Anarchism and Other Essays

Emma Goldman was the most dangerous woman in America, according to the men who kept arresting her, and this 1910 collection is the best single record of why. In a dozen essays she lays out her anarchism not as bomb-throwing but as a sweeping critique of institutions she believed crushed the individual: the state, organized religion, prisons, militarism, and, most scandalously for her era, marriage. Her essays on woman suffrage and 'the traffic in women' cut against every camp at once, arguing that the vote alone would emancipate no one and that respectable marriage and prostitution differed mainly in price.

You don't need to be an anarchist to find her bracing. Goldman was one of the great orators of her age (these essays were forged on the lecture circuit, facing hostile crowds and police) and they keep a speaker's rhythm and fire that make them natural listening a century later. Agree or argue, you will not be bored; she remains one of the most quotable radicals who ever lived.

At roughly 72,000 words, Anarchism and Other Essays runs about 8 hours at 1x narration speed. That figure is an estimate based on a typical narration pace. The exact length depends on the voice and the playback speed you choose.

Anarchism and Other Essays is in the public domain, so the complete text is free on Project Gutenberg and LoudReader has the entire Project Gutenberg catalog built in. To listen:

1. Download LoudReader for Mac or iPhone (free, no account).
2. Search for “Anarchism and Other Essays” in the built-in catalog and add it to your library.
3. Press play. A natural offline voice reads the book while each word highlights on screen, and your place is saved between sessions.

LoudReader reads with natural offline voices, so the whole book works on a plane or underground. It is fully on-device and private, your library never leaves your device. Listening is unlimited on the free tier.