STEVE JOHNSON recommends that you catch an unforgettable tribute to Woody Guthrie
A lifetime’s achievement
GABRIEL ROCKHILL recommends a perfect primer on contemporary China
MARJORIE MAYO recommends a punchy demonstration of the the way class politics are being fragmented by the right
The Star's critic MARIA DUARTE recommends a deliciously dark thriller that explores the complex loyalties within a marriage
JOHN GREEN surveys the remarkable career of screenwriter Malcolm Hulke and the essential part played by his membership of the Communist Party
The Star's critic MARIA DUARTE reviews Last Breath, Sister Midnight, Opus, and The Electric State
HENRY BELL is moved by the account of scientists under seige in Leningrad who preferred to starve rather than sacrifice their life-saving work
RUTH AYLETT recommends two anthologies: one that bears witness to refugee and immigrant experiences, and the other to our political relationship to water
People’s China at 75: The Flag Stays Red
Edited by Keith Bennett and Carlos Martinez, Praxis Press, £25
PEOPLE’S CHINA AT 75 provides a rigorous materialist analysis and a coherent theoretical framing of the PRC’s place in the world today.
Comprised of 11 incisive analyses framed by a capacious introduction, the book serves as a useful guide to anyone interested in a crash course on China by some of the world’s leading experts on the question. Given its readability, with concise essays and a total length of just under 150 pages, it is particularly well suited for full-time organisers and a broad readership outside of academic circles.
Since it covers so much terrain and tackles many pressing questions head on, it is in many ways a perfect primer on China. At the same time, it is packed with empirical details, extensive references, and insightful analyses that will be of interest to those with a strong working knowledge of the PRC.
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Despite relentless hostility, the People’s Republic of China has lifted millions out of poverty, and become a global leader in innovation and climate action, while pursuing peaceful development in a multipolar world, writes CARLOS MARTINEZ
ROGER McKENZIE sees at first hand the progress made by China towards an economic template that offers hope to the many not just the few
Rather than taking a simplistic view about socialism and its outcomes, it’s best to analyse the direction of development with a critical eye, argues ZOLTAN ZIGEDY