Reviews for Art and Money An Irreverent History

The average rating for Art and Money An Irreverent History based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2019-03-10 00:00:00 James Stewart It is impossible to review this book in an objective way; it is personal to me. Overall it was eye opening. Some moments of joy and surprise, but mainly depressing. The overarching knowledge I gained from this book is that discrimination against ethnic minorities in Britain, in housing, policing and the media, is a very old state of being. Despite the laws, what has really changed? I considered myself well versed in colonialism and the whitewashing of British history- seems like I knew nothing. And if I know nothing- someone who does the research and wants to find out- what does the average person who doesn't, know? They believe what is a version of the truth. We don't see Indian soldiers in war movies. No one mentions Asian suffragettes. Many of us had no idea about the extent of British slavery until David Olusoga's documentary, Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners. The industrial revolution is taught with vague references to merchants and traders; the brutal truth of the Empire is completely obfuscated. Like I said, a depressing read in many ways. The levels of injustice and inhumanity white British people have been capable of, the historical justification of hate for the purposes of material gain, these were a profound shock to my system. However, some of this book's joyful moments included reference to white British people who extended hands of friendship and support to early Asians, or who set up charitable institutions to help them. It is important to remember this goodness. But it is also clear that this country has a dismal record in treating 'others' fairly, which actually makes recent political events and current attitudes easier to understand: British people have always been this way. Or at least those in charge and with an agenda have always been this way. The real moments of joy came from encountering the lives of Asian servants, lascars, ayahs, artists, politicians, entrepreneurs, royals and everyday people. I feel there is remembrance in the very reading and writing of these names. I finished this book with a sense of humble respect to those that went before, and demanded their rights, the ones who established lives and careers despite everything, which ensured that life for subsequent generations of British Asians is such a different experience. We're standing on the shoulders of bloody giants.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-08-25 00:00:00 Boda Mara Like Peter Fryer's 'Staying Power' this is a fine recovery history telling a largely untold story of the long presence of South Asians in Britain. She gets beyond the obvious tales of the wealthy to take inside the international division of labour and the long reliance of the British economy on South Asian workers. As I live through debates about Britishness, the rise of neo-fascist politics in the UK, and a growing sense that the UK late in 2008 is increasingly scary, we need more of these kinds of books to give the lie to the lies of the forces of reaction.