Karl Marx (Hardcover)

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Amazon.co.uk Review
Karl Marx, whose influence on modern times has been compared to that of Jesus Christ, spent most of his lifetime in obscurity. Penniless, exiled in London, estranged from relations and on the run from most of the police forces of Europe, his ambitions as a revolutionary were frequently thwarted and his major writings on politics and economics remained unpublished (in some cases until after the Second World War). He has not lacked biographers, but even the most distinguished have been more interested in the evolution of his ideas than any other aspect of his life. Francis Wheen's fresh, lively and moving biography of Marx considers the whole man--brain, beard and the rest of his body. Unencumbered by ideological point-scoring, this is a very readable, humorous and sympathetic account. A Guardian columnist, Wheen has an ear for juicy gossip and an eye for original detail. Marx comes over as a hell-raising bohemian, an intellectual bully and a perceptive critic of capitalist chaos, but also a family man of Victorian conformity personally vetting his daughters' suitors, Victorian ailments (carbuncles above all) and Victorian weaknesses, notably alcohol, tobacco and, on occasion, his housekeeper. But there is great pathos, too, as Marx witnessed the deaths of four of his six children. For those readers who feel Marxism has given Marx a bad name, this is a rewarding and enlightening book. --Miles Taylor --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Amazon.co.uk Review
Karl Marx, whose influence on modern times has been compared to that of Jesus Christ, spent most of his lifetime in obscurity. Penniless, exiled in London, estranged from relations and on the run from most of the police forces of Europe, his ambitions as a revolutionary were frequently thwarted and his major writings on politics and economics remained unpublished (in some cases until after the Second World War). He has not lacked biographers, but even the most distinguished have been more interested in the evolution of his ideas than any other aspect of his life. Francis Wheen's fresh, lively and moving biography of Marx considers the whole man--brain, beard and the rest of his body. Unencumbered by ideological point-scoring, this is a very readable, humorous and sympathetic account. A Guardian columnist, Wheen has an ear for juicy gossip and an eye for original detail. Marx comes over as a hell-raising bohemian, an intellectual bully and a perceptive critic of capitalist chaos, but also a family man of Victorian conformity (personally vetting his daughters' suitors), Victorian ailments (carbuncles above all) and Victorian weaknesses (notably alcohol, tobacco and, on occasion, his housekeeper). But there is great pathos, too, as Marx witnessed the deaths of four of his six children. For those readers who feel Marxism has given Marx a bad name, this is a rewarding and enlightening book. --Miles Taylor

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A train grinds slowly through the Moselle valley - tall pines, terraced vineyards, prim villages, calm smoke in the winter sky. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover

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19 Reviews 5 star:  (12) 4 star:  (5) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review 4.4 out of 5 stars (19 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   9 of 10 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this book, you bluffers!, 17 Oct 1999 By A Customer Everyone used to think Marx long-dead leftie beardie bore who wrote impenetrable tomes no one could be bothered to read. Now you don't have to! Author reveals KM actually genial if sometimes crusty old cove who liked a pint and had boils on bum, just like you & me! Not his fault if works later misinterpreted by assorted mass-murderers, eg J Stalin, M Tse Tung, P Pot, etc. So what if the Communist Manifesto didn't come true? Neither did New Labour's! Top Marx, Francis! Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   14 of 17 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Little Dynamo!, 18 Jan 2002 By A Customer This review is from: Karl Marx (Paperback) I never knew Karl Marx was so much fun! Here Herr Marx leaps from the pages destroying enemies with invective, scorn and stinging wit; loving his wife and family as a kindly paterfamilias; continually, hideously and pitifully suffering from the most wretched physical health; and drinking, (!) excessively, with fellow left wing lights. Francis Wheen gives us a Marx we can love whilst setting to right many of the myths that have grown-up about Marx. He, in particular, pays attention to his dismissal by British Academia correting many false assumptions about him. Marx is more a prophet than a destructive Red Terror. He is more a wit, than a tedious economist. He is more creator than destroyer. A very fine and interesting read that moves along in an attractive, zestful prose style with an enlightening amount of intellectual stimulation. Brilliant! Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   3 of 3 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Witty and entertaining, sympathetic yet honest., 4 Sep 2000 By A Customer I cannot agree with the one and two star ratings on this book. It is definitely a five-star. I studied Marx at University for my Philosophy degree, 20 years ago. I found the book excellent. No, not for its explanation of Marx's theories. Those who want that are looking in the wrong place. Look to McLellean for that. This is a biography. The readers that complain about its lack of substance of Marx's theories need to note that. Even so, it would be a useful compliment to some of McLelleans work as it puts the writings in context. I wish it was around when I was studying Marx. I would recommend it to any new Marx scholar. It is sympathetic to Marx, which is rare, yet it revealed information which those who are sympathetic may not wish to hear, e.g. Marx's seemingly contradictory middle-class values. Overall, an excellent book and it has rekindled my interest in Marx and Engels. (PS. My email address is real. I just happened to find it available!) Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 19 customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars Francis Demystifies Marx Francis Wheen's anti-dogmatic biography of Marx is a refreshing look at the life of a man whose work has continued to impact the course of political life and our understanding of... Read more Published 3 months ago by Mr. Jade Mcclune 4.0 out of 5 stars Marx Biography This book is an easy to read biography of Karl Marx. As a person who has no schooling in the areas of philosophy/sociology discussed, this book is accessible and somewhat of a... Read more Published 9 months ago by E. Jones 5.0 out of 5 stars A Humanising look at Charlie Marx Karl Marx has often been described as one of the most evil men ever to have lived. Indeed, there is a book listed on amazon entitled "Was Karl Marx a Satanist? Read more Published 11 months ago by R. Jones 4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, but with a few flaws. Francis Wheen's biography of Marx is excellent. It's witty, realistic, sympathetic, well written, easily read and thoroughly enjoyable - so read it. Read more Published 15 months ago by Germinal 5.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable, insightful I previously knew nothing about Karl Marx except that he wrote the communist manifesto. My preconceptions of the man, were fairly ignorant. Read more Published 18 months ago by J. Syner 5.0 out of 5 stars Karl Marx, an iluminating biography from Francis Wheen Frances Wheen biography on Karl Marx is a benchmark in recent books on famous political thinkers. The way he comprehends Karl personality as a human being and a political... Read more Published on 20 Jul 2001 by arnaldogoncalves@mail.telepac.pt 5.0 out of 5 stars 'Anti-Capitalists' should learn. Karl Marx would turn in his Highgate grave if he knew just how out of context and how inaccurate modern portrayal is. Read more Published on 7 May 2001 5.0 out of 5 stars A must for Sociology, Economic and Philosophy students. When analysing Marx's theory, it is easy to lose sense of the man. As Wheen explains, fluently, Marx was as human as anybody. Read more Published on 27 Jan 2001 5.0 out of 5 stars A great struggle! This is a great book. People familiar with Wheen's pieces in the Guardian will find the same learned and laconic style here. Read more Published on 6 Jan 2001 5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and relevant This is one of the best biographies I've ever read. The Karl Marx who leaps from every page of this book is nothing like the Red Terror that he is often portrayed to be. Read more Published on 18 Dec 2000 by pouxc@csv.warwick.ac.uk Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 19 customer reviews...

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