The accounts of the better-known veterans (Nelson Lichtenstein, Kim Moody, Weinstein) are interesting, and the Draperites are historically under-documented (they remain so, even in this book). However, I am struck by how many contributors simply call the IS "democratic" and then proceed to tell stories about inner cliques, cultishness, strategic cul-de-sacs, splits and purges of enemies that really make you question what they think democracy is or should be.