JOHN GREEN is intrigued by the ethereal, ghostly quality of images of a London unobscured by the bustle of humanity
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A communist vision for Cornwall
TONY CONWAY recommends a welcome overview of Cornwall that traces its industrialisation, class differences and path to a socialist future
JENNY FARRELL relishes an outstanding Palestinian novel that immerses readers in the sensory reality of Gaza, then and now
AI-induced murder, last rites for the mob-dog, a gullible common herd, and an exemplary Christmas chiller
SUSAN DARLINGTON relishes an inclusive production of a Dickens classic that makes no bones about the lived reality of the Victorian working class
New releases from The Belair Lip Bombs, Lisa O’Neill, and Sessa
RICHARD MURGATROYD enjoys a readable account of the life and meditations of one of the few Roman emperors with a good reputation
ALEX HALL asks whether intelligence, and stupidity, are the outcomes of poverty and wealth, and cultural norms
Cornwall Rising
Angela Hopkinson, CPB Cornwall branch, £2
I HAVE only recently moved to Penzance in Cornwall and I looked to see what progressive material there was. In November 2024 Cornwall Rising was published. It’s a must read.
It covers the historical argument that Cornwall is a nation, part of the Celtic fringe. It has a rich heritage that was central to the Industrial Revolution. Mining produced worldwide supplies of tin and copper. Once the natural resources were taken, the economy reverted to agriculture and more latterly tourism.
It is remote from the centres of power. Only one rail line runs the length of Cornwall, and there is only one city, Truro. Bus services are poor. Wages are low. Large numbers of second homes and holiday lets result in high house prices. The pamphlet makes the case for an assembly with devolved powers as part of a federal Britain.
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