An appeal from Haymarket Books

Dear Friends:

Since the Arab Spring ushered in 2011, social movements have returned on a scale unseen in four decades. From Greece and Spain to Wisconsin, Wall Street, and beyond, ordinary people are rediscovering their power to act collectively and change the world.

This year also marks something very special for us at Haymarket: 2011 is our 10th anniversary.

We hope you'll indulge us in taking a moment to reflect on how much we've accomplished in the past decade and how much the ongoing support of friends like you has meant to our project. We also hope you'll allow us to ask again for your support as we enter our second decade.

Like the late great historian Howard Zinn, who proclaimed himself a "proud supporter" of Haymarket Books, we are steadfastly committed to creating "a culture in this country in which reading and resistance go hand in hand." Unlike corporate publishers, our editorial decisions aren't governed by a book's profitability. We are driven--like activists who are occupying public spaces across the globe--by our desire to see a better world. This ethos is the reason we have published more than 200 Haymarket titles to date, from our first book 10 years ago, The Struggle for Palestine, to the just-released The United States of Fear.

Despite the incredible economic turbulence of the past few years, and the general decline in print book sales, Haymarket has not only weathered the storm--we've grown. We are bringing out more new titles and selling more books (including ebooks) than ever before. We've toured champions of social justice from around the world, including legendary '68 Olympian and activist John Carlos, Afghan parliamentary dissident Malalai Joya, and Omar Barghouti, author of Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights.

Recently, environmentalist Chris Williams spoke at more than 30 events to discuss the important issues raised in his book Ecology and Socialism. These events were truly grassroots in nature and involved alliances with key movement allies. Other extensive tours included labor journalist Steve Early and Israeli historian Ilan Pappé. Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman, author of our first New York Times bestseller, Breaking the Sound Barrier, has spoken in nearly every state in the country. We also brought our authors, their politics, and their books to conferences across the country, from New York City to Chicago to Los Angeles. In short, wherever there is struggle, Haymarket is there.

Our audience is growing. Much of that audience is made up of young people who are just discovering how important books and ideas are for any effort to change society. But we could do so much more if we had your continued support.

In this, our 10th year, Haymarket Books continues to operate on a modest budget. Building a new culture of democracy takes energy and commitment. It also takes resources. We publish books that the big corporate publishing houses won't touch. To find the readership that our books deserve, we rely on the solidarity and generosity of readers like you who share our values and our mission.

Every step of the last 10 years of Haymarket publishing has been made possible by the generous, consistent support of allies who believe in the need for books that can change the world.

Please consider making a first-time donation or increasing your annual gift.

Our goal is to raise $250,000 by the end of the year. We're confident we can get there with your support.

In solidarity,
The staff at Haymarket Books