Customer Reviews

The Communist Manifesto: A Road Map to History's Most Important Political Document

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Overall, this version is practical and 'user friendly.'

Here is a little personal story:
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I have read three other versions of the Communist Manifesto. All of these had their own special characteristic that distinguished them from each other. For example, one version has a good introduction and a good afterward , another version has good notes at the end of the Manifesto and another version is pocket size. However, this version has proven to be much better.

When I began reading this version, the large size of the pages bothered me a bit. However, it makes sense that the pages are larger because the Author places important information and notes that help to explain the Manifesto. As I continued reading, I became convinced that this version was much more practical than other versions even if it was not pocket size. The reason being, that whenever I did not understand a reference all I had to do was look at the edge of the page. In other versions, I had to go to the back of the book and read notes and other information in small print. This obviously became really annoying and it made me stop reading the notes because a lot of the information was overwhelming and sometimes unnecessary.

Furthermore, this version is better than the others because it explains the original text in plain English. In addition, this version has a funny and inspirational introduction, a good afterward by Howard Zinn and a section with a few questions that people usually ask to try and discredit socialism/communism. However, the Author answers those questions that sometimes puzzle or have puzzled us at one point in time.

I think that this is such a good version, that I would even recommend it to a skeptic.

Phil Gasper brings a profound clarity to the words of Marx and Engels. Readers of other editions may be surprised by how much more fully they grasp the meaning of "history's most important political document" this time around. I was.

The true breadth of Marx and Engels' intellect is made clear in the many short selections of their subsequent writings included with the Manifesto (especially Engels' very readable "The Principles of Communism"). I greatly appreciated this inclusion by Gasper, along with his thoughtful introduction and afterword.

Don't buy this book for yourself alone, get one for a friend too. In a world where profit-seeking and power-grabs drive everything from oil wars to pharmaceutical research to prison construction, who says Marx is dead, anyway?

I've read a translated-only version of the manifesto too and enjoyed it, but this version is wonderful. If you're new or familiar with Marx, I suggest you get this book. Once you start reading the simplified explanations and extra examples, you will attain an understanding that surpasses whatever you knew before. I can't recommend it enough.

Wow. Never in my life have I been able to get through Marx's alleged masterpiece, the Communist Manifesto. Until now. I have read excerpts, read commentaries and analysis on it, but this edition is absolutely the foundation for understanding this work. The on-page, paragraph by paragraph annotations are invaluable in comprehending as you go. Some of the utter shock of reading the Manifesto is to realize that it was published in 1848 and yet most of the ideas and assertions in it are as relevant to today's system of global capitalism as they were to 19th century Europe's. Scarier even, truly, is that Marx and Engels seemed to rather accurately predict the future of capitalism.

If I can find an e-mail address or contact info for this edition's editor Phil Gasper, I'm going to thank him profusely for this book.

If you've always been somewhat interested in this book, have wanted to read it but been put off by its style and and unfamiliar jargon, this is, without doubt, the version to read. It will open your eyes, you will find yourself, as I just did hours ago, howling expletives, incredulous at its insight and brilliance.

In response to the 2-star reviewer, it's fair to wonder how accurate the opinion of someone who cannot spell "Satan" is. Calling Marx a "squanderer", even if it were true, is nothing but a useless ad hominem and has no bearing on the content of the Manifesto. In addition, the reviewer has literally zero understanding of what Communism is or what Marx argued for and against - has the "THE TRUTH" even read the book being "reviewed"? Nobody is "demonizing others" for becoming "successful through their own labors" - that's a silly fiction and straw-man. One of Marx's criticism of Capitalism is it allows some to accumulate enormous wealth through the labors of OTHERS. This is the reality - hardly any better or different than plantation slavery - that "THE TRUTH" should be ranting against.

All said, buy this version of the Manifesto - it is the best I know of. Gasper does an awesome job of bringing out its meaning and relevance.

This edition of the Communist Manifesto is of the utmost quality in both text translation and annotations. The translation is, for the most part, Samuel Moore's, but with certain areas edited in accordance to the work of Hal Draper.

In addition to the Manifesto, Gasper has included excerpts from various works of Marx & Engels, including Capital. Gasper himself addresses arguments from people who have misunderstood certain aspects of the Manifesto, and gives study & discussion questions for each chapter. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in political philosophy, economics, and even history. If you can keep a clear and open mind free of biases, this book will be eye-opening and engaging.

The only problem with this book was that I found a couple of typos which I felt should have been caught. For example, there is one especially early on, before the Manifesto even starts. But, as it is, spelling is the biggest complaint I have. Get this book, you won't regret it.

Solidarity, comrades!

If your not a old world reading wiz this is perfect for you, great side notes

A study in manipulation and evil.
Karl Marx was such a squanderer he could not balance a simple check book.
His main intent........make people believe that they are owed a living(re-distribution of wealth) and are supporting a just cause by demonizing others that have become successful through their own labors.(kinda like what's going on today) HUH???????????
History's most important document? It Is;if you want to know what the Communists have in store for you and your families.
I hope that everyone reads this book, so they may be aware of the danger that Communisim poses to the entire world.