Contr'un

Jean Grave, The Adventures of Nono — Chapter VIII

THE ADVENTURES OF NONO by JEAN GRAVE  [continued from Chapter VII] VIII THE SCHOOL Rising from the table, the children scattered on the lawn, where they organized all sorts of games. Nono, coming back down from his room, came to mingle with them. But a group of young ladies, from five to seven years old, wanted him to commence his lesson on the art of weaving flowers, and he acceded to their desire. It is in the midst of this group that, an hour later, Hans, Mab and company came to look for him. “We’re going to school,” they said […]
Contr'un

Jean Grave, The Adventures of Nono — Chapter VII

THE ADVENTURES OF NONO by JEAN GRAVE  [continued from Chapter VI] VII LABOR IN AUTONOMIE It was broad daylight, the next day, whenNono was awakened by a band of his comrades who had invaded his bedroom. “Boo! lazybones,” said Mab, mocking him. “the idler who still sleeps and the sun that dazzles him. Yoo-hoo! “Come on! Get up,” said Hans, “we came to get you to go gardening.” “No,” said Mab, he promised last night to come with me and see the cows milked. I’ll take him”. Nono rose briskly, put on his trousers, dressing in the blink of an […]
Contr'un

Travels in the Libertarian Labyrinth, 2005

From time to time I go back through the archives of this blog, revisiting old ideas and looking for dropped threads, and on more than one occasion I have been tempted to pull together a sort of “best of” collection, beyond what I’ve done in the couple of mutualist-related zines. My own experience is that the mass of material here is fairly daunting, and I know that others frequently find it moreso. So I’m trying a little experiment, in part for my own use and in part for those who are encountering the blog now without benefit of growing up […]
Contr'un

Jean Grave, The Adventures of Nono — Chapter VI

 THE ADVENTURES OF NONO by JEAN GRAVE [continued from Chapter V]   VI THE END OF THE EVENING The children rushed to the sheds where the tools and props were kept, and there, helped by Labor, and some of his little genies, they pulled poles and canvas from it, and carried them onto the esplanade. There they raised an immense, square tent, facing the front steps, which would serve as bleachers for the spectators. Nono was amazed to see Labor’s elves rush about; with their help, the heaviest poles were raised by half a dozen of infants without more effort […]
The Sex Question

Jeanne Deroin, “The Mission of Women in the Present and in the Future” (first article) (1849)

The Mission of Women in the Present and in the Future. (first article.) The February Revolution, by inscribing on its banner the words Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, has recognized in principle the right of the people and of women. But many women, and it is the majority, do not know what change the power of their influence would bring to bear on human destinies if they were called to take their proper rank in society. The majority even keep that thought at bay, as an attack on religion and morals, and as a danger to society; they have been persuaded that […]
The Sex Question

Jeanne Deroin, “Prospectus” of l’Opinion des Femmes (1848)

L’OPINION DES FEMMES Prospectus The women who understand the greatness of their mission, in the present and in the future, feel deeply that it is for them not only a right, but a duty, to take part in all the acts of social life, and to express their opinion on all the questions that relate to the organization of society. Until now, men alone have ruled the destinies of the human race. Women have been excluded from all the religious and political assemblies, where the great principles on which societies are founded are discussed; and human intelligence, split by the […]
Contr'un

Three details

In an issue of l‘Opinion des Femmes, the author of the pamphlet, “Response to Satan on the Subject of Mr. Proudhon, by the Archangel Saint Michael,” is identified as Jeanne Deroin.  In the first stage of some sidebar renovation, while I am in the midst of migrating all my translations to the Working Translations blog, the list of Working Translations has been moved to a separate page. The High Hills of Ossapy, my archive of historical materials related to the White Mountains region of New Hampshire is finally getting a bit more systematic attention. While most of the material will […]
Uncategorized

Louise Michel’s utopian fiction

Black Coat Press has just published translations of two of Louise Michel’s utopian novels, The Human Microbes (1887) and The New World (1888). They were part of a projected 6-volume science-fiction series. Brian Stableford, who also translated a collection of Han Ryner’s stories, The Superhumans, and who is well-known as a prolific author and translator, did the translations. I’ve read parts of The Human Microbes in French, and it’s a wild ride. I’m putting my order in for these two volumes right away.
fiction

Han Ryner, “Love Victorious” (1917)

Love Victorious For ten years, Pierre Vaumeil passed for mad. Previously, he had been a savant, but the death of a beloved women had, everyone in the little town maintained, destroyed his mind. Often we walked in the country. At times he spoke in a loud voice. Someone said to him: “You speak alone, M. Vaumeil?” He replied: “I am never alone.” And sometimes he told a story, perhaps symbolic, of which he listeners understood nothing. So his reputation as a madman was solidly established. The other day, he wandered according to his custom. A dozen of the curious followed […]