I’ve read a lot online and listened to a lot of videos/podcasts in the last 3 or so years, but I’m genuinely interested in reading solid theory (instead of hearing them quoted in YouTube videos, podcasts and articles). I am not smart enough to understand das kapital and I don’t read books that often at all (I have read the manifesto)
What should be the first three books I buy to warm myself up into understanding the theory more in depth compared to quotes, memes, YouTube videos/podcasts etc. (I was thinking maybe a Marx book, Lenin book and a Foucault book? But I have no idea!)
What would your suggestion for your first 3 books
PS I’m also new to the chapo.chat community! I haven’t been a part of a cth community since the original was banned so sorry if it’s in the wrong community!
The woods and malm books are great. I will say nimtz from what I read (did not read the whole thing) wasn't totally convincing.
What are you qualms with Nimtz? Everytime I read one of his works I come away with appreciation for his research and have learned something new.
I think overall he's right mostly about Lenin (if missing some stuff that I think Lars Lih explored better in his work What Is To Be Done: In Context), but more falters at least from what I read in lifting the analysis to current political situations. I think he just did not make a great case on the relationship between absolutist Europe (or rather it and the transition to capitalist republics) and the modern capitalist states as he could have. It's been a long time since I read any of it though.
Side note, I love how Lih's book is essentially "wtf why is everybody still reading this random pamphlet of Lenin's that's only relevant to a very specific situation/critique?!"
Anyway, yeah his modern analysis isn't fantastic, but I think he does a great job of laying out Marx, Engels, and Lenin's views on electoralism and voting, which is the bit I care about.