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An equal parts haunting and hilarious deep-dive review of history's most notorious and cold-blooded serial killers, from the creators of the award-winning Last Podcast on the Left
A story about the fight for equal rights in America's favorite arena: the baseball field! Every boy in the neighborhood knows Katy Gordon is their best pitcher, even though she's a girl. But when she tries out for Little League, it's a whole different story. Girls are not eligible, period. It is a boy's game and always has been. It's not fair, and Katy's going to fight back. Inspired by what she's learning about civil rights in school, she sets out to prove that she's not the only girl who plays baseball. With the help of friendly librarians and some tenacious research skills, Katy discovers the forgotten history of female ball players. Why does no one know about them? Where are they now? And how can one ten-year-old change people’s minds about what girls can do? Set in 1957—the world of Sputnik and Leave It to Beaver, saddle shoes and "Heartbreak Hotel"—Out of Left Field is both a detailed picture of a fascinating historic period and a timelessly inspiring story about standing up for equality at any age.
Austerity became the predominant fiscal policy response to the Great Recession in Europe. After a brief period of 'emergency Keynesianism' from 2008 to 2010, even the centre-left abandoned plans for deficit spending and accepted austerity as the dogma of the day. In this book, Björn Bremer explains how this came about and explores its political consequences, combining qualitative and quantitative methods and drawing on a wide range of empirical evidence to study both the demand- and supply-side of politics. Based on this evidence, the book argues that a complex interaction of electoral and ideational pressures pushed social democratic parties towards orthodox fiscal policies. As government debt became a taboo following the Greek sovereign debt crisis, social democratic parties endorsed austerity to increase their perceived economic competence and fiscal credibility. This decision was legitimized by economic ideas inspired by supply-side economics, which had become popular among social democrats at the end of the twentieth century. Although the book shows that social democratic austerity was not inevitable, powerful feedback effects of the Third Way thus trapped and divided the centre-left during the crisis. This undermined the ability of social democratic parties to oppose austerity and eventually contributed to their electoral crisis in the shadow of the Great Recession.
"Press hosted Crossfire and The Spin Room on CNN, and Buchanan and Press on MSNBC. A member of the White House Press Corps and columnist for Tribune Media Services and The Hill, Press was an early supporter of Bernie Sanders and hosted two of the Senator's first presidential strategy sessions in his living room."--from Dust jacket flap.
Discussion of fiction, poetry and cultural history is given central place in Wald's analysis. From this perspective he argues that the contemporary concerns of race, gender and culture have created a powerful new leftist critique. The book argues that that the left can draw strength by reconceptualizing its cultural legacy as a rich, diverse stream of political and cultural experiences flowing over six decades. It draws deeply on this tradition, highlighting its contemporary relevance. Alan Wald is the author of "James T. Farrell: The Revolutionary Socialist Years", "The Revolutionary Imagination", "The New York Intellectuals" and "The Responsibility of Intellectuals".
'Nationalism from the Left' examines the nationalist discource of the BCP in many domains of political life and explains the reasons why the communists resorted to nationalism in the 1940s.
When the applause dies down and the stage lights are turned off, the dancer takes a bus home to sit in a tub of hot water to soak aching muscles. In Third Swan from the Left, author Debbie Wilson makes it clear that life in the world of professional dance is not all champagne and tutus. The stories in her memoir offer a synopsis of a rich journey-from beginning dance at age four, to aspiring student, through the performance years, and her travels around the globe. The narrative provides true insight into what it means to be a working dancer. Wilson's keen awareness of world politics, social inequalities, bureaucratic bungling, and more provide a comical and critical look at the universe. Against the backdrop of dance, Third Swan from the Left offers a perspective on the world as Wilson sees it. With anecdotes appealing to aspiring dancers, former dancers, families of dancers, and friends, Third Swan from the Left shows that dance is a primal connection to our emotional lives beyond the material world we live in-a combination of the physical movement and the creative input forces us to constantly connect with our true essence.
Millions passionately desire a viable alternative to austerity and neoliberalism, but they are sceptical of traditional leftist top-down state solutions. In this urgent polemic, Hilary Wainwright argues that this requires a new politics for the left that comes from the bottom up, based on participatory democracy and the everyday knowledge and creativity of each individual. Political leadership should be about facilitation and partnership, not expert domination or paternalistic rule. Wainwright uses lessons from recent movements and experiments to build a radical future vision that will be an inspiration for activists and radicals everywhere.
‘In the finish it is ideas which drive change … However, we should never let history, no matter how significant, prevent us from operating more effectively in the interests of workers and the wider society.’ A Long View From the Left is a memoir by Max Odgen, a longtime Australian Communist Party member, unionist and ALP member. Tracing Max’s 60 years as a union and political activist, it offers many rich lessons for everyone involved in the workforce. During his long career Max rose from a metalwork apprentice to shop steward and then a Trade Unions Industrial Officer, where he worked with and alongside the greats of the Australian union and ALP movements such as Laurie Carmichael, Bob Hawke and Bill Kelty. Using his unique combination of persistence, persuasion and wit, he was instrumental in setting up the AMUW education program (in partnership with Laurie Carmichael and Bob Richardson), and his work was crucial to transforming the standards and work practices of many national industries. Max was also witness to and involved with numerous campaigns that shaped Australian society – anti-Vietnam protests, the South African anti-apartheid movement, advocating for a shorter working week and universal health care, as well supporting the role of women in the workforce. As always, his main loyalty was to members of the Australian workforce. His desire for them to be treated with fairness, dignity and pride drove him relentlessly. A Long View From the Left is not only a fascinating and personal record of contemporary cultural and political ideas, but a revealing and valuable contribution to our social history. Max Ogden was born in Melbourne in 1938. Born into a predominantly left-wing family, Max was asked to leave Cubs because he refused to sing God Save the Queen and salute the flag. Max rose to prominence as a union representative with the AMWU. Over his sixty-year career Max was involved in many of the pivotal demonstration campaigns that shaped Australian society, and he continues to write and speak on contemporary labour and industrial relations matters today. ‘I know of no one who writes so well about the Australian labour/Labor movement, its past, as well as its possible futures.’ — Brian Howe, former Australian Deputy Prime Minister 1991–1995 ‘In many ways the AMWU’s education program set the pattern for worker education in this period, and Max as Victorian Education Officer was crucial to its success ....’ — Andrew Dettmer, National President, Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) ‘Max is one of those people who helped make the Australian social democratic system. His story adds weight and interest to the Australian model.’ Bill Kelty , Ex-Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, 1983-2000 ‘You will be inspired and instructed about how to effectively tackle our future challenges.’ — Anna Booth, Deputy President of the Fair Work Commission ‘Max’s story gives great insight into an important part of our Australian working class and union history.’ Michele O’Neil, ACTU President
