Jim > Recent Status Updates

Fabulous preface/introduction, and now on to Benjamin's essay!

Finally arrived at the Preface!
Woohoo!
Tough reading, this.

Plenty of introductory writing to get through still, but this is fascinating. Likely a book to buy eventually.

“the law can never be more highly developed than the economic formation of the society and the level of cultural development which that formation conditions”

“ Let there be no misunderstanding: nothing is further from our thoughts than the petty-bourgeois utopianism of those who fondly imagine that social change can only be brought about through an inner transformation of human beings. ”

“Indeed the myth of bourgeois parliamentary democracy depends precisely on the ability of parliament to appear not as an organ of class oppression, but as the organ of the ‘entire people’.”

“We know full well that capitalism, under sentence of death, will fight with all the means at its disposal in order to survive.”

Not a casual read, for sure, but once I settle in properly the theory is quite clear.

An insightful and fascinating Introduction. I just wish Verso published Lukács 'History and Class Consciousness'.

Significantly more political and intellectual than any previous work by Che. Wrongheaded assumptions, maybe, but still fascinating.

This could be interesting, especially considering that Kabila would turn into one of the more violent military dictators in Africa after this.
Also, the Intro is quite out of touch with the reality of Africa. Oof!

Fun to alternate between this book and Che's Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War. Wow, Che was so delusional and idealistic.

Rather dull, for a revolutionary rehash. Though it does hint at how idealistic Che was, and how he oversimplified the means to achieve freedom.

Definitely more political than 'The Motorcycle Diaries', but still a bit heavy on mundanities.

“One of the main aims of the editorial project created by the Che Guevara Studies Center (Havana) together with Ocean Press and Ocean Sur publishing houses is to recover historical memory as an indispensable tool for new generations seeking to establish a more just and equal world, a world representing the interests of the great majority.”

Hard to argue with that!

I have decided to finish this, but my enjoyment level has plummeted noticeably (to me anyway).

The fervor is catchy, but the Intro could have been left off, or used as an Afterword. Too much of it is just quote-grabbing from Che's text.

And on and on it goes. Oof!

Dense and detailed, maybe a bit more so than I expected, or needed? Hmm.

One might question Trotsky's politics, but the man could write with aplomb!

The story of a revolution from a qualified insider!!! Woohoo!
:)

Not liking GR's new book page at all. I am interested to know what the impetus was for changing the previous format, and how this new format improves those (unknown to me) issues.

Rather dull, for a book about radicalism. Lots of name-dropping and term-dropping, but not much analysis or ideating.

Only in capitalism is the dominant mode of appropriation based on the complete dispossession of direct producers, who (unlike chattel slaves) are legally free and whose surplus labour is appropriated by purely ‘economic’ means.

in case no one has noticed, GR has a new book page!
GGGGGRRRRRRRRR.
:/

This is fascinating and complex, yet quite readable and understandable.

A rather academic Intro that left me re-reading several sections to make sure of the points being made. Tough stuff.

why does GR STILL have an ad for the Goodreads Awards of 2021 on their home page??? Seriously, GR?
BTW, there's a NEW BOOK PAGE!!
GGRRRR.
:(

Oof! 90 pages of Introduction! Seems a bit unnecessary...

i get it, GR! you have a new Books page. can you stop reminding me EVERY FUCKING TIME I GO TO A BOOK PAGE???
Thanks.