Blackshirts and Reds Audiobook By Michael Parenti cover art

Blackshirts and Reds

Rational Fascism and the Overthrow of Communism

Preview

Try for $0.00
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

Blackshirts and Reds

By: Michael Parenti
Narrated by: Timothy Andrés Pabon
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.19

Buy for $17.19

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

A bold and entertaining exploration of the epic struggles of yesterday and today.

Blackshirts and Reds explores some of the big issues of our time: fascism, capitalism, communism, revolution, democracy, and ecology. These terms are often bandied about but seldom explored in the original and exciting way that has become Michael Parenti's trademark.

Parenti shows how "rational fascism" renders service to capitalism, how corporate power undermines democracy, and how revolutions are a mass empowerment against the forces of exploitative privilege. He also maps out the external and internal forces that destroyed communism, and the disastrous impact of the "free-market" victory on Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. He affirms the relevance of taboo ideologies like Marxism, demonstrating the importance of class analysis in understanding political realities and dealing with the ongoing collision between ecology and global corporatism.

Written with lucid and compelling style, this book goes beyond truncated modes of thought, inviting us to entertain iconoclastic views and to ask why things are as they are.

©1997 Michael Parenti (P)2022 Tantor
Communism & Socialism Fascism International Relations War Thought-Provoking
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Blackshirts and Reds

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    420
  • 4 Stars
    52
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    11
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    364
  • 4 Stars
    58
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    5
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    374
  • 4 Stars
    36
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    9

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

wonderfully done

outstandingly nuanced writing of history of the economics and political systems of the former Soviet republics and Warsaw Pact states before, during, and after the collapse of the Soviet society.

the narrator is also clear in his enunciation and has a very good speech flow. His pleasantly light style of speaking when in conjunction to the heaviness of the history he's reading comes off as a bit absurd in a similar manner to Terry Pratchett's narrator voice in his novels.

most excellent work, hope to see more releases from Michael Parenti!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Book

Entertaining, easy to listen and understand. A must. Everyone should listen to this great book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The most infuriating and important book I've ever "read."

I don't know why I am still shocked by the degree to which our government and corporate overlords lie to us; all the same,by the end of this book I was a quivering ball of rage and anguish over how we have been manipulated and the needless suffering brought about by the US government and Wall St. I know Americans like to make fun of the French, but I think it is high time we started taking pages from their book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Highly recommended

Parenti’s best work besides ‘Democracy for the Few’. Both are must reads, although ‘Blackshirts & Reds’ works better in an audiobook format in my humble opinion.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic Book!

I really loved Blackshirts and Reds. Really puts fascism and socialism's history in perspective!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Must read

Parenti wrecks the fake capitalist history of America through a wonderful analysis of propaganda and power.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best intro of the unspoken economic contradictions

A must read introduction that correlates persistent economic contradictions which are parallel to class conflict.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Capitalism is unjustifiable

delete your audible and get audiobooks through the library. it is free and capitalism hurts everyone.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A must read

This book not only challenges the preconceived notions about the “evils” of communism, confronting the myths head on. It also will challenge a leftist’s view of the USSR, showing that not everything was sunshine and rainbows, but how their material conditions were made difficult because of western influences.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A must read, must listen.

Everyone should read this to educate themselves on the reality we live in. Go get it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!