Review: Why the Germans Do it Better, by John Kampfner
First of all, they don’t. It’s a provocative title for a book, but ultimately a silly one — and it’s not what the book is really about. John Kampfner offers a wide-ranging view of Germany…
Articles by admin
It’s time for Georgia to choose
Two weeks ago, far-right thugs attacked the LGBTI community’s ‘March for Dignity’ in Tblisi, Georgia. Dozens of people, mostly journalists, were badly beaten. It was a tragedy that could easily have been foreseen — and…
Review: Red Milk, by Sjón
This is the second book I’ve read by this Icelandic author, the first being Moonstone: The boy who never was (2016). These are both very short books (novellas, actually) and both tell the stories of…
Atomic Habits, by James Clear
As I write this, Atomic Habits has spent 85 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list in the category ‘Advice, How-To and Miscellaneous’. This is extraordinary, and out of curiosity I decided to…
Review: A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal, by Ben Macintyre
Ben Macintyre is a great storyteller, but to be fair, this is a great story just waiting to be told. Kim Philby is certainly a contender for the title of ‘most successful spy of all…
Cuba: Time for real solidarity from the British left
If you’re a British trade unionist or a member of the Labour Party, where might you go to find news about Cuba? An obvious choice is the Morning Star, a newspaper largely funded by trade…
What is the purpose of socialist organisations?
Two news stories from the USA this week grabbed my attention. The first was the astonishing victory of a woman named India Walton in a Democratic Party primary in the city of Buffalo. With no…
Review: A Meal in Winter, by Hubert Mingarelli
Three German soldiers — all middle-aged reservists — set out from their base in occupied Poland during the Second World War. Their job is to capture a Jew, any Jew, and return him to their…
Review: The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism, by Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank is best known as the author of What’s the Matter with Kansas?, which was a brilliant analysis of why working class people in America — and not only in Kansas — so often…
Review: Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir
Andy Weir’s first published book, The Martian, was a sensation – and rightly so. For me, it reawakened an interest in science fiction. His second book, Artemis, sold well but had mixed critical reviews. I,…