[.ca] Marx in Soho: A Play on History (ISBN 0896085937)

From Amazon.com:
The conceit of this one-man play by historian Howard Zinn is that Karl Marx has been brought back to life--but, through a bureaucratic mix-up, winds up not in the Soho district of London where he lived and worked in the 19th century, but the modern-day SoHo district of New York City. Mostly, Marx takes the opportunity to point out to the audience how the predictions of his economic theory have come to pass: "Did I not say, a hundred and fifty years ago, that capitalism would enormously increase the wealth of society, but that this wealth would be concentrated in fewer and fewer hands?" But Zinn also sheds some light on the relationships between Marx and his wife, Jenny, and daughter, Eleanor. Slim and curious, but with an entertaining touch.

Witty and Enjoyable : Zinn and Marx together!:
AH! In typical Zinn fashion, "Marx in Soho" is a joy to read, especially for those of us who are already familiar with Marx. I would not recommend this book as "the first book on Marx" - but rather as a definite book to be included in any collection on Marx or on socialism, and, especially, in any collection of Zinn's brilliant and empowering works. The one-man play is also a true pleasure to watch!

Might make a good educational resource.:
In the introduction to "Marx in Soho," Howard Zinn says that he "wrote the play at a time when the collapse of the Soviet Union brought an almost universal exultation in the mainstream press and among political leaders: not only was Marxism gone, but the ideas of Marxism were discredited." So Zinn wrote this play in which he sets out to show that "Marx's critique of capitalism remains fundamentally true in our time." In order to do this, Zinn invents a scenario in which Karl Marx is inexplicably returned to the land of the living (and to contemporary New York, no less) to defend his theories, reflect on his life, tell a few stories, and occasionally just talk. If this sounds like a weird way to defend Marxism, it is. But it does allow a passionate and excited (though fictional) Marx to talk to us directly in a more conversational and less academic or inflammatory manner. And while Zinn was bending the rules of time and history, he decided he'd go ahead and submit Marx's idea to an anarchist critique as well, and wrote in an account of a fictional night of drinking with Bakunin. This allows for what Zinn calls "a dialectic of opposing viewpoints," but interestingly so in a one-man play. The play humanizes Marx a little by spending time on Marx's family relationships. Stylistically speaking, this play clearly has its weaknesses. A lack of interaction (there's only one character!) makes the dialogue the only show in town, so to speak, and thus puts a lot of weight on not-too-strong shoulders (Zinn's dialogue writing didn't wow me). And there are some really awkward stabs at humor. Those things said, I only read the play, and maybe I'd be surprised at how well this comes off in the hands of the right director. But what this play does succeed in doing is offering a succinct and engaging summary and interpretation of the writings and ideas of Karl Marx, and encourages further reading (even pointing the reader in the right direction at the end of the script). Myself, after finishing this I marched straight to the bookstore and picked up "The Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts," which I'd have to say I've gotten a lot out of and, dare I say it, even enjoyed.

Marxalogue:
ZInn is an extrordinary researcher/writer. One cannot merely breeze thru his work, along the way past the prologue, he/she gets absorbed - becomes part of the history. in marx in soho - zinn takes a somewhat fictional attempt at bringing out Marx in a contemporary society. The monologue is short enough to breeze thru on an hour bus ride - that's how i read it.

An amusing work by Professor Zinn:
A very good book for those of us who have taken the time to study Marx independently or outside of mainstream academia. For others,it may not be as clear or amusing. However you can't blame the noted Professor for other people's shortcomings. Altogether a fine work - sort of an insider's play. Bravo Professore. Thank You for Marx's resurrection!!

A Pathetic Defense of a Failed Dream:
In his foreword, Zinn makes a blanket claim regarding what he sees as a fundamental truth endemic to Capitalism: that it is unfair and beneficial only to the wealthy. Fair enough. What is likewise unfair-as well as disingenuous-is his rejection of any of the problems that are of a similarly endemic nature with regard to Marxism, Socialism, and virtually every other leftist ism. Indeed, this author's refusal to recognize how the Stalinist states he so roundly condemns are not aberrations, but merely the natural result of a skewed utopian vision that seeks, in all of its manifestations, to overwhelm and supersede virtually every sane human achievement-at whatever the cost. Whether Zinn likes to admit it or not, his beloved Marxism is, by its very nature, incompatible with established order, decency, and human happiness. From a historian who lived through virtually the whole of a tumultuous century, one might have had reason to expect common sense as opposed blind adherence to the failed ideological construct he acquired in his youth. Of all the shortcomings this book possesses (and they are many), the stubborn credulousness of its author is perhaps the most difficult to accept. In the end, to describe this work as merely pathetic is to waste words by stating the obvious. This is a screed for ingrates and malcontents only. For everyone else, I am sure you can think of something better to do.