Lobby Books:
Book Review: The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
So convincing is the lead character of Barbara Kingsolver’s latest novel that I found myself driven to Google to find out more – only to learn that Harrison Shepherd is, according to an interview with Kingsolver, the only truly fictional part of this book. She uses the lonely, eccentric and increasingly anthropophobic and agoraphobic Shepherd as a literary tool to tell the story of the socialist revolution, as it made its way via Mexico during the 1930s through the Second World War’s complicated two-step between the US and Russia and America’s rapid descent into the chauvinism of the McCathy era…
Moira Levy, Idasa.
Read the whole review here.
New Arrivals: The Party - The Secret World of China’s Communist Rulers by Richard McGregor
China's secret rulers are the elephant in the room. They are the largest political organisation in the world. They control every aspect of Chinese life. And no one discusses them. Until now. Who are they? And how do they operate? Richard McGregor has spent twenty years reporting on this region of the world and he has used all of his experience to uncover the true story of the Chinese Communist Party. This is the most revealing glimpse yet of how this extraordinary organisation works. From business to the army, McGregor tracks down the people who are on the inside, and reveals how they run the world's most populous country. It is impossible to understand China without really knowing who is in charge. And this book tackles the subject head on. How did China's Communists merge Marx, Mao and the market to create a new superpower? How can they maintain such a grip on power in the face of a changing world. And just how corrupt are they? The Party gives us the untold story of China's rise to power as no other book has.
New Arrival: Protest Nation - Words That Inspired a Century of American Radicalism edited by Timothy Patrick McCarthy and John McMillian
America has recently re-awakened to the idea that real change is possible. Yet this present moment is just a point on a journey that extends over a century of activism and struggle - one that has been kept alive by a powerful American tradition of inspiring radical alternatives to the status quo. Protest Nation is a guide through the speeches, letters, broadsides, essays and manifestos that form the backbone of this tradition. Here are the words - from socialists, feminists, union organizers, civil-rights workers, gay and lesbian activists and environmentalists - that have served as beacons for millions. Their radical arguments and ideas are links in a chain reaching from the present back through decades of radical thinking and movement-building. Brief introductory essays by the editors provide a rich biographical and historical context for each selection included. Protest Nation presents the most significant and brilliant examples of radical writing in a concise volume geared for anyone interested in reconnecting with the deep currents of American radical thinking. These range from a fiery speech by Eugene Debs, the great socialist orator, and the original Black Panther Party Platform to Peter Singer’s astonishing treatise on animal liberation, among many others.
New Arrival: The Moneyless Man - A Year of Freeconomic Living by Mark Boyle
Imagine a year without spending or even touching money. Former businessman Mark Boyle did just that and here is his extraordinary story. Going back to basics and following his own strict rules, Mark learned ingenious ways to eliminate his bills and flourish for free. Encountering seasonal foods, solar panels, skill-swapping schemes, cuttlefish toothpaste, compost toilets and - the unthinkable - a cash-free Christmas, Boyle puts the fun into frugality and offers some great tips for economical (and environmentally friendly) living. A testament to Boyle’s astounding determination, this witty and heart-warming book will make you re-evaluate your relationship with your wallet.
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