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From International Socialism (1st series), No.73, December 1974, p.32.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’ Callaghan for the Encyclopaedia of Trotskyism On-Line (ETOL).
LAWRENCE and Wishart are shortly to begin publishing the Collected Works of Marx and Engels. As this will be first-ever complete English edition of the writings of the founders of the Marxist movement, the occasion must be one for considerable pleasure. The publishers’ intention is to hold each volume, of between 700 and 1,000 pages, down to £3.00, which in these inflationary times is actually cheap for hardbacks. In total there will be 50 volumes, appearing over the next few years. Volume 1 will contain Marx’s earlier works, his doctoral dissertation, notebooks on Greek philosophy and other items; and Volume 2 will be devoted to Engels’ writings from 1838-42. According to the publishers, this volume of Engels is much enlivened by a set of his drawings.
A new socialist publisher will shortly be hitting the bookshops. Journeyman Press (97 Ferme Park Road, Crouch End, London N8 9SA) aims to make available once again classics of the socialist movement which have been difficult or impossible to obtain for many years. The first title, due out in November, will be Jack London’s prophetic classic, The Iron Heel (75p, with a hardback at £2.50). This will be followed by Six Red Months in Russia £1.25 by Louise Bryant, the wife of John Reed, whose Ten Days That Shook The World is already justly famous. Other titles planned for the near future include Socialism: Its Growth and Outcome by William Morris and E. Belfort Bax, and Shelley’s Socialism by Edward Aveling and Eleanor Marx Aveling. Socialist bookshops and bookshop managers are asked to contact Journeyman Press for more details.
Many readers will have seen the BBC TV production of Athol Fugard’s brilliant play Sizwe Bansi Is Dead, earlier this year. Athol Fugard’s three plays, which were performed in London during 1974, are now published by Oxford at 95p (paperback), under the title Statements. They make a starker statement about South African society than many more propagandists publications.
Admiers of the work of Lenny Bruce will be interested in an assessment of his work by Frank Kofsky, Lenny Bruce, The Comedian as Social Critic, Pathfinder Press 80p. Finally, a couple of pamphlets published by IS which should not be missed: Chris Harman’s The Struggle in Ireland (15p) and Laurie Flynn’s Asbestos: the dust that kills in the name of profit (10p)
P.S.
Just out is Counter-Information Services’ latest ‘anti-report’, entitled Courtaulds Inside Out Courtaulds is one of Britain’s top ten monopolies, and the CIS dobument should do well among its 124,000 employees. 30p from CIS, 52 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1, or from IS Books.
Colin Barker Archive | ETOL Main Page
Last updated: 2.7.2008