Page Against The Machine writing the next chapter of literary activism

Upon entering Page Against The Machine, it’s easy to get the impression that anyone who picks up a book is merely pages away from taking the next step in their desired form of activism. 

With each piece of literature hand-selected by Chris Giaco, the owner of Retro Row’s proudly progressive independent bookstore, creating this sense of literary optimism is the whole point.  

Occupying the compact 400-square-foot space near the corner of Fourth Street and Temple Avenue are various collections of socially conscious books and zines organized into subjects ranging from race, activism and philosophy to music, gardening and medicine. 

Customers won’t find murder mysteries or romance novels on the shelves, nor cookbooks or travel guides, but rather titles such as “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,” “The Anti-Fascist Handbook” and “The Communist Manifesto.” It is an archive for activist reading material, with no Colleen Hoover to be seen. 

The shop’s playlist of rebellious tunes like “Get Together” by the Youngbloods, “Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone provide an accompanying soundtrack. Of course, songs by Los Angeles rap rock band Rage Against the Machine (RATM) make appearances as the fitting inspiration for the name of the store.

On the surface, the store’s name could solely be perceived as a creative play on words inspired by RATM, but it also serves as a dedicated endorsement of the band’s leftist musical message. With his store, Giaco’s goal was to craft the literary version of their music—educational, political and revolutionary—all while creating a crucial niche. 

“I think you just have to find a niche to distinguish yourself from that, and in a larger context it really comes to represent more than just a store itself,” Giaco said. “It’s the kind of neighborhoods you want to have and the local economy that you want to generate by supporting local businesses.” 

Previously, Giaco owned a vintage store called In Retrospect on 4th Street. After it closed in 2018, the perfect mix of idea, opportunity and a fiery political climate led to the creation of Page Against The Machine a year later.  

The store was conceived as a space to represent resistance and advocate for a different, more sustainable way of life. Though it can be challenging operating an independent store, the state of the world—specifically the intersection of socio-political issues in his everyday life—is what makes Giaco continue his mission. 

“The crazier things get in the world of politics and our culture and the social fabric, the more resolve I have to keep the store going,” Giaco said. 

Within the first two years of opening, there was the 2020 presidential election, the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent resurgent spotlight of the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Social, political and environmental injustices have inspired more young people to take action and embrace revolutionary reading, but they may not know where to start. 

For younger people, Giaco thinks this is a critical time to find new and creative ways to organize. Emerging problems like artificial intelligence and climate change are hard to fully grasp through a single news story, and with literature he says there are nearly an infinite number of themes, many of which can help people deal with the present. 

“There’s so many things going on, not just politics but whether you’re talking about technology or the environment, people are getting overwhelmed,” Giaco said. “I think coming in and maybe picking up a book on whatever subject that interests you or you want to learn more about is a good first step to wrapping your head around things … or finding your place in all of this chaos.” 

Though the mission of the bookstore may come off as urgent, one of the many things Giaco enjoys about the store is that he gets to speak with residents and have respectful conversations about political differences. He hosts reading groups and author events at the store to facilitate conversation and further the sense of community, and has received several book recommendations from customers. 

With the intention of providing a “snapshot” of how people are feeling in the moment, the front of the store is usually covered with books that cover the most relevant subject matter, including but not limited to race, gender studies and reproductive rights. 

For those who may not know where to start when it comes to activism, the store carries books on general forms of activism, including guides on how to organize and the history of significant social movements.

Giaco carries even more books on the website to give a clear view of the store’s message for those unfamiliar. He’ll always have well-known titles in stock—think “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander or “Freedom is a Constant Struggle” by Angela Davis—but he adores finding hidden gems as well. 

“Books and music are very similar. There’s all these lost nuggets out there that people never heard of for one reason or another … but they’re no less deserving,” Giaco said.

Every month, Giaco compiles a monthly top five best sellers list which he says is oftentimes fairly representative of the most pertinent issues of the time. He also says it’s indicative of books that have been challenged, as they often become more popular due to sustained public interest when access gets taken away. Page Against The Machine’s July best sellers list is as follows:  

1. “All About Love” – Bell Hooks

2.  “Page Boy” – Elliot Page 

3. “We the Elites: Why the U.S. Constitution Serves the Few” – Robert Ovetz

4. “Parable of the Sower” – Octavia Butler 

5. “Gender Queer” – Maia Kobabe

“I always love it when the list is almost like a perfect reflection of the store and therefore what people are interested in and what’s going on in the air that people want to read about and learn about,” Giaco said. 

Nowadays, social media is the go-to tool for information, one that has driven younger people to come into the store and ask about books that they’ve seen their favorite celebrity or influencer talk about. Accordingly, libraries and bookstores have adapted to the social media age, simultaneously keeping their roots while keeping up with the evolution of youth interest by adding zines and making TikTok accounts. 

Though social media has its own sets of problems when it comes to verifying facts and squashing disinformation, Giaco thinks there is significant value in people learning about activist literature through TikTok or Instagram. He says as long as the message of the written word gets people motivated to take the next step, it doesn’t matter where the inspiration comes from.

“I think there’s room for both. I think whatever gets someone’s curiosity peaked to explore more, whether it’s a TikTok video or an Instagram post,” Giaco said.

Page Against The Machine is located at 2714 E. Fourth St. For information regarding announcements or upcoming events at the store visit their Instagram. 

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