Off Our Rockers and into Trouble: The Raging Grannies

By Betty Brightwell and Alison Acker

When the Raging Grannies sprang up in 1987 in Victoria, B.C., they didn't realize they'd be starting a worldwide movement. They just wanted to protest, but in a different way. And they do. Their... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1894898109
• ISBN13: 9781894898102
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 223 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Excellent !!

This book is so wonderfully written. While the subject matter is incredibly disturbing (US nuclear subs in Canadian waters, rain forest clear cuts, etc) the authors inject a steady stream of humour which makes the book an easy and exciting read. I was glued to the book and wanted more when I got to the end. The Raging Grannies are an inspiration to all ages, and they are so brave !I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn the abc's of activism, to those who are burned out from being "awake" and need inspiration, and to anyone approaching mid-life so they can start thinking about becoming a Raging Granny.I also think this book should be required reading in the Canadian school system. Its important that Canadian children know that their future is being fought for by these wonderful women.When I grow up, I'm going to be a Raging Granny !!

When the personal becomes political

'Off Our Rockers and Into Trouble' describes the formation of the first Raging Grannies group, in Victoria, B.C. Written by two founding members, with Anne Moon, a more recent member, this book shows through personal experience and reflection what the Raging Grannies is about. Easy to read, informative, accurate, funny, honest, provocative... these brave women, all activists within the peace and environment movement before becoming Raging Grannies, tell about their optimism and sharp learning curve as they take on super-powers at a local level. Simply by protesting the presence of U.S. nuclear submarines in their harbour, they start an action which becomes a world-wide movement. This inspiring account makes the Grannies human, not just the performance-grabbing radicals that popular media loves or hates. An important book for activists and should be required reading for granny wannabes. Not the only book about the Raging Grannies, but it's about the first group, so very important. Beware: Reading it could challenge your complacency and passivity.

Inspiring!

Never doubt that a small group of little old ladies CAN change the world! This book will leave you holding your sides with laughter while shaking your head in amazement that just a few women, armed with nothing more than facts, "chutzpah" -- and a sense of humor -- can successfully challenge the powers that be. "Off Our Rockers" provides an intimate look into the lives of twelve feisty women who joined together to become "The Raging Grannies," never imagining that they would spawn a world-wide movement to save the world. This is one book that I will read again and again, and then pass on to my granddaughter!

Power to the Grandmother-People!

What an inspiring, enlightening, and delightful book this is! I am old enough to recall the Gray Panthers movement and Caprow's "happenings;" the raging grannies appear to manifest the best of both. They show us how to work for peace and social justice by abdicating our stereotypical roles as nice, invisibile older women, by using courage, creativity, and outrageousness to get results. I bought this book because I am doing a Ph.D. dissertation on older women as agents of social change, and expect to quote it frequently.

'Off' Moved, Entertained & Enlightened Me!

Off Our Rockers is the best kind of personal non-fiction. In many ways it qualifies as Chick Lit (the viewpoints are female and outrageous yet highly sympathetic, the adventures non-stop and such a delight to go along on, as a reader and the happenings are memorable). I find myself going back to certain sections in my mind. Simply, it is the story of a group of concerned older women through the eyes of two women, Alison and Betty, who have all the usual urges and surges of their ages and times but know they can make a difference. Fortunately all this happens on the British Columbia coastline where hapless captains of leaky nuclear subs, hopeless heads of legislative security and heinous clear cutters are blatantly abusing their positions,cruising full speed ahead, unthinking about the consequences until some women who have done a great deal of thinking appear. Rather more than a spanner in the works, these are grannies whose songs give a new definition of the word, 'sarcasm.' The resulting colisions between granny and wanker is most satisfactory in every case. It will make a four star feature film giving Meryl Streep, Barbara Streisand, Maggie from the Potter films, Holly Hunter and that wonderful woman who just starred with Jack Nichols (duh), something in which to sink their teeth (whether or not they are the teeth with which they started life). Most notable is the fact that these actresses are just playing at what these powerful role models are actual living. The 3 pages on how to choose a granny for a gaggle was particularly compelling. It says a lot about what to look for in a long-time friend. Crammed with dignity, respect and rolling around in the woods, 'Off' will be shelved as a classic for our grandchildren.