Marx in 90 Minutes

by Paul Strathern and Bernard Sternsher

Book Overview

"Each of these little books is witty and dramatic and creates a sense of time, place, and character....I cannot think of a better way to introduce oneself and one's friends to Western civilization."--Katherine A. Powers, Boston Globe. "Well-written, clear and informed, they have a breezy wit about them....I find them hard to stop reading."--Richard Bernstein, New York Times. "Witty, illuminating, and blessedly concise."--Jim Holt, Wall...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1566633559
• ISBN13: 9781566633550
• Release Date: April 2001
• Publisher: Ivan R. Dee Publisher
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.0" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Best introduction to Marx I've seen

Loved this book. It gives a concise, unbiased view of Marx and Marxism, including details about Karl Marx's life, the times he lived in, and what shaped his beliefs. Includes a timeline and various quotations. I highly recommend this book as an introduction to Marxism. It's actually a fun read, and under 80 pages.

A good primer on the life and ideas of Karl Marx

In American society, the ideas of Karl Marx are generally dismissed with prejudice, although the vast majority of people that do so really have no idea what he believed. In so many ways he was right, the industrial workers of the world were being exploited by the capitalist overseers and existed in a form of wage slavery. However, Marx could not have foreseen the changing social structure that led to the universal education of children, abolition of child labor, social security and welfare programs. Ironically, some of these programs were the consequences of intelligent capitalism at work, for example the universal education of children was needed to provide the work force the skills needed to function in the modern factories. Even more ironic is the current call by modern capitalists for more universal education, as most believe that the working class is currently woefully uneducated. This book is an excellent resource to provide an outline of the life of Karl Marx and his views on capitalism as he experienced it. Marx was a visionary for his times, fortunately they did change and while the revolutions in the Western countries he envisioned were bloody, they were not as destructive as he thought. While that cannot be said for the revolutions in other countries that were horrific, it is most unlikely that Marx would have recognized his ideas when put forward as the justification for what was done in his name.

Excellent for a basic understanding of Marx

This is an excellent book to read if you want to get a basic understanding of Marx; how he lived and his ideas. Even though Marxism is a failure, a certain percentage of the population will always believe in his idea of a Utopian society. One that would not need a central government, money, etc. Marx believed you could reach such a state in three stages, but Marxism couldn't make it past stage one. Strathern does an excellent job in giving you an overview of Karl Marx life. Highly recommened.

Great Read!

I wanted some quick information on Marx, oddly enough I found this book in the public library and thought I would give it a shot. It is a small book, but very informative and easy to read. It does leave thirsty for more. I too have, as the reviewer below, have tried to read all of Paul Strathern's ... in 90 minutes series.

Strathern At His Best

I have made a point of reading each book in Paul Strathern's "--in 90 Minutes" series on philosphers and thinkers as they have been published. His slender volume on Karl Marx represents Strathern at his ironically informed best. Solid information presented with insight and humor. I cannot imagine a better starting point for an introduction to Marx and Marxism. Highly readable.