The Challenges of Ivan Illich: A Collective Reflection [Paperback]

If you're unfamiliar with Ivan Illich and his penetrating critique of the modern, industrialized, commodified, Western way of life, this is not the book for you. Better you should read Illich's Deschooling Society, Tools for Conviviality, or Gender--indeed, any of his dozen or so major books. Or, listen to the Canadian Broadcasting Co.'s engaging interviews with Illich, available on tape from CBC and Amazon.
If, though, you've read Illich or heard him speak, you know the ethical and intellectual challenges he presents and you'll no doubt appreciate this well-chosen collection of essays. It appears to be the most comprehensive treatment yet of Illich's thought, and as such it is long overdue. (As Carl Mitcham's introductory essay points out, there have been several books over the years that deal with specific areas of Illich's thought, such as his call for deschooling. David Cayley's Ivan Illich in Conversation, based on the CBC interviews, provides perhaps the best single overview of Illich's life and work.)
To truly grasp Illich's arguments, I have found, is to find oneself moved and even pained. It is to feel, to truly feel in one's gut, a tension between great power and immense powerlessness. Illich the visionary anarchist champions autonomy, communities of people working and caring for each other rather than depending on anonymous professionals, nurturing deep friendships, and living free of artificially imposed hierarchies. So, Illich's vision inspires one to act and change the world somehow. Yet, Illich the social historian explains better than anyone else around how enslaved we have become to overgrown institutions and the economically driven service economy. Certain tools, like the car, have gained "radical monopolies" over our lives and are now terribly difficult to do without. Just as the over-consumption of goods tends to ruin the physical environment, he makes clear, the over-consumption of services such as compulsory education and medical care wrecks the social fabric. Schools make us dumb, hospitals increase sickness, cars frustrate by causing traffic jams and costing us dearly.
The essays in this book range from the highly personal to the highly intellectual. Each of the contributors knows Illich's work well or worked closely with the man over the years. And each, in his or her own way, explains how Illich's relentless critique has challenged them in their own daily lives, professions, or academic thinking.
There is a great deal of love expressed here, as there should be. Illich inspired many people over the years yet always declined, not always so graciously, to actively play the guru. His great intellectual and rhetorical gifts make this humility and renunciation of power all the more impressive.
Though Illich has largely been dismissed in the U.S. since the early 1970s (when Deschooling Society actually got him 15 minutes on the Dick Cavett show), I understand that in Europe and in "developing" nations, he is widely regarded as one of the more incisive social critics.
One hopes that this volume's co-editors will follow through on their hint within that they may pull together another such book of tributes to and engagements with Ivan Illich. I wouldn't be surprised, despite Illich's death in December 2002, to see interest in his work actually increase in coming years as his critique reveals itself to be more accurate and useful than we can understand right now.

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I want to agree with the review below and just say that whenever I read any of Ivan's books [I keep re-reading them!] I feel more real and definitely feel better about living in this world. 'Challenges' is a great collection by some of Ivan's friends. Some of the articles are a bit intellectually weighty but there are a few really accessible chapters that newcomers will understand. As John W. Verity suggested - try and read Ivan's earlier stuff - its very readable and VERY relevant right now. His work disturbs, motivates, inspires a sense of peace and acceptance - And despite his largely accessible writing style he's actually hard to pin down at times, but this is what makes him cool. I get the sense that he'd 'accept' ANY predictable label one would throw at him with a big cheeky smile on his cute face. I really wish I'd had the chance to meet him and cuddle him whether he liked it or not. He would no doubt have told me whether he wanted me around or not, but at least I would have got to touch him...!