History
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Sebastian Smee’s Paris in Ruins explores the cultural history of post-Franco-Prussian War Paris, highlighting the interplay of art, politics, and memory. While emphasizing aesthetic dimensions, it occasionally overlooks structural political factors and ordinary Parisians’ perspectives. The book illuminates how destruction informs cultural identity and collective memory, offering valuable insights for scholars and general readers alike.
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Ignace Reiss, born Nathan Poretsky in 1899, was a Bolshevik revolutionary and Soviet intelligence operative disillusioned by Stalin’s regime. Defecting in 1937, he denounced Stalinism as a betrayal of revolutionary ideals. His assassination shortly after exemplified the regime’s brutality against dissenters and marked him as a martyr for anti-Stalinists.
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Felix Morrow’s “Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Spain” provides a critical Marxist analysis of the Spanish Civil War, arguing that the Spanish proletariat had potential power which was undermined by reformist leadership. Morrow’s work highlights the dangers of class collaboration and emphasizes the need for revolutionary mobilization to confront authoritarianism and capitalist democracy.
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Victor Louis Berger (1860–1929) was a pivotal figure in American socialism, known for founding the Socialist Party of America in 1901 and being the first Socialist elected to Congress. His pragmatic approach to socialism emphasized reform over revolution. Berger’s legacy reflects debates between revolutionary and reformist socialism within American politics.
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Ted Grant’s Selected Works, Vol. One presents his analyses of Stalinism and the Soviet Union’s class nature, emphasizing “proletarian Bonapartism.” Edited by Steve Iverson, this volume merges historical case studies with theoretical clarity, making it relevant for contemporary Marxist debates. However, it has limitations in empirical scope and cultural analysis.
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Ben Shattuck’s The History of Sound: Stories is a collection of twelve interconnected tales set in New England, exploring themes of memory, loss, and identity across three centuries. Utilizing a unique couplet structure, the narratives intertwine personal and historical artifacts, creating a layered exploration of how the past shapes present realities.
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Anne McCarty Braden (1924–2006) evolved from a segregationist upbringing to become a prominent white ally in the civil rights movement. Her activism, sparked by the Turner case, emphasized the structural nature of racism and the necessity of anti-capitalist transformation, creating a lasting legacy of interracial solidarity and dissent against oppression.
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André Breton, born in 1896, was a key figure in Surrealism, blending literary and political pursuits. Initially influenced by Symbolist writers and psychiatry, Breton’s Dada involvement led to automatic writing, defining Surrealism in 1924. His complex relationship with Marxism aimed to connect art and revolution, impacting 20th-century cultural history significantly.
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James Davidson’s “Courtesans and Fishcakes” explores Athenian social life through a lens of consumption, emphasizing class relations and material production. By focusing on food, sex, and political discourse, Davidson reveals how pleasures are intertwined with labor exploitation in a slave-based economy, prompting a Marxist critique of cultural practices and underlying socio-economic frameworks.
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Alexandra Kollontai (1872–1952), a prominent socialist and the first female minister in history, challenged gender oppression under capitalism through Marxist ideology. A key figure in the Bolshevik Revolution, she advocated for women’s rights and social reforms, later criticizing bureaucratic centralization. Despite her marginalization, her feminist theories continue to influence contemporary thought.
Letters from Tomis 