Author Description
In this safari into satire and the wilds of the half truth and the truth and a half, Armour romps through Communism from beginning to end, or as near the end as it was at the time of writing. With prize specimens like Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, and Khrushchev to operate on, Doctor Armour dissects the Comrades with glee and a sharp pen. There are laughs aplenty as Armour, proving that the pun is mightier than the sword, makes capital of Das Kapital, describes the orgies of the Orgburo, and leads his happy fans through revolutions, counterrevolutions, and counter counterrevolutions. For extra fun, he makes a few uninhibited explorations into the communist world of atheism and free love. Although Richard Armour is best known to the public as a humorist, his remarkably varied career has a serious side as well: a PhD from Harvard, Professor of English at Scripps College and Claremont Graduate School in California, with eighteen books to his credit including a number of scholarly works, some 4,000 published poems, and hundreds of articles and reviews in more than eighty magazines in England and America.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the history of Communism through a lens of satire and wordplay to demystify its key figures and ideological shifts. Richard Armour, a scholar with a PhD from Harvard and a background as a professor of English, utilizes his academic expertise to deconstruct the serious subject matter of political history. By applying a humorous framework to the lives of figures like Marx, Lenin, and Stalin, he aims to make complex political developments accessible and entertaining for a general audience.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Biographical sketches of major Communist leaders including Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, and Khrushchev
- A chronological overview of revolutionary and counter-revolutionary movements
- Exploration of ideological themes such as atheism and social structures within the Communist world
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a comprehensive or objective political analysis of Communist theory
- The narrative concludes at the time of the book's original publication, omitting later historical developments
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Readers frequently note that the book serves as a lighthearted introduction to political history rather than a rigorous academic text. Experts highlight the author's ability to balance his scholarly credentials with a distinctively playful and pun-heavy prose style.
Page Count:
105
Publication Date:
1958-01-01
Publisher:
McGraw-Hill
ISBN-10:
0070022542
ISBN-13:
9780070022546
History
Humor
Satire
Politics & Social Sciences
New Used & Rental Textbooks
Politics & Government
Communism