Mad Bomber Melville

A white, working-class revolutionary, Sam Melville's guerrilla bombings set in motion a flood of armed radical actions across the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Once imprisoned, Melville became a key organizer and a crucial element of the notorious Attica prison riots, uniting prisoners across racial barriers and making the ultimate sacrifice for revolutionary change. Tracing his short life and rapid political development, this book highlights a much-needed example of an undying and uncompromising struggle for justice and liberation.

Leslie James Pickering was a Founder and Spokesperson for the North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office, serving with the organization from early 2000 until the summer of 2002. During this period the Press Office sustained two raids by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and local law enforcement agencies, responded to over a half dozen grand jury subpoenas, conducted public presentations, produced booklets, newspapers, magazines, and a video on the Earth Liberation Front and handled the public release of communiquTs for dozens of the most vital Earth Liberation Front actions.Through the Press Office, Leslie was the editor of Resistance, the Journal of the North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office, and many other independently produced materials regarding the Earth Liberation Front. Leslie has handled countless local, national and international media inquires, resulting in articles in The New York Times, The Washington Times, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Christian Science Monitor, Rolling Stone, The Village Voice and many more, conducted interviews with ABC, NBC, CNN, FOX, CBC, BBC, National Geographic TV and many others, and has given lectures at American University, Lewis & Clark College, Saint Michael's University, Furman University, Bard College, New York University, Fresno State College, Macalester College, University of West Los Angeles, Princeton University, Mercyhurst College, Syracuse University, Buffalo State College and others. Leslie's first book, Earth Liberation Front 1997-2002 was published by Arissa Media Group in 2003 and he has written articles in the Earth First! Journal and Igniting a Revolution: Voices in Defense of the Earth published on AK Press and others. He has a California High School Equivalency Diploma, a BA in Community Organizing and Journalism and a MA in History of American Social Justice Struggles and Journalism from Goddard College. Leslie lives in his hometown of Buffalo, NY.

Sheer Stupidity or Stubbornness 1 Explo 13 Vietnam in Manhattan 25 November 12, 1969 41 A Reliable Source 47 Courtroom Histrionics 61 The Inevitable Direction of Life The Eye of a Hurricane 77 September 9-13, 1971 99 Like a Real Revolutionary 113 Epilogue 125 Notes 135 Index 151