. Thompson Thompson's embedded reporting with the motorcycle gang intersects with the same cultural shifts and societal tensions documented in Steal This Dream.

Revolution for the Hell of It by Abbie Hoffman This manifesto provides direct insight into the Yippie movement and street theater protests covered in Steal This Dream.

Days of Rage by Bryan Burrough This investigation into 1970s underground militant groups follows the evolution of the protest movements chronicled in Steal This Dream.

✦ Larry "Ratso" Sloman conducted over 100 interviews spanning two years to create this oral history of Abbie Hoffman, getting unprecedented access to Hoffman's family members, Black Panthers, Yippie co-conspirators, and FBI agents. ✦ The book's title is a play on Hoffman's famous work "Steal This Book" (1971), which was a counterculture guide that included tips for shoplifting, growing marijuana, and living for free. ✦ During his years underground (1974-1980), Abbie Hoffman lived under the alias Barry Freed and became an environmental activist, successfully working to protect the St. Lawrence River while still being one of America's most wanted fugitives. ✦ Author Larry Sloman has collaborated with Howard Stern, Anthony Kiedis, and Mike Tyson on their autobiographies, and toured with Bob Dylan, leading to his nickname "Ratso" due to his perceived resemblance to Dustin Hoffman's character in "Midnight Cowboy." ✦ The book reveals how Hoffman used humor as a political weapon, including his famous stunt of dropping dollar bills on the New York Stock Exchange floor, causing traders to scramble for the money while protesters watched from the gallery.