Eric Hobsbawm has died

[GranToAirMissiles]

Cue to me to start reading his 'Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century' which I've had for ages, unopened. He admits he is not specialist in this period. Perhaps he is unduly modest, but (knowing his left-leaning sympathies) hope it will not be unduly selective.

Unlike a book by Harpal Brar I've just read 'Revisionism and the Demise of the USSR', which is shamelessly partisan, blaming Kruschev's Peaceful Coexistence policy for the breakup of the USSR and mentioning nothing- absolutely nothing- about the abuses that went on. However, have to admit I found it interesting enough to read through immediately, and it is very clearly written.

I have read a fair bit of Hobsbawm, the Age of Capital etc but only dipped into Twentieth. You can definitely expect left leanings and lots of economics talk.

He was Emeritus Prof at my uni so sad.... also watching to see who the replacement might be with bated breath.

RIP

Did you hear him lecture, mixed?

No sadly not. I would have liked to hear his lapsed Marxist rhetoric. He would have been very engaging I expect.

Emeritus just means retired, it's not a special professorship that will get replaced.

I see, he was also head of the school though I think.

In fact I just looked it up so I don't look stupid again, he was the President.