Category Archives: Socialism

“Anti-Nazi Germans” “Enemies of the Nazi State from within the Working Class Movement.” by Marilyn Moos “German Volunteers in the French Resistance” by Steve Cushion. (2020)

Posted on May 6, 2020 by lipstick socialist

This review is written by Mike Luft, lifelong anti-fascist and communist.   ‘Not by beatings, nor by hanging can you Be brought to the point of saying Nowadays twice two makes five…. But you remain determinedly committed to the truth.’ … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Communism, education, human rights, labour history, Socialism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

My review of “Joan Maynard Passionate Socialist” Kristine Mason O’Connor (2003)

Posted on April 29, 2020 by lipstick socialist

What do you want to do ? New mailCopy Joan Maynard (1921-1998) lived her life through her politics. In the course of  her  76 years she was a parish councillor, a rural district councillor, a county councillor, a Justice of … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, biography, book review, Communism, education, feminism, human rights, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, North of Ireland, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

My review of “They Divided the Sky” A Novel by Christa Wolf. (2013)

Posted on April 18, 2020 by lipstick socialist

What do you want to do ? New mailCopy Christa Wolf (1929-2011) was an East German (GDR) novelist. Born into the Nazi era,  like many of her generation (in the east and the west) she embraced socialism after the war … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Communism, education, human rights, novels, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

My review of “Class Power on Zero Hours”

Posted on April 8, 2020 by lipstick socialist

In this new book a group of self identified communists demand a revolutionary approach to changing society. It sounds far fetched and outrageous,  but we are living in a society where revolutionary change by  capitalism  has already taken place,  as … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, book review, Communism, education, feminism, human rights, interesting blog, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Political women; Maria Brabiner anti-Bedroom Tax campaigner, Labour Party council candidate.

Posted on March 26, 2020 by lipstick socialist

Dear Friends I am reviving this series of interviews trying to find working class women who are activists in their political party, trade union or single issue campaign. It seems to be me they have disappeared from the political scene … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, biography, disabled people's campaigns, education, feminism, human rights, labour history, Manchester, political women, Socialism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

My review of “Common Cause” by Kate Hunter

Posted on June 27, 2019 by lipstick socialist

  KATE Hunter, a working class writer and political activist, recognises the massive barriers facing any person   from her background who wants to write. At the age of  nine she won a  National Essay prize,  but there was no encouragement … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, book review, Communism, education, feminism, labour history, Manchester, novels, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My review of “Labour Women in Power Cabinet Ministers in the Twentieth Century by Paula Bartley

Posted on June 13, 2019 by lipstick socialist

    In the mid 1970s I was the first person in my family and  the first on my council estate to get a place at University. Our elderly neighbour Mrs Hall said to me. “Ooh you’ll be another Barbara … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, book review, Communism, feminism, labour history, Manchester, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

My review of “second world second sex” Kristen Ghodsee

Posted on April 20, 2019 by lipstick socialist

    In this new history book Kristen rescues an important episode in the history of women’s activism at the United Nations – the contribution of women from the state socialist countries in Eastern Europe (“the Second World” as they … Continue reading →

Posted in Betty Tebbs, book review, Communism, education, feminism, human rights, labour history, Manchester, Northern ReSisters Conversations with Radical Women, peace campaigns, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

My review of “I Have No Regrets: Diaries, 1955-1963” Brigitte Reimann

Posted on March 25, 2019 by lipstick socialist

    Brigitte Reimann was an East German writer and  an avid chronicler of her own  life through her diaries. In this new book we follow her as she becomes a successful writer, but at a turbulent time for her … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Communism, education, novels, political women, Socialism, Uncategorized, women, working class history | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

My review of”Why Women have better sex under Socialism” Kristen R. Ghodsee

Posted on November 20, 2018 by lipstick socialist

  In 1925 Mary Quaile, Manchester Irish trade unionist and one of the first women to be elected onto the  Trades Union Congress, led a women-only delegation to the Soviet Union to investigate the lives of women and children in … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, book review, Communism, education, feminism, human rights, labour history, Manchester, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment