The Communist Manifesto: A Graphic Novel

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"A spectre is haunting Europe - the spectre of Communism". Published in 1848, at a time of political upheaval in Europe, Karl Marx and Frederik Engels' Manifesto for the Communist Party was at once a powerful critique of capitalism and a radical call to arms. It remains the most incisive introduction to the ideas of Communism and the most lucid explanation of its aims. Much of what Marx and Engels' proposed - a state education system, a progressive income tax, the nationalisation of banks - would continue to be at the heart of political debate into the 21st century. It is no surprise, perhaps, that The Communist Manifesto (as it was later renamed) is the second best-selling book of all time, surpassed only by The Bible.The Guardian's editorial cartoonist Martin Rowson employs his trademark draughtsmanship and wit to this lively graphic novel adaptation of Marx and Engels' revolutionary pamphlet. Published to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth, at a time of deep mistrust in The Establishment, The Communist Manifesto is both a timely reminder of the politics of hope and a thought-provoking guide to the most influential work of political theory ever published. "Rowson's cartoons of the current era are sickly yet lusty blooms sprouting from the filled-in grave of late capitalism." - Will Self"The words of The Communist Manifesto flare like the fiery writing on the wall above the crumbling bastions of capitalist society: socialism or barbarism!" - Rosa Luxemburg

Reviews

...a jauntily irreverent but fundamentally serious take on a vastly influential political work. Publishers Weekly
The Manifestos always been a rather easy read and Rowsons adaptation makes it even more accessible, but the graphic novel also serves as an all-too-timely reminder of just what kind of world were living in today. -- Gizmodo
An excellent overview of Marxism, a brilliant critique of capitalism, and a fine example of political cartooning that will be of interest to high school and university audiences. Highly recommended. -- Library Journal online
As a literary work, the illustrations do justice to the marvelously compressed, yet sweeping, literary quality of Marxs verbal imagery -- Boing Boing

Author Bio

Martin Rowson is a multi-award winning cartoonist and writer whose work has appeared regularly over the past 30 years in The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Mirror, The Independent on Sunday, The Irish Times, Time Out, Tribune, The Spectator, The New Statesman, Morning Star, The Daily Express and many other papers & periodicals. His books include graphic novelisations of The Waste Land, Tristram Shandy and Gulliver's Travels while Stuff, his memoir about clearing out his late parents' house, was long listed for the 2007 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction. Formerly Ken Livingstone's Cartoonist Laureate for London (in return for one pint of London Pride ale per annum, still 6 years in arrears), Rowson is also the vice-president of the Zoological Society of London. He and his wife live in south-east London and have two children in their 20s who drop round occasionally.