A Theory Reading List

[Beats & Pieces]

Critique of Instrumental Reason - Max Horkheimer

 

[chilango]

Any "must haves" from likes of Althusser, Adorno, Marcuse, Laclau etc.?

I'd be tempted to stick Bourdieu's Distinction there, but as I've not exactly read it cover to cover it'd be a bit disingenuous!

Any pomo stuff make it into a shortlist?

 

[Beats & Pieces]

Dialectic Of Enlightenment - Horkheimer & Adorno

 

[JimW]

Clearly a revolutionary subtext to the title there too.

 

[danny la rouge]

Any "must haves" from likes of Althusser, Adorno, Marcuse, Laclau etc.?

I'd be tempted to stick Bourdieu's Distinction there, but as I've not exactly read it cover to cover it'd be a bit disingenuous!

Well, One Dimensional Man (Marcuse) is a must for wider reading, but it's not going on my daughters' capsule shelf. Adorno not so much, not because I don't like his ideas, but because I think you're better with posthumous collections of essays like "The Culture Industry". (But he's wrong about jazz).

 

[chilango]

Barthes' Mythologies was quite good. But, again, wouldn't make the shortlist.

 

[Idris2002]

Barthes' Mythologies was quite good. But, again, wouldn't make the shortlist.

Before you read any theory stuff you need to read Thompson's The Poverty of Theory.

 

[sunnysidedown]

For something published recently, Peter Harrisons’ The Freedom of Things is a must read imo.

 

[Beats & Pieces]

The Politics of Aesthetics - Jacques Ranciere

 

[Smokeandsteam]

Seminal, readable and essential to understand that the working class was present at its own making

 

[Beats & Pieces]

Well, One Dimensional Man (Marcuse) is a must for wider reading, but it's not going on my daughters' capsule shelf. Adorno not so much, not because I don't like his ideas, but because I think you're better with posthumous collections of essays like "The Culture Industry". (But he's wrong about jazz).

'Wrong' meaning a racist cunt?

 

[butchersapron]

Well, One Dimensional Man (Marcuse) is a must for wider reading, but it's not going on my daughters' capsule shelf. Adorno not so much, not because I don't like his ideas, but because I think you're better with posthumous collections of essays like "The Culture Industry". (But he's wrong about jazz).

Well, One Dimensional Man (Marcuse) is a must for wider reading, but it's not going on my daughters' capsule shelf. Adorno not so much, not because I don't like his ideas, but because I think you're better with posthumous collections of essays like "The Culture Industry". (But he's wrong about jazz).

Have you read Anti-Music: Jazz and Racial Blackness in German Thought Between the Wars by Mark Christian Thompson? There's a chapter that makes clear that Adorno's understanding of what jazz was was based on a very limited understanding centred on a few shitty german bands. Like understanding folk or country music through listening to post-adge wurzels (interesting on the nazi adoption of jazz as well - rather than the usual swing kids liked it, nazis must be against etc narrative). This, of course, throws the whole idea of culture industry into serious doubt.

(Can do you a copy if you like.)

 

[danny la rouge]

Have you read Anti-Music: Jazz and Racial Blackness in German Thought Between the Wars by Mark Christian Thompson? There's a chapter that makes clear that Adorno's understanding of what jazz was was based on a very limited understanding centred on a few shitty german bands. Like understanding folk or country music through listening to post-adge wurzels (interesting on the nazi adoption of jazz as well - rather than the usual swing kids liked it, nazis must be against etc narrative). This, of course, throws the whole idea of culture industry into serious doubt.

(Can do you a copy if you like.)

No, I've not read that. I didn't know of it. Although I do have Kafka's Blues on my to buy list, after reading a review that intrigued me.

 

[danny la rouge]

'Wrong' meaning a racist cunt?

Is this the Miriam Hansen line? An introduction to one of my Adorno books makes reference to it.

Just searched for the source and [edit. was on my phone so cocked up]

 

[JuanTwoThree]

http://waysofseeingwaysofseeing.com/ways-of-seeing-john-berger-5.7.pdf

This was quite the thing in its day. I'm not sure if it's aged well.

 

[danny la rouge]

http://waysofseeingwaysofseeing.com/ways-of-seeing-john-berger-5.7.pdf

This was quite the thing in its day. I'm not sure if it's aged well.

I think it has. I lent my copy to my elder daughter, who loved it.

I wish they'd repeat the TV series. (I'd like to have it on DVD, although I understand the copyrights needed for all the images used makes that unlikely).

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Have you read Anti-Music: Jazz and Racial Blackness in German Thought Between the Wars by Mark Christian Thompson? There's a chapter that makes clear that Adorno's understanding of what jazz was was based on a very limited understanding centred on a few shitty german bands. Like understanding folk or country music through listening to post-adge wurzels (interesting on the nazi adoption of jazz as well - rather than the usual swing kids liked it, nazis must be against etc narrative). This, of course, throws the whole idea of culture industry into serious doubt.

(Can do you a copy if you like.)

Ben Watson inevitably goes into this quite a lot in his "Adorno For Revolutionaries". It's "jazz" as a shorthand for the worst aspects of the "culture industry". Not proper marxist jazz like what Watson likes.

(Also the British Union of Fascists had some of its own jazz bands.)

 

[Santino]

I think it has. I lent my copy to my elder daughter, who loved it.

I wish they'd repeat the TV series. (I'd like to have it on DVD, although I understand the copyrights needed for all the images used makes that unlikely).

Kenneth Clark's Civilisation is available on DVD and was on iPlayer recently, so I don't think that can be too much of an obstacle. I think it's possible that the TV series just hasn't held up very well.

 

[danny la rouge]

Kenneth Clark's Civilisation is available on DVD and was on iPlayer recently, so I don't think that can be too much of an obstacle. I think it's possible that the TV series just hasn't held up very well.

The Berger makes use of a lot of popular culture images, though: adverts and TV. Civilisation doesn't: it's all statues, cathedrals and art galleries.

 

[Beats & Pieces]

Is this the Miriam Hansen line? An introduction to one of my Adorno books makes reference to it.

Just searched for the source and [edit. was on my phone so cocked up]

No, my reading.

 

[danny la rouge]

No, my reading.

Then we disagree. I find no evidence that he doesn't take jazz seriously because he sees it as a black form. (Which I presume is what you mean).

 

[Beats & Pieces]

Then we disagree. I find no evidence that he doesn't take jazz seriously because he sees it as a black form. (Which I presume is what you mean).

Your presumption is your subjective position. Post up a link to the original essay and then let folks decide.

 

[Santino]

Your presumption is your subjective position. Post up a link to the original essay and then let folks decide.

You could clear up any presumption about what you mean by typing out what you mean.

 

[Beats & Pieces]

You could clear up any presumption about what you mean by typing out what you mean.

Or you could read the essay and determine what you think?

 

[Arbeter Fraynd]

View attachment 135164

I used to recommend this years ago, but frankly I haven't read it for decades and I seem to remember I had some historical reservations but I can't remember exactly what.

found that randomly in my teens and it had a massive influence on me. Shame he turned into a bit of a wanker later in life...

 

[Beats & Pieces]

http://www.verlaine.pro.br/txt/adorno-on-jazz.pdf

 

[Beats & Pieces]

Have you read Anti-Music: Jazz and Racial Blackness in German Thought Between the Wars by Mark Christian Thompson? There's a chapter that makes clear that Adorno's understanding of what jazz was was based on a very limited understanding centred on a few shitty german bands. Like understanding folk or country music through listening to post-adge wurzels (interesting on the nazi adoption of jazz as well - rather than the usual swing kids liked it, nazis must be against etc narrative). This, of course, throws the whole idea of culture industry into serious doubt.

(Can do you a copy if you like.)

You can be racist as long as we like you.

 

[danny la rouge]

It'd be nice to get this thread back on track now that Beats & Pieces' bizarre diversions are over.

To recap: what are the 5 or 6 essential classics (Not too dense or opaque)?

 

[tedsplitter]

Capital vol 1

Always put it off, and still haven't finished it, but definitely feel more like I understand some deep fundamentals of how everything works since I started reading it. The effort is rewarded. Still go with the Manifesto for snappy basics though.
Engels' Origin of the Family would also go on my essentials list, and I wish he'd got around to finishing Dialectics of Nature cos parts of that are just stunning, fer instance the Part Played by Labour in the Transition from Ape to Man.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

It'd be nice to get this thread back on track now that Beats & Pieces' bizarre diversions are over.

To recap: what are the 5 or 6 essential classics (Not too dense or opaque)?

I agree. It would be good if we could tidy this thread up now, develop a list and then add to it.