tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post5028787879885101498..comments2024-02-26T00:59:26.907-08:00Comments on Ana the Imp: Eric Hobsbawm: Smelly and OrthodoxAnastasia F-Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-39668624435230201462013-01-06T16:02:48.046-08:002013-01-06T16:02:48.046-08:00Darko, I've read his 'Age of' series a...Darko, I've read his 'Age of' series and I've read some of his articles. My opinions, I assure you, are never second hand. The Age of Extremes I thought singularly unimpressive, full of dubious judgements and glaring evasions. I do not like his work, I do not like his style, I do not like his politics and I did not like him. I cannot but judge these things politically which, I will admit, is my own bias. We are all guilty of some reading or other.Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-62058348924959906582012-12-28T21:50:53.148-08:002012-12-28T21:50:53.148-08:00Okay, so did you read his books or did you just re...Okay, so did you read his books or did you just read the opinions of others claiming he was a Marxist historian? I read a few of his more popular books -- they were very well written and much more entertaining to read than a lot of other history books and they suprisingly covered a lot more subjects than Marxism. Just my 2 cents. darkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08740161344975634374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-7573215325024192202012-11-25T15:40:10.948-08:002012-11-25T15:40:10.948-08:00I thanked you there and I thank you here. :-)I thanked you there and I thank you here. :-)Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-53861890075808792372012-11-24T00:16:41.627-08:002012-11-24T00:16:41.627-08:00Very good. When I was reading history at Cambridge...Very good. When I was reading history at Cambridge I kept to myself my disapproval of Marxist and Marxist-Leninist dons but wish I hadn't. Orwell said of himself that he was lower-upper-middle class. You were nice about my take on this which I am posting here:http://pvewood.blogspot.ro/2012/10/eric-hobsbawm-almost-converted-me-to.htmlPolitical Refugee from the Global Villagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03523068770529814044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-66286821492112410252012-11-04T16:09:37.012-08:002012-11-04T16:09:37.012-08:00Yes,I know exactly what you mean. Yes,I know exactly what you mean. Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-39450500505658859272012-11-04T16:07:58.850-08:002012-11-04T16:07:58.850-08:00Cohen, on the political left himself, caused a per...Cohen, on the political left himself, caused a perfect storm among his comrades when his book was published. Have a look at the extremes on AmazonUK!<br /><br />On your recommendation I've added <i>Postwar</i> to my Amazon basket. Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-28842246972154103832012-11-02T12:52:26.216-07:002012-11-02T12:52:26.216-07:00I'll see if I can get my hands on Cohen's ...I'll see if I can get my hands on Cohen's book. <br />As for Judt, I highly recommend <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Postwar-History-Europe-Since-1945/dp/009954203X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351885739&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">Postwar</a>. He was a Social Democrat, but a rather unusual one; he didn't flinch from condemning many of his peers for flirting with totalitarianism and was also a very good writer.Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10051940336626953487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-57357763749130963212012-11-01T18:07:47.714-07:002012-11-01T18:07:47.714-07:00Exactly! I don't blame communism for everythin...Exactly! I don't blame communism for everything but as ideology, it's poisonous! No such thing as "Marxist historian".<br /><br />No, I never read any of his works. No guts and no interest. It's just not something I would appreciate as art or literature. but you know, art is about freedom. I think he can write anything he wants. Noble prize? I don't take it serious since longtime ago. Yun Yihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06311104014692132715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-79572465766704878382012-11-01T17:12:50.271-07:002012-11-01T17:12:50.271-07:00Because history requires a detached and objective ...Because history requires a detached and objective consciousness, not at a premium in communist societies. <br /><br />Incidentally are you familiar with the work of Mo Yan? I've not read any of his novels or stories but I've been reading about him in the wake of the Nobel award. Some of his themes sound altogether grotesque! Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-56271689593398356252012-11-01T17:09:32.803-07:002012-11-01T17:09:32.803-07:00Yun Yi, believe me, he does! Yun Yi, believe me, he does! Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-35035108189116915772012-11-01T17:08:56.810-07:002012-11-01T17:08:56.810-07:00Thanks, Calvin. Either way is good. :-)Thanks, Calvin. Either way is good. :-)Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-89835849182622663992012-11-01T17:08:23.282-07:002012-11-01T17:08:23.282-07:00Thanks, Wilson. Yes he does rather!
The Revel bo...Thanks, Wilson. Yes he does rather!<br /><br />The Revel book looks interesting. Have you read Nick Cohen's <i>What's Left?: How Liberals Lost Their Way</i>? I found it very useful. <br /><br />As yet I've not read any of Judt's work. Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-88144688119261741462012-11-01T16:57:07.668-07:002012-11-01T16:57:07.668-07:00The end justifies the means.The end justifies the means.anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02931330128135957439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-3490887357826592042012-11-01T16:56:24.856-07:002012-11-01T16:56:24.856-07:00Dennis, I think you have described the position ve...Dennis, I think you have described the position very well. I think present standards of journalism at the Beeb are lamentable. I think it general there has been a falling off in standards of programme making. I think old Auntie's general ethos is quite poor. Yes, I am critical but I also try to be objective. There are still occasional flashes of brilliance, the recent adaptation of Ford Madox Ford's <i>Parade's End</i> being a case in point. But this is beginning to look like oases in the desert. <br /><br />I'll come over and dine. :-)Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-46077974095126000462012-11-01T16:50:02.863-07:002012-11-01T16:50:02.863-07:00Exactly! Exactly! Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-70483935604921318012012-11-01T16:49:50.801-07:002012-11-01T16:49:50.801-07:00I did, Anthony, thanks. I hope you did too. :-)I did, Anthony, thanks. I hope you did too. :-)Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-48692912023371003852012-11-01T16:49:24.401-07:002012-11-01T16:49:24.401-07:00I would not wish that on anyone, though we are far...I would not wish that on anyone, though we are far better off without the kind of views he embraced. I'm glad they are dead. Anastasia F-Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01284602529524462457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-13734063490441168442012-11-01T11:50:53.744-07:002012-11-01T11:50:53.744-07:00Ana, I said that because I know there are no real ...Ana, I said that because I know there are no real historians exist in Communist countries.<br />Yun Yihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06311104014692132715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-22741141453013195492012-11-01T10:12:05.662-07:002012-11-01T10:12:05.662-07:00Judge Ana, I don't know this guy but he may we...Judge Ana, I don't know this guy but he may well deserve your judgment!<br /> Yun Yihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06311104014692132715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-39723205700239890852012-10-31T17:24:57.528-07:002012-10-31T17:24:57.528-07:00Happy Halloween, Ana. Or Samhain.Happy Halloween, Ana. Or Samhain.Calvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10640148105202971907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-8285694831539058462012-10-31T13:56:37.857-07:002012-10-31T13:56:37.857-07:00Good to see your teeth are as wickedly sharp as ev...Good to see your teeth are as wickedly sharp as ever Ana!<br />I've only read some of Hobsbawm’s books, but I must agree about how pernicious his influence was, along with that of so many other communist apologists and fellow travelers. Your comment about the left always expecting to be judged by its supposed intentions -and never by its results- reminded me of a book I read a few months ago by a french intellectual, Jean-François Revel, called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Last-Exit-Utopia-Socialism-Post-Soviet/dp/1594032645/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351714655&sr=8-1&keywords=Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois+Revel" rel="nofollow">Last Exit to Utopia: The Survival of Socialism in a Post-Soviet Era</a>. One of the things that caught my eye was how outraged the french intellectual world was when The Black Book of Communism came out. They even went so far as to make one of the contributors to the book recant on what he said so he could save his academic career! The Passing of an Illusion by Furet on the other hand was much better received, which is not hard to comprehend, since it doesn't contrast the high humanitarian ideals bien-pensants everywhere purport to defend with the murderous outcome putting them into practice always entails.<br />Btw, I had never seen the last picture of Hobsbawm you posted, by the end he looked like a cross between Mr Burns, a Zombie and a raisin.<br /><br />PS: May I ask what you think of Tony Judt?Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10051940336626953487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-55227428161403712942012-10-30T23:28:11.265-07:002012-10-30T23:28:11.265-07:00Marxist historian? Sounds like an oxymoron to me. ...Marxist historian? Sounds like an oxymoron to me. I'd heard of this mountebank but hadn't read his work. However, I had a hard time trying to wade through <i>Das Kapital</i>, so if someone had told me he was a Marxist that would have been warning enough. Unfortunately, when people like this get into positions of influence, particularly as university professors, the damage they can do is incalculable.<br /><br />I know that you're not a fan of the BBC Ana, but I do think sometimes that you're a little hard on it. I worked for the Corporation in the 1970s and found it to be smug, complacent and self-regarding, but this was a time when it was producing television of unsurpassed quality (<i>Alistair Cooke's America</i>; Robert Hughes' <i>The Shock of the New</i>; and the brilliant <i>The Ascent of Man</i> by Jacob Bronowski, <i>inter alia</i>).<br /><br />However, the quality of its journalism has fallen off a cliff in the last 30 years. The old-timers, like Richard Dimbleby, were the best in the business. Dimbleby actually flew with Bomber Command over Germany to be able to give people back home a (radio) picture of what it was like, and his was the voice that anchored the Coronation in 1953. There are modern exceptions: I'm thinking of Ian Pannell's reports from inside Syria, produced, like Dimbleby's, at considerable risk to his personal safety.<br /><br />And a lot of Radio 4's output is still worth listening to (not including <i>The Archers</i>, I hasten to add!). My <a href="http://dennishodgson.blogspot.com/2012/10/food-for-thought.html" rel="nofollow">Food for Thought</a> from last week was inspired by a report on one of the station's science programs. However, there is far too much of what I would call sloppy journalism on the BBC nowadays, which led me to write a series of critiques at the beginning of this year under the general title "BBC English".<br />Dennis Hodgsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09409579380626581592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-76736627836328294462012-10-30T18:00:36.825-07:002012-10-30T18:00:36.825-07:00Wormtongue.Wormtongue.Calvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10640148105202971907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-14066368906561453342012-10-30T17:57:43.652-07:002012-10-30T17:57:43.652-07:00Have a wonderful Samhain Eve!Have a wonderful Samhain Eve!anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02931330128135957439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413130168723738166.post-16631211869789775132012-10-30T17:42:52.121-07:002012-10-30T17:42:52.121-07:00Death, best thing for him really.Death, best thing for him really.anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02931330128135957439noreply@blogger.com