Arena Two Noir Fiction

Tapping into the rich seam of anarchist and libertarian currents in noir fiction, this collection of essays explores fictional atmospheres that are dark and sinisterbut not without hope. The protagonists of these works are often profoundly flawed but have something of the romantic optimist about themmen and women driven to face moral challenges and to do battle with the forces of evil or banality. Among the authors discussed are Stig Dagerman, Andre Helena, Leo Malet, George Navel, Jean-Marc Raynaud, Leda Rafanelli, B. Traven, and Simone Weil. Also included are an analysis by Agustin Guillamon of Miguel Mir'sEntre El Roig I El Negre, Massimo Ortalli's discussion ofThe Regeneration of an Anarchist, and essays by Simon Watson Taylor and Stephen Schwartz on the relationship between surrealism and anarchism.

Stuart Christie is a journalist, an activist for anarchism, and the founder of several anarchist presses and publications, including Cienfuegos Press, later known as ChristieBooks. He is the author of Granny Made Me an Anarchist and We, the Anarchists and the coauthor with Albert Meltzer of The Floodgates of Anarchy.