British Situationist Pamphlet Series

Administrative History

In the late 1970s and early 1980s the London-based anarchist publisher, Freedom Press, produced a series of small pocketbooks, “Spectacular Times,” edited by Larry Law (1945–1988) and designed by his wife, Liz Swain (“Larry Law Obituary,” Anarchy A Journal of Desire Armed, no. 18, March/April, 1989). The series developed various critical themes targeting contemporary captialism based o the Situationist concept of “the spectacle.” They were “compiled and written by Larry Law, production by Liz” (Bigger Cages, Longer Chains). The pamphlets were reprinted by in the early 1990s (distributed through Freedom’s “A Distribution”).

Scope and Content

The collection consists of pamphlets published by Freedom Press from the 1970s and 1980s.

Pamphlets

1. Compiled and edited by Larry Law, Spectacular Times: Everyday Life (London: A Distribution ed., 1993; org. 1979).
2. Compiled and edited by Larry Law, Spectacular Times: The Media (London: A Distribution ed., 1993; org. 1980).
3. Compiled and edited by Larry Law (production by Liz), Spectacular Times: Fin de Spectacle?(London: A Distribution ed., 1993; org. 1980).
4. Compiled and edited by Larry Law (production by Liz and Presto Print), Spectacular Times: Woman and the Spectacle (London: A Distribution ed., 1993; org. 1981).
5. no author (Larry Law), Spectacular Times: Revolutionary Self-Theory: A beginners’ manual (London: A Distribution ed., 1992; org. 1985): promotes the English-language edition of Raoul Veneigem’s Revolution of Everyday Life, the New Anarchist Review journal, and the London Anarchist Bookfair.
6. Written and compiled by Larry Law (production by Liz), Spectacular Times: Animals (London: A Distribution ed., 1997; org. 1982): with list of sources and contact information for militant UK-based animal rights organizations.
7. Compiled and annotated by Larry Law (production by Liz), Spectacular Times: More of the Shame (London: A Distribution ed., no date; org. 1983): with additional information on various “titles in print.”
8. Compiled and written by Larry Law (production by Liz), The Bad Days Will End (London: A Distribution ed., 1992; org. 1983).
9. Compiled and written by Larry Law (production by Liz), Bigger Cages Longer Chains (London: A Distribution ed., 1991; org. 1987): list sources, including the Canadian anarchist journal, Kick it Over. Also indicates A Distribution teamed up with Dark Star Press to produce the pamphlet.