mlx-community/zer0-books huggingface dataset:
Where the Beast is Buried
by Joanna Rajkowska

The first English-language book about Joanna Rajkowska and her unique practice of work in public space, in extremely diverse cultures and geographies.

Rajkowska’s unique artistic vision and methodology combines subjective narratives and critical discourses with a deeply felt concern for the spaces in which her works appear and the people they touch. Instead of simply invading or occupying public spaces, she blurs the identities and hidden tensions associated with them, navigating around communal dreams and fears. Historical trauma, cultural discourse, aesthetic relevance and geopolitical references all blend in her works in ways which both distress and heal, challenge and resolve, attack and absolve. Rajkowska deals with all these issues on an intuitive level, digging for desires and myths in ways which are not spoken of directly, far from a discursive level which would disrupt the physical and emotional realms involved. Her works resist interpretations which could offer simple solutions to complex problems. Instead, they are conceived of as social utopias to be tested in practice and frameworks for individuals or communities to experience, discuss and give meaning to.

WHERE THE BEAST IS BURIED is the first English-language book about Joanna Rajkowska and her unique practice of work in public space, in extremely diverse cultures and geographies: from Konya in Anatolia, through Warsaw and Berlin up to Curitiba in Brazil. A collection of stories, essays, interviews and images covers her best-known projects. The most intimate insight into them offer her own stories, which form a dramatic enquiry into both the personal and the conceptual roots of her work.

Reviews:
Joanna Rajkowska explores urban spaces and experiential stories. Her concern is with the regeneration of ‘atrophied’ public spaces and their political and social histories. Rajkowska’s art offers new ways of experiencing space and sociality, whether in Berlin, Warsaw, the West Bank, Turkey, Peterborough, London or Copenhagen. She is one of the most significant women creating public art in today’s art world. ~ Maggie Humm
Who Makes the Fash
by Luca Carboni

A compelling analysis of the relationships between fascism, neoliberalism, art and popular culture over the last century, and their contemporary manifestations.

Who makes the Fash is a compelling analysis of the relationships between art and fascism. Originating from the desire of conceptualising an antifascist artistic practice, this book investigates fascism in Italy and its relationships with futurism and neoliberalism.

When seen in a historical context, the aesthetic appeal of the “new”, glamorous fascism is unmasked as a media-sponsored strategy of smoke and mirrors, functional to the preservation of a racist and patriarchal capitalism disguised as anti-systemic and innovative; from CasaPound, to the 5 Star Movement in Italy, to Elon Musk (hopefully soon in space).

What role can the arts have in this scenario? The assumption that this field is a stronghold of the left can not be held true anymore: if as artists we want to counter the making of fascist hegemony, we must embrace a responsibility that goes beyond our practice. This book offers an accessible historical overview, political analysis and a passionate call to radicalise the politics and practices of arts and culture around an outspokenly antifascist praxis.

Reviews:
From Breitbart to the New York Times to Jacobin, the consensus on the international resurgence of the far-right is that it is a cultural movement first, and a political movement second. Here is the first close-up English-language case study of another 'Italian laboratory' than the one we have been shown by the post-Operaist discourse of the recent past: how the cultural politics of Fascism unfolded from the Futurist and Mussolini all the way up to CasaPound and Salvini. Who Makes the Fash is a brilliantly executed genealogy of the Italian far-right from the perspective of cultural struggle, but it goes further, making a case for the importance of partisan activity for artists and cultural workers, lest the tired avowals of liberal subjectivity lead us directly to the gardens of 'CasaWeiwei'. ~ Marina Vishmidt, Goldsmith University, London
“Can art kill fascists?” “Why art of all things?” Two timely questions to be asked to anybody involved in art production and art education with a claim to relevance. Luca Carboni in his incisive book, Who makes the Fash poses them in the context of a carefully constructed case-study called “Italy”, and underpins them by linking local history and actuality to the present hegemony worldwide.

Carboni offers a much-needed antidote to the spectacularization of new fascisms by the neo-liberal media. By doing this he intricately lays bare one of the most painful truths of our time: fascism and neoliberalism are not in opposition, but can function perfectly well side by side. Art can and must confront this uncomfortable reality by firmly taking an anti-fascist stance without ever giving up on the notion of complexity (however tempting). ~ Gabriëlle Schleijpen, artistic director, Head of Program DAI Art Praxis, Arnhem
Who's Afraid of the Easter Rising? 1916-2016
by James Heartfield, Kevin Rooney

One hundred years on from the Rising that set Ireland free, Ireland's leaders in politics and letters are running scared from their history.

One hundred years ago, Easter 1916, Irish revolutionaries rose against the British Empire proclaiming a Republic from the steps of the General Post Office in Dublin. The men and women of the Easter Rising were defeated by the overwhelming force of the British Army, in five days of intense fighting. Their leaders were executed.

But the Easter Rising lit a fire that ended with the whole country turning against Westminster’s rule, and founding a nation.

But today, the heirs to the Irish state are embarrassed about 1916. They are ashamed that their state owes its origins to a revolution. Along with academics and other commentators in the press and on television they dismiss the Rising as the work of violent fanatics, and the defeat of constitutional politics.

Who’s Afraid of the Easter Rising? explains why today’s Dublin elite are recoiling from the origins of their state in a popular struggle.

Where the critics paint the Rising as an armed conspiracy, we explain that it was in fact a revolt against war; not a militaristic upsurge, but the first challenge to the awful slaughter of the First World War.

The Statesmen of Europe sacrificed millions upon the altar of war. Their recruiting sergeants in Ireland, Edward Carson and John Redmond sent 200,000 Irishmen into the slaughter and nearly 50,000 were killed.

The Easter Rising drew a halt to British recruitment, and the blow to the Empire was the first crack in a growing revolt against the war, followed by the Russian Revolution in 1917, and the German revolution the following year – which ended the conflict.

The Easter Rising was an inspiration to those who were challenging the Empires of Europe, from India to Vietnam, from New Zealand to Moscow; it was an inspiration to British activists like John Maclean and Sylvia Pankhurst; and it was an inspiration to the Irish men and women who rose up against British rule to free their nation.

Reviews:
'I recommend this book'

~ Professor Paul Bew
'a penetrating reflection on the controversies surrounding the Dublin revolt of 1916 as its centenary year approaches.'

http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/recalling-the-spirit-of-the-easter-rising/17675#.Vv2EEZwguM9 ~ Michael Fitzpatrick, Spiked Online
'an interesting, valuable and timely short book on the 1916 Easter Rising and how it has been commemorated since 1966. ... a fine account of the Easter Rising and its context'

https://theirishrevolution.wordpress.com/2015/11/25/book-review-whos-afraid-of-the-easter-rising/ ~ Liam Ó Ruairc, The Irish Revolution blog
Why We Love Sociopaths
by Adam Kotsko

Argues that our fascination with cold and ruthless television characters reflects a broken social contract.

Sociopaths are pervasive in contemporary television, from high-brow drama all the way down to cartoons -- and of course the news as well. From the scheming Eric Cartman of South Park to the seductive imposter Don Draper of Mad Men, cold and ruthless characters captivate us, making us wish that we could be so effective and successful. Yet why should we admire characters who get ahead by being amoral and uncaring? In his follow-up to Awkwardness, Adam Kotsko argues that the popularity of the ruthless sociopath reflects our dissatisfaction with a failed social contract, showing that we believe that the world rewards the evil and uncaring rather than the good. By analyzing characters like the serial killer star of Dexter and the cynical Dr. House, Kotsko shows that the fantasy of the sociopath distracts us from our real problems -- but that we still might benefit from being a little more sociopathic.

Reviews:
amusing thoughts on the true meaning of Homer Simpson ~ Lucy Steigerwald, Reason Magazine US
What is it about our society, which makes sociopaths, i.e., the kind of ruthless individuals who make their own rules, so appealing? With his usual acuity, Adam Kotsko gives an analysis of contemporary TV shows (South Park, Mad Men, The Wire, etc.) to make the case that depictions of social disconnection are especially seductive at a time when our own society has become ever more destructive and amoral. Kotsko provokes us in suggesting how we might combine and reshape several features of the television sociopath, so that we might break the hold of the societal norms prevalent in late capitalism.

~ Lars Lyer, Author of the novel Spurious
Why Young People Don’t Vote
by Mitchell Agg

Why don't young people vote? Through four main reasons, Mitchell helps us answer this question as well as giving some solutions.

Why don't young people vote? It's a question that has been asked by pollsters for years. The 18- to 24-year-old demographic records the lowest voter turnout at elections and it doesn't look to be showing signs of stopping. Being one of this demographic, Mitchell Agg looks into this question and tries to shed light on why his peers don't enter polling stations on election day. Through four main reasons, Mitchell helps us answer this question as well as giving some solutions.

Reviews:
World of Failing Machines, The
by Grant Hamilton

How speculative realism impacts the art of literary criticism.

The World of Failing Machines offers the first full-length discussion of the relationship between speculative realism and literary criticism. In identifying some of the most significant coordinates of speculative-realist thought, this book asks what the implications might be for the study of literature. It is argued that the first casualty might well be the form of the traditional essay.

Reviews:
It is rare that one can claim a truly groundbreaking approach to critical theory but this book has all the ingredients. What you hold in your hands is a lively and accessible discourse on reading and (literary) writing that cuts through the obfuscation to reveal a really new approach. ~ Bill Ashcroft, Professor of English Literature, UNSW
“Unputdownable! This book has enlarged my mind!” ~ Cha: An Asian Literary Journal
“What kind of existence do objects have, separate from our subjective interpretations of them? This is the provocative and controversial question posed by OOO and speculative realism, and in this book Grant Hamilton is the first to apply it to the most powerful and captivating of all objects: the book. What kind of object is a literary text and what existence can it have, independent of our subjective readings? Hamilton’s analysis is as fascinating as this question and the powerful little object that is this book takes on a life of its own, throwing open existing ideas of reader and text and re-interrogating theories of meaning.” ~ Hong Kong Review of Books
Writing Urban Space
by Liam Murray Bell, Gavin Goodwin

A collection of essays that explore the relationship between imaginative writing and the built environment.

From William Blake through to Iain Sinclair, literature has sought to engage with and transform urban space. Architects now seek the input of poets, and storytelling is employed in urban regeneration. Writing Urban Space investigates this relationship between imaginative writing and the built environment.

Reviews:
Youth Group
by Lance Aksamit

Following the life of a missionary kid as he traverses the bizarre world of Evangelicalism, Youth Group explores how and why the Evangelical church didn’t simply jump into bed with but became Christian Nationalists.

The aughts was a strange era for everyone. America finally filled that hammer-and-sickle-size hole in its heart with turbans and beards. High schoolers went from wearing JNCO denim tents to hermetically sealed Jeggings. And someone declared war on Christmas.

Youth Group: Coming of age in the church of Christian nationalism follows the life of a missionary kid as he traverses the bizarre world of anti-masturbation purity groups, CD immolation parties, the culture wars, and an occasional exorcism. Author Lance Aksamit explores how and why the Evangelical church didn’t simply jump into bed with but became Christian Nationalists.

Reviews:
Youth Group: Coming of Age in the Church of Christian Nationalism is a book that effortlessly blends hilarious personal experiences with serious examination of both the author's motives and the movement in which he was born. People who weren't born and raised in extremist religious movements often find it difficult to understand how totally serious the leaders and followers are about their beliefs. Memoirs like Lance's are a great way to open their eyes. The fight for pluralism and tolerance begins by understanding what their opponents actually think.

~ Matthew Sheffield, former Mormon and founder of Flux.community
Zeitgeist Nostalgia
by Alessandro Gandini

The society constructed upon work has collapsed. The answer? Nostalgia.

We live an age of nostalgia, incarnated by populist fantasies of “taking back control” and making nations “great again". In the long aftermath of the 2007-08 economic crisis, nostalgia has been established as the cultural zeitgeist of Western society. Populist fantasies of nostalgia represent a cry for help against the demise of the societal model of the postwar era, based on stable employment and mass consumption. The promise of an impossible return to the 'good life' of the 20th century, Gandini contends, particularly appeals to the older generations, who are incapable of making sense of the evolution of Western societies after decades of globalization and neoliberal policies. The younger generations, in the meantime, are instead trying to build a new 'good life' based on another form of return, this time to old practices of craft production and consumption.

Reviews:
I highly recommend Zeitgeist Nostalgia to those with an interest in culture, history, politics, and economics. Gandini has filled the pages with thoughtful social critique backed by plenty of research and anecdotal examples of what he is discussing. Particularly in light of the radical divide between the values of older and younger generations, this book is helpful in understanding how we’ve gotten to this place as a society.

~ Alanna Kali musingmystical.com, Review
From Trump's backward-looking promise to "make America great again" to the hipster's fondness for a pre-industrial age of craft, nostalgia saturates our world. Gandini's book is a remarkable and insightful guide to this phenomenon, laying out the deep roots of its origins and setting out the contours of its limits. ~ Nick Srnicek, co-author of Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work
Nostalgia has become a pivotal driver in politics, work and consumption, but the role it plays is complex. This book is the most insightful and accessible treatment of this important topic that I have read. A key text for understanding contemporary modernity. ~ Giana M. Eckhardt, Professor of Marketing, Royal Holloway University of London
An essential map for anyone seeking to navigate a time that is thoroughly out of joint. Gandini steers us through the rear-view fantasies of contemporary populist politics, the retro-artisanal imaginaries of consumption and work in the Hipster economy, and the spectre of Marx animating techno-utopian dreams of a fully-automated luxury communism. The result is enlightening and unsettling in equal measures. ~ Chris Land, Professor of Work and Organization, Anglia Ruskin University
Agree or disagree with its rangy, punchy takes spanning Brexit, hipsterdom, Trump, postcapitalism and the world of work, Gandini's page-turner is a a pacy and accessible primer to some of the central cultural, political and economic dynamics of our time and the possible futures that lie ahead. ~ Frederick Harry Pitts, Lecturer in Management, University of Bristol and co-editor of Futures of Work
— —
by Wade Parrish

A City where the light has never been.

- - is a blank city.

There’s a sick glow to the clouds, and it always seems to be raining here even when it isn’t. Only sad and wounded people live here anymore. They are homeless in their apartments. They are unemployed at their jobs. They are widows in their marriage beds and celibates in amours and loners with many friends because - - is a sad city, full of sad and lonely people.

I can’t say very much about myself now, only that we have known each other before and for a very short, very slight while. We had a class together and I grew up down the block and our mothers say hello still from time to time in the aisles of a grocery store somewhere north of Tampa. Somewhere deep in Maryland. Somewhere down in Solano County. Somewhere out where the winds never seem to change and the days tick by like cars on a beltway. Things have not worked out for me in life as they may have for you. I have seen your visions of this world flickering on the outsides of my eyelids for a very long time and now and for many other reasons, I cannot stand to see them anymore.

Reviews:
Sprinkled with endless amounts of surrealism and peculiarly curious observations, at times ― ―: A Novel comes across as it we are ourselves wafting gently through a dreamlike state, guiding by the aforementioned voice of the narrator; who, at all times, tells the story their way (one assumes, no matter what they see or come across).

Written during the pandemic, the book has a feeling, and ebb and flow to it, a claustrophobic element to it, if you will, that we have all, one way or another, experienced ourselves over the past two years or so. ~ Anne Carlini, Exclusive Magazine