Martin Empson
@resolutereader.bsky.social
One man's odyssey through the world of books. Author of 'Land & Labour', 'Kill All the Gentlemen', 'Socialism or Extinction', "The Time of the Harvest has Come!" Interested in Marxism, history, ecology, revolution. SWP.
Prince William's PR team misjudged it badly in releasing this photo due to the carbon emitted by his flight to the #COP30 climate talks. But if William contributes nothing to the talks, the 1000s of fossil fuel industry "delegates" hanging around Belem actively destroy them.
November 8, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Prince William's PR team misjudged it badly in releasing this photo due to the carbon emitted by his flight to the #COP30 climate talks. But if William contributes nothing to the talks, the 1000s of fossil fuel industry "delegates" hanging around Belem actively destroy them.
Tonight's viewing was one of the best Spaghetti Westerns, and one of the best films about revolution: A Bullet for the General. Gian Maria Volontè and Lou Castel are fantastic.
November 8, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Tonight's viewing was one of the best Spaghetti Westerns, and one of the best films about revolution: A Bullet for the General. Gian Maria Volontè and Lou Castel are fantastic.
Hey Labour Party! What to guess who's really "let voters down"?
November 7, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Hey Labour Party! What to guess who's really "let voters down"?
Clara Zetkin's closing words from her report on fascism to the Comintern in 1923 remain inspiring today. From @haymarketbooks.org's Fighting Fascism
October 25, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Clara Zetkin's closing words from her report on fascism to the Comintern in 1923 remain inspiring today. From @haymarketbooks.org's Fighting Fascism
It's always DNS
October 20, 2025 at 9:38 AM
It's always DNS
British state set to undo the Reformation.
October 17, 2025 at 2:10 PM
British state set to undo the Reformation.
Over the last few nights we've watched How the West Was Won. America, the frontier and manifest destiny in Cinerama. Some good scenes, but its a very dated narrative.
October 16, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Over the last few nights we've watched How the West Was Won. America, the frontier and manifest destiny in Cinerama. Some good scenes, but its a very dated narrative.
Who else has read this story before?
October 12, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Who else has read this story before?
My friend and comrade Geoff Brown is doing a Manchester launch of his amazing People's History of the Anti Nazi League on 1 November, at the Marxism in a Day event. More info and booking here bit.ly/MancMarx
October 9, 2025 at 8:02 AM
My friend and comrade Geoff Brown is doing a Manchester launch of his amazing People's History of the Anti Nazi League on 1 November, at the Marxism in a Day event. More info and booking here bit.ly/MancMarx
I've been busy organising for a Manchester Climate Justice march and rally on Sat 15 Nov, 1.30pm. Here's the graphic, with support from local environmental groups and trade unions.
October 6, 2025 at 9:40 PM
I've been busy organising for a Manchester Climate Justice march and rally on Sat 15 Nov, 1.30pm. Here's the graphic, with support from local environmental groups and trade unions.
My latest book review looks at @nicolawriting.bsky.social's wonderful "Ghosts of the Farm". It tells the story of Julia White, a woman farmer in the 1940s, together with Nicola's own story and ponders land, gender, politics and much more. Read it.
resolutereader.blogspot.com/2025/10/nico...
resolutereader.blogspot.com/2025/10/nico...
October 3, 2025 at 5:46 PM
My latest book review looks at @nicolawriting.bsky.social's wonderful "Ghosts of the Farm". It tells the story of Julia White, a woman farmer in the 1940s, together with Nicola's own story and ponders land, gender, politics and much more. Read it.
resolutereader.blogspot.com/2025/10/nico...
resolutereader.blogspot.com/2025/10/nico...
I think the left should return to describing the likes of Starmer as "criminals of yellow social democracy" as in this Leon Trotsky quote from January 1919.
October 2, 2025 at 9:51 PM
I think the left should return to describing the likes of Starmer as "criminals of yellow social democracy" as in this Leon Trotsky quote from January 1919.
Why are any of you still in the Labour Party?
October 1, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Why are any of you still in the Labour Party?
"Vietnam: The (last) war the US lost" by Joe Allen. My review of an interesting book that explores the nature of the US antiwar movement and why US imperialism was defeated in Vietnam. Much of relevance for today resolutereader.blogspot.com/2025/09/joe-...
September 28, 2025 at 5:58 PM
"Vietnam: The (last) war the US lost" by Joe Allen. My review of an interesting book that explores the nature of the US antiwar movement and why US imperialism was defeated in Vietnam. Much of relevance for today resolutereader.blogspot.com/2025/09/joe-...
Tonight's film was Akira Kurosawa's Ran (1985), a stunning film visually, full of clever set pieces, but shaped by remarkable character acting and inspiring use of Shakespeare. King Lear will never be the same.
September 26, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Tonight's film was Akira Kurosawa's Ran (1985), a stunning film visually, full of clever set pieces, but shaped by remarkable character acting and inspiring use of Shakespeare. King Lear will never be the same.
Here's the current altarpiece in the church at Mühlhausen. This is a replacement for the one destroyed in 1525, but the space is where Thomas Müntzer preached from, and where he would have spoken at before leading the rebels towards Frankenhausen in May 1525.
September 26, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Here's the current altarpiece in the church at Mühlhausen. This is a replacement for the one destroyed in 1525, but the space is where Thomas Müntzer preached from, and where he would have spoken at before leading the rebels towards Frankenhausen in May 1525.
Operation Paperclip, from 1944 to 1959, took over 1500 German scientists, including the Nazi Werner von Braun to the US to launch the American Space Programme.
September 24, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Operation Paperclip, from 1944 to 1959, took over 1500 German scientists, including the Nazi Werner von Braun to the US to launch the American Space Programme.
In January 1986 seven astronauts were killed when the space shuttle Challenger exploded. The story of the corporate and bureaucratic failures that led to this tragedy is brilliantly told in Andy Higginbotham's brilliant book Challenger. My review
resolutereader.blogspot.com/2025/09/adam...
resolutereader.blogspot.com/2025/09/adam...
September 23, 2025 at 5:28 PM
In January 1986 seven astronauts were killed when the space shuttle Challenger exploded. The story of the corporate and bureaucratic failures that led to this tragedy is brilliantly told in Andy Higginbotham's brilliant book Challenger. My review
resolutereader.blogspot.com/2025/09/adam...
resolutereader.blogspot.com/2025/09/adam...
What's the best way to celebrate the Christmas season, a period of the Christian calendar dedicated to peace and kindness towards everyone?
Capitalism: Let's sell people an advent calendar of model tanks.
Capitalism: Let's sell people an advent calendar of model tanks.
September 22, 2025 at 6:12 PM
What's the best way to celebrate the Christmas season, a period of the Christian calendar dedicated to peace and kindness towards everyone?
Capitalism: Let's sell people an advent calendar of model tanks.
Capitalism: Let's sell people an advent calendar of model tanks.
My latest review looks at a collection of essays on Thomas Mützer and the German Peasants' War from a special edition of History of the Present journal resolutereader.blogspot.com/2025/09/lore...
@brianconnolly.bsky.social
@brianconnolly.bsky.social
September 21, 2025 at 12:17 PM
My latest review looks at a collection of essays on Thomas Mützer and the German Peasants' War from a special edition of History of the Present journal resolutereader.blogspot.com/2025/09/lore...
@brianconnolly.bsky.social
@brianconnolly.bsky.social
Marching for climate justice today
September 20, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Marching for climate justice today
There are 2883 food banks in the UK
September 17, 2025 at 9:02 PM
There are 2883 food banks in the UK
Funny how there is no money for disabled people or those struggling on low pay, but we can give a bigoted US President a banquet costing £10,000s.
September 17, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Funny how there is no money for disabled people or those struggling on low pay, but we can give a bigoted US President a banquet costing £10,000s.
I was interviewed by @Bread_Rosaries podcast about my book on the German Peasants' War. We discussed religion & rebellion in some depth. Listen on most podcast platforms such as podcastaddict.com/bread-and-ro...
Watch on Youtube youtu.be/4cEqdBTj21Y?... Also see below to win a book
Watch on Youtube youtu.be/4cEqdBTj21Y?... Also see below to win a book
September 15, 2025 at 8:46 AM
I was interviewed by @Bread_Rosaries podcast about my book on the German Peasants' War. We discussed religion & rebellion in some depth. Listen on most podcast platforms such as podcastaddict.com/bread-and-ro...
Watch on Youtube youtu.be/4cEqdBTj21Y?... Also see below to win a book
Watch on Youtube youtu.be/4cEqdBTj21Y?... Also see below to win a book
In 1942 in Memphis, TN, USA, 75% of Black residents polled thought they would be better off if Japan won. Though the number fell to 55% when interviewed by a white person.
September 14, 2025 at 4:00 PM
In 1942 in Memphis, TN, USA, 75% of Black residents polled thought they would be better off if Japan won. Though the number fell to 55% when interviewed by a white person.