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Book: " Marxism and History" (Theory and History) Matt Perry(2002) , Palgrave(www.palgrave.com) .

The 195-page book is complete with index, notes and references, glossary; but lacks illustration. It is a concise introduction to Marxist views and philosophy, including an appreciation of classical Marxist writers as well as more modern thinkers claiming to be 'Marxists'.

Availability: Obtained through the British Library networks.

Author: The author had taught at the University of Sunderland since 1995. Matt Perry obtained his degree and doctorate at the University of Wolverhampton. He is author of "Bread and Work: The Experience of Unemployment 1918-1939".

Readership: Advanced undergraduates and researchers in sociology and political/economic philosophy.

Competition: I remember reading another introduction to Marxism, a very current book during 1995-96, while I was in Chicago. I obtained the book through the Border book store.  I had forgotten the author/title of the book, but it was very easy-reading, and focusing on classical Marxism.

Would I write a book as good as Perry's book? Could  I write a book on Marx? Of course, I could have written a book on Marx even before I entered IIT for my undergraduate degree. Could  I write a book on Marxism? Of course, I could have written a book on classical Marxism even before I entered Graduate School in the USA, Could I write a book same as Perry's? No, I would not as knowledgeable as the modern Marxists writers, my knowledge is limited to the works of Marx/Engels, Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, and Mao.

Strength: The book avoid using technical jargons. The habit of terms dropping (appears to be intellectual masterbation to some)  make some communist activists appear scholarly, but it reduces potential readership.

This book is also a complete piece of work spanning the history of the field over 150 years. Of course the author had is own strength and gaps in knowledge. Discussion on modern writers is useful.

Weakness:  (a) Author had no doctrine or thesis to advance, there is nothing called "Perryism".

 (b) The book lack illustrations (cartoons, photograpghs etc.) There are several books that popularized Marxism through cartoons.

 (c) More discussion is needed for many of the post 1950-  writers; for example Sweezy, Mendel, modern Chinese, Indian,  Russian and other third world writers.

ZI Rating: ***-- [Three Star minus] 
Note: Rating varies from * to *****, with the options of + or - to accommodate the intermediate grades.

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I may add a short synopsis of the book at my convenience

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