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would anyone be interested in a politics book club?

70 replies

alexandriana · 24/05/2011 22:06

we could do titles like 'the spirit level' or 'the shock doctrine'

any other ideas?

OP posts:
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earthworm · 25/05/2011 06:16

The Spirit Level Delusion:fact checking the left's new theory of everything.

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jackstarb · 25/05/2011 08:58

I kinda like the idea in principle - but doing the Spirit Level would more 'fight club' than book club Smile. It would be more interesting to pick an older book, like Das Kapital.

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WeDONTneedanotherhero · 27/05/2011 19:28

Yes to book club and yes to the shock doctrine

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MisterDarsey · 28/05/2011 08:42

Das Kapital?? Thats a bit ambitious. Maybe better to start with Francis Wheen's book about Das Kapital:

Marx's "Das Kapital"

I'm looking forward to reading The Silent State by Heather Brooke (the MPs' expenses whistleblower)

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jackstarb · 28/05/2011 10:46

MisterDarsey - Francis Wheen's book looks interesting. - thanks.

I agree Das Kapital would be a bit ambitious - but at least it would have been an incentive for me to read it all (have always struggled).

Now i can just read Wheen's book instead Smile.

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HHLimbo · 29/05/2011 15:34

Id be interested in the book club

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longfingernails · 29/05/2011 16:07

My first recommendation: The Road to Serfdom.

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HHLimbo · 29/05/2011 20:46

Yes to 'the spirit level' and 'shock doctrine' (I have been too scared to read this book so far, so doing it as part of the club would be good!)

My suggestion: The silent takeover.

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Indaba · 04/09/2011 22:39

I'm in...what are we reading then?

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jackstarb · 04/09/2011 22:46

Back From the Brink - by Alistair Darling Grin

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ironman · 05/09/2011 08:35

OP. I think your idea is great. What is the 'shock doctrine'? Now I'll have to google it!
LFN 'The Road to Serfdom' must google that as well!Grin

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Indaba · 05/09/2011 23:42

Come on, lets make a decision and lets get going. Don't care what, but lets start. Who is going to brave and decide?

Am secretly thrilled at the thought of being part of an online international book-group.....its so modern! Grin

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DrNortherner · 10/09/2011 18:29

Oh yes. I'm in.

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caramelwaffle · 13/09/2011 22:52

"Chavs: The demonisation of the working class"

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moronicatatonic · 13/09/2011 23:00

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaybe.

The Communist Manifesto is shorter than Das Kapital.

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Indaba · 14/09/2011 20:32

Oh yes, lets do the Chavs book. Heard really interesting interview on Laurie Taylor: Thinking Allowed BBC Radio 4 re this book.....the programme specifically looked at how depiction of how working class has changed in the media.

In 1950 and 1960s working class often idolised/respected in film and TV......now working class through reality TV programmes are the great unwashed, feckless.

Introduced researcher who had been interviewing people in council estates.... (does one call them that now). Interviewees talked about dole louts, lazy, working and claiming state help, but then couldn't actually name any of their neighbours even annoymously.

Sounded really interesting.

Should we start reading?

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Indaba · 14/09/2011 20:33

what I meant was the interviewees couldn't actually name one of these people in real life......

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caramelwaffle · 14/09/2011 22:23

I have finished reading it ("Chavs") this morning.
I highly recommend it.

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Indaba · 17/09/2011 22:03

ok, am off to Amazon site....will report back re Chavs

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caramelwaffle · 17/09/2011 23:18

It is an absolute eye opener. Regardless of the colour of your politics.

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ravenAK · 18/09/2011 06:30

Ordered. I'm in.

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caramelwaffle · 22/09/2011 18:48

Anyone else?

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rycooler · 22/09/2011 18:57

I'm up for it.

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caramelwaffle · 22/09/2011 19:37

Excellent.

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said · 22/09/2011 19:49

I'd like to join and fancy the Road to Serfdom (at some stage) as well purely because my economics tutor said she loves reading it as it makes her so angry she ends up throwing it across the room Grin

If it's to be Chavs, what deadline are we looking at?

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