Udo Erasmus
Well-Known Member
Didn't think that Chris Harman was the most dynamic speaker always, but own and enjoyed quite a few of his books. He wrote in a very clear, sharp, accessible and straightforward way (which unfortunately many socialists don't). For example, his useful articles on how socialists should relate to the growth of political Islam 'The Prophet & The Proletariate', also had an old pamphlet on Gramsci that I remember finding useful.
'The Lost Revolution' is a good account of the German revolutions in 1919 and 21. 'The Fire Last Time' on 1968 is a little reductive and doesn't capture the cultural explosion, poetry, spontaneity and excitement of the times, but is one of the only decent theoretical books on 68 (in my opinion) that tries to give some critique and discussion of tactics and strategy, and a balance sheet on the movement, rather than gossip and adulation. Also unlike many books actual talks about the working class upsurge in those years. A book I often return to - a very good book.
I remember when I was an SWP member going to a very interesting day school on historical materialism - talk #1 Historical Materialism talk #2 Why did capitalism take-off in the West and not China (very interesting and stimulating line of though) talk #3 The transition from feudalism & capitalism
I asked one of the speakers to recommend me some good books on these topics and he mentioned Leo Huberman 'A Man's Worldly Goods', written in the 30s and published by Left Book Club (alongside AL Morton's 'A People's History of Britain' also still worth checking out) this is the most enjoyable and easy to read book on the development of feudalism and transition to capitalism, in my opinion (a friend of mine studying history couldn't get to grips with feudalism at all, until I lent a copy of this book and the scales fell from the eyes) & he also mentioned Harman's 'A People's History of the World' which I ended up purchasing from the WH Smith in my local railway station sometime later.
It's a good introduction to world history and a good overview. The early chapters on the neolithic revolution particularly enjoyable and illuminating, so to byzantium. I found particularly useful the chapters on the French Revolution and jacobins abroad as a prelude to researching those epochal events. Like many simpletons I had got lost reading histories talking about this and that faction, Harman simply explains the underlying logic behind the different parties and the Terror & it all became clear.
'The Lost Revolution' is a good account of the German revolutions in 1919 and 21. 'The Fire Last Time' on 1968 is a little reductive and doesn't capture the cultural explosion, poetry, spontaneity and excitement of the times, but is one of the only decent theoretical books on 68 (in my opinion) that tries to give some critique and discussion of tactics and strategy, and a balance sheet on the movement, rather than gossip and adulation. Also unlike many books actual talks about the working class upsurge in those years. A book I often return to - a very good book.
I remember when I was an SWP member going to a very interesting day school on historical materialism - talk #1 Historical Materialism talk #2 Why did capitalism take-off in the West and not China (very interesting and stimulating line of though) talk #3 The transition from feudalism & capitalism
I asked one of the speakers to recommend me some good books on these topics and he mentioned Leo Huberman 'A Man's Worldly Goods', written in the 30s and published by Left Book Club (alongside AL Morton's 'A People's History of Britain' also still worth checking out) this is the most enjoyable and easy to read book on the development of feudalism and transition to capitalism, in my opinion (a friend of mine studying history couldn't get to grips with feudalism at all, until I lent a copy of this book and the scales fell from the eyes) & he also mentioned Harman's 'A People's History of the World' which I ended up purchasing from the WH Smith in my local railway station sometime later.
It's a good introduction to world history and a good overview. The early chapters on the neolithic revolution particularly enjoyable and illuminating, so to byzantium. I found particularly useful the chapters on the French Revolution and jacobins abroad as a prelude to researching those epochal events. Like many simpletons I had got lost reading histories talking about this and that faction, Harman simply explains the underlying logic behind the different parties and the Terror & it all became clear.
