Underground: My Life with SDS and the Weathermen

A must read for anyone interested in this aspect of the 60s. Having also grown up in the 60s, I found the author's honesty about the movement and himself quite interesting. However, I am rather certain he did not tell the whole truth and possibly he couldn't or shouldn't.It is not a scholarly book; but, a life's story. I was happy that at the end he matured to understand that violent revolution will not succeed in a country like the US. However, he also did not repudiate his actions; but, neither has the US Government. To think that a violent revolution by a group of young, naïve students could take over the US is just that, naïve, even ludicrous. Youth is youth one could say.. But, the US Government at the time was also naïve and immature. Killing students for protesting ? A bit authoritarian at the time.I have lived in Israel where one cannot avoid terrorism from either the PLO nor the Israeli government. I also lived in Germany during the end of the Baader Meinhof RAF era. Been to Ireland too. There are many parallels to the Underground and the RAF. One point that is disturbing is that many of these people never seem to fully understand the human condition. Communism can be seen as just as an enforced form of capitalism. It certainly does not solve the major issues of being human, food, shelter, protection. I am not a fan of capitalism and democracy; but it sure beats living under the Russian police. Few of the "freedom fighers" of the 60s ever come out and say, "boy, was I dumb" and the author doesn't either. Though, his last chapter shows some wisdom and maturity.One point he does not make totally clear is how the SDS got it's finances. There are very few successful revolutions; and, those that are, are usually financed by those not taking the risk of incarceration. It is hard to believe the students of the day buying newspapers and donating were able to finance such people as the author to travel all over the country for the "Cause". I suspect there was more money involved that he indicates. Some of the safe houses he mentions are just "friends" of the revolution, willing to be imprisoned as accomplices ? That doesn't happen every day and I don't think as often as the author implies. Of course, there really could have been many willing to take the risk out of their own naivety. They were young after all.All I am saying here is that the whole truth is still buried in the minds of those who participated. Being a leader the author has probably participated in much more that he can safely say or at least knows much more. The book is worth reading without a doubt. But, I would suggest the author secretly write the rest of the truth and have it published in his will. As a survivor of the 60s, I would love to read the rest of the story. If there isn't more, then one has to say, "boy, were you dumb."

This is a very worthwhile read to reflect on the anti-war movement in the 60s and the absurdity of youth. I am about 5 years younger than Mark and remember the period well as the youth movement without a question had significant involvement in stopping the war.But this is also a very disturbing book concerning the decision making of young individuals. Mark is a student at Columbia and becomes involved in the anti-war movement as well as concerns with racism and is a leader in the takeover of the campus. Through this Mark becomes addicted to the attention as the figurehead while he also admits his fear and timidity as they become involved in violence, once just rolling over in an arrest where they previously had forecast large fighting and confrontation. It certainly appears the power and adulation went to his head and he freely admits this.Probably the most concerning to me is his complete belief in his communist manifesto and lack of compromise with anything American, at least until he wants to rejoin the above ground culture. He still seems to believe that his involvement and movement had a positive impact. But how do you ignore the dead and MURDERED people!I strongly recommend this book for you to form an opinion. Just don't be surprised what your opinion may be.

I was in SDS from 1968-69 at Penn State. I know the story of SDS both intellectually and personally. Regardless, Rudd's account was heartbreaking in its lurid depiction of infantile left wing adventurism by privileged White kids. I remember leaving SDS and joining Quaker based anti-War groups by 1970. By then, I was fed up with rigid ideologues and their infatuation with Third World movements .Back then, I hated the Weathermen for doing what law enforcement could not do: kill SDS. I considered the Weather faction privileged jerks playing at being armed revolutionaries. To this day, I despise Dohrn and Ayers for their lack of moral accountability. Rudd I respect for coming clean and facing ugly truths with humor, dignity, grace and courage. And if anyone was going to die, better the Weather anti-personnel bombmakers than the Fort Dix soldiers and their dates at the NCO dance. It turns out the Weather faction, more than anyone else, did need a weatherman to tell them which way the wind blew.If you were politically active at that time, read Rudd's excellent book. His writing talent is exceeded only by his integrity.

Mark Rudd's UNDERGROUND is very a very well-written, incisive, self-critical autobiography. It presents a searinghistory of the Columbia Univerisity rebellion of 1968, as well as a convincing analysis of the ultra-leftism ofthe Weathermen/WUO, with considerable self-criticism. Yet the book is optomistic and hopeful, written with theconviction that to organize and struggle against US imperial foriegn policy was then, and remains now, critically important and just.The book begs a comparison with Bill Ayer's FUGITIVE DAYS, by another Weatherman leader. Rudd's book wins hands downas the far more honest journal. Where Ayer's makes only vague statements about the ultra-left errors of his politics andtheir very negative impact on the Vietnam anti-war movement in the United States, Rudd wields a far sharper blade, recognizingand apologizing for his ultra-leftism, while conceding not an inch on the basic righteousness of anti-war, anti-imperialist, anti-racist political work.This reader waits with anticipation for a follow-up book about Rudd's activism after the 1970's.

This is a fascinating firsthand account of an important part of American history which is not so well known, especially outside the US. Read the book in conjunction with watching the documentary film 'The Weather Underground' which features the author back then and today.

Very well written book on an age that was far more complex and interesting than the standard history we hear about. Felt it really covered the subject from all angles and was very moving in places. For those of us who lived through those amazing times and have seen where they led it is a good read.

An honest heartfelt political memoir about a life in politics and one in hiding. Rudd draws a frank portrait of a leftist movement that seemed to be at greater odds with itself than their sworn enemies. Mostly, he deftly interweaves the political process with his own thought process and is refreshingly honest about what both the left and he had done wrong. However, the book ends on a positive note, describing a 2004 reunion of the 1968 Columbia occupation as proof positive that many on the left have kept their values and that the success of the 1968 Columbia protest can be repeated; providing the right strategies are used.

Interesting