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The Anarchist Cookbook

The Anarchist Cookbook

by William Powell 1971 160 pages
3.50
2k+ ratings
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Key Takeaways

1. Unleash Chaos: The Power of Forbidden Knowledge

The stakes are high, but the payoff is worth it.

Knowledge is power. This book is a compilation of information, some of which is illegal, that can be used to disrupt and challenge established systems. It provides instructions on everything from counterfeiting money to creating explosives, offering readers the tools to potentially undermine authority and create chaos.

Ethical considerations. The book explicitly acknowledges the high stakes involved in using this information, implying that the potential rewards justify the risks. However, it also carries a heavy ethical burden, as the knowledge can be used for destructive and harmful purposes.

Empowerment through information. The book suggests that access to forbidden knowledge can be empowering, allowing individuals to challenge authority and potentially disrupt systems they perceive as unjust. This empowerment, however, comes with significant legal and ethical responsibilities.

2. Counterfeit Currency: Printing Your Own Reality

The Canon can replicate ANYTHING in vibrant color, including US currency.

Mastering the craft. The book details the process of counterfeiting U.S. currency using photo offset printing, emphasizing the need for familiarity with the printing process. It outlines the steps involved, from creating negatives to mixing inks, to produce passable counterfeit bills.

Technological shortcuts. The book also mentions the use of Canon color laser copiers as an alternative method for counterfeiting, acknowledging the importance of experimenting with paper to achieve a convincing result. This highlights the potential for technology to simplify illegal activities.

The allure of easy money. The book presents counterfeiting as a way to obtain money easily, but it also acknowledges the risks involved, including the potential for severe legal consequences. It encourages readers to experiment and take their chances.

3. Credit Card Conquest: The Art of Plastic Plunder

With the recent advent of plastic money (credit cards), it is easy to use someone else's credit card to order the items you have always desired in life.

Exploiting vulnerabilities. The book outlines methods for obtaining credit card information, including scavenging carbons from trash and using deceptive phone calls to trick individuals into revealing their card numbers. This highlights the vulnerabilities in credit card security and the potential for exploitation.

Recognizing card types. The book provides detailed information on how to recognize different types of credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, and their associated features and security measures. This knowledge is intended to help readers make informed decisions about which cards to target.

The drop and the transaction. The book emphasizes the importance of using a reliable drop site for receiving stolen goods and provides tips for making transactions, such as ordering from catalogs and mail-order houses and avoiding suspicious behavior. This underscores the need for careful planning and execution in credit card fraud.

4. Explosive Alchemy: From Household to Havoc

Potassium chlorate is an extremely volatile explosive compound.

Transforming the mundane. The book provides instructions for creating plastic explosives from common household bleach, highlighting the potential for everyday materials to be transformed into dangerous weapons. This underscores the need for caution and awareness regarding the potential misuse of common chemicals.

The science of destruction. The book details the chemical processes involved in extracting potassium chlorate from bleach and combining it with other ingredients to create a volatile explosive. This knowledge, while potentially dangerous, offers insight into the science behind explosives.

A word of caution. The book includes a warning about the dangers of working with explosives, emphasizing the need for extreme caution and the potential for serious injury or death. This serves as a reminder of the risks involved in engaging with such information.

5. Lockpicking Unveiled: Mastering the Art of Entry

Have you ever tried to impress someone by picking one of those Master combination locks and failed?

Bypassing security. The book provides instructions for picking Master combination locks, exploiting a flaw in older models that allows them to be opened with a specific sequence of movements. This demonstrates the potential for bypassing security measures with the right knowledge and technique.

Tools of the trade. The book also discusses various tools and techniques for lockpicking, including the use of Slim Jims, lock aid guns, and electronic picks. This offers a glimpse into the world of locksmithing and the potential for unauthorized entry.

A changing landscape. The book acknowledges that lockpicking techniques are constantly evolving, with manufacturers developing new mechanisms to prevent unauthorized entry. This underscores the ongoing cat-and-mouse game between security professionals and those seeking to bypass security measures.

6. Phone Phreaking: A Symphony of Subversion

There are many uses for a Beige Box.

Exploiting the network. The book provides instructions for building a "Beige Box," a device that allows users to tap into phone lines and make free calls. This highlights the potential for exploiting vulnerabilities in telecommunications systems for personal gain.

Eavesdropping and anonymity. The book also discusses various techniques for eavesdropping on phone conversations and maintaining anonymity while using the phone system, including the use of pay phones and blue boxes. This underscores the potential for technology to be used for surveillance and deception.

A world of possibilities. The book suggests that phone phreaking can open up a world of possibilities, from making free long-distance calls to harassing operators and disrupting phone service. This underscores the potential for technology to be used for both harmless pranks and malicious activities.

7. High-Tech Revenge: Weaponizing Everyday Objects

Now, light it and run like hell!

Turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. The book provides instructions for creating a COý bomb from a COý cartridge, highlighting the potential for everyday objects to be repurposed as weapons. This underscores the need for awareness regarding the potential misuse of common items.

Thermite and touch explosives. The book also includes recipes for creating thermite and touch explosives, demonstrating the potential for chemical reactions to be harnessed for destructive purposes. This knowledge, while potentially dangerous, offers insight into the science behind explosives.

A word of caution. The book includes a warning about the dangers of working with explosives, emphasizing the need for extreme caution and the potential for serious injury or death. This serves as a reminder of the risks involved in engaging with such information.

8. Culinary Anarchy: Recipes for Chaos and Mayhem

With some testing you can time this to a science.

Paint bombs and more. The book provides instructions for creating paint bombs, letter bombs, and other destructive devices, highlighting the potential for everyday materials to be used for vandalism and harm. This underscores the need for awareness regarding the potential misuse of common items.

Thermite and touch explosives. The book also includes recipes for creating thermite and touch explosives, demonstrating the potential for chemical reactions to be harnessed for destructive purposes. This knowledge, while potentially dangerous, offers insight into the science behind explosives.

A word of caution. The book includes a warning about the dangers of working with explosives, emphasizing the need for extreme caution and the potential for serious injury or death. This serves as a reminder of the risks involved in engaging with such information.

9. School's Out: Guerrilla Tactics for Academic Freedom

USE YOUR IMAGINATION!

Disrupting the system. The book provides instructions for disrupting school activities, including calling in bomb threats, creating smoke bombs, and stealing computer passwords. This highlights the potential for individuals to challenge authority and disrupt established systems.

Creative chaos. The book encourages readers to use their imagination to come up with new and innovative ways to disrupt school activities, suggesting that the possibilities are endless. This underscores the importance of critical thinking and creativity in challenging authority.

A word of caution. The book includes a warning about the potential consequences of engaging in such activities, emphasizing the need for caution and awareness of the risks involved. This serves as a reminder of the potential for serious legal and disciplinary repercussions.

10. Car-nage: Turning Automobiles into Instruments of Destruction

There are 1001 ways to destroy a car but I am going to cover only the ones that are the most fun (for you), the most destructive (for them), and the hardest to trace (for the cops).

Creative destruction. The book provides a variety of methods for damaging or destroying cars, ranging from simple acts of vandalism to more elaborate schemes involving explosives and sabotage. This underscores the potential for everyday objects to be repurposed as weapons.

The art of the untraceable. The book emphasizes the importance of making the damage difficult to trace back to the perpetrator, suggesting methods such as using thermite, COý bombs, and dissolving substances in the gas tank. This highlights the need for careful planning and execution in avoiding detection.

A word of caution. The book includes a warning about the potential consequences of engaging in such activities, emphasizing the need for caution and awareness of the risks involved. This serves as a reminder of the potential for serious legal repercussions.

11. The Art of Vanishing: Creating a New Identity

REMEMBER, no one has ANY IDEA who the hell you are when you are talking on the phone, so you can be anyone you damn well please!

Exploiting bureaucratic loopholes. The book provides instructions for obtaining unlisted phone numbers and creating a new identity, exploiting loopholes in bureaucratic systems and relying on deception and social engineering. This highlights the potential for individuals to manipulate systems for personal gain.

The power of anonymity. The book emphasizes the importance of anonymity in avoiding detection and suggests methods for concealing one's true identity, such as using pay phones and creating fake personas. This underscores the potential for technology to be used for deception and evasion.

A word of caution. The book includes a warning about the potential consequences of engaging in such activities, emphasizing the need for caution and awareness of the risks involved. This serves as a reminder of the potential for serious legal repercussions.

Last updated:

Review Summary

3.50 out of 5
Average of 2k+ ratings from Goodreads and Amazon.

The Anarchist Cookbook receives mixed reviews, with an average rating of 3.50. Some praise its commentary on society and counterculture, while others criticize its outdated and potentially dangerous information. Many readers view it as a product of its time, reflecting 1970s anti-establishment sentiment. Critics warn against attempting the book's recipes, citing inaccuracies and safety concerns. Some find value in its historical context, while others dismiss it as ineffective for modern revolutionaries. The author has since disavowed the book, requesting its discontinuation.

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About the Author

William Powell is an American writer best known for "The Anarchist Cookbook," published in 1971. He has since denounced the book, calling it misguided and potentially dangerous, and requesting its discontinuation. Powell wrote the book at age 19, motivated by anger over the Vietnam War draft. He later became a teacher and changed his views on violence as a means of political change. Currently, Powell is co-director of Education Across Frontiers, an organization focused on international education. He has authored several books on this subject, reflecting his shift from anarchist ideals to educational pursuits.

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