Reviews for Left of Karl Marx: The Political Life of Black Communist Claudia Jones

The average rating for Left of Karl Marx: The Political Life of Black Communist Claudia Jones based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-08-06 00:00:00 Matthew Valva While this was definitely an interesting book because of the subject matter, I feel it was lacking a bit in terms of context. The focus is so heavily on Claudia Jones and her actions that it misses the broader context that prompted Claudia to identify as a feminist, a Marxist and an anti-imperialist. What was happening in the world and how did she relate to these events would have been a more interesting focus, in my opinion. The author does touch on that, but it is not made central.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-12-22 00:00:00 Nicholas Edlefsen "Claudia Jones was a black woman and a communist, clear about her ideological orientation, as she was about her identity as a black woman writing and doing political work simultaneously." Those are the opening words to Left of Karl Marx: The Political Life of Black Communist Claudia Jones, by Carole Boyce Davies Duke University Press, $22.95. Davies objective yet passionate presentation of the life Claudia Jones, takes the reader on a journey of intimacy. Davies is clear to indicate that her work is not a biography but a study of "one of the most important black radical thinkers, activists and organizers in African diaspora history." Jones born in Trinidad immigrated to Harlem, New York in 1924 with her family three sisters and an aunt. She attended school and participated in activities of the day she joined the NAACP and participated in Urban League programs. She successfully completed highschool and went to work in industrial trades, laundering, millinery and sales. Jones died in 1965 and her ashes were interred to the left of the grave of Karl Marx in London. Davies has recovered Jones from the shadow of history giving her a rightful place at the center of scholarship our attention and consumption. it is the academic in me - check it out