No Way Left
By | Aug 24, 2007
This new book by Chris Trotter was released on August 18th.
Description of the Book
The way some histories tell it, Europeans came to New Zealand keen to establish a Little Britain in the South Seas. Not so, says Chris Trotter. Most nineteenth century immigrants wanted something better than the misery and oppression of the world they had left, and Trotter reveals just how close they and their descendants came to building a new one. On each occasion, however, their achievements were resisted, and ultimately overturned, by those who saw New Zealand simply as a source of profits. Trotter pulls no punches in describing the methods these partisans of profit used to ensure there was no Left turn: jamming radio broadcasts, political arson - even murder. From Massey’s Cossacks to Muldoon’s riot squads; violence and repression have been the Right’s weapons - not the Left’s. Charting the evolution of New Zealand’s unique brand of democratic socialism, Trotter offers insightful and often surprising verdicts on the leading participants, including John A Lee, Peter Fraser, Fintan Patrick Walsh, David Lange and Helen Clark. Passionately argued, infused with poetic imagery and comprehensively researched, No Left Turn is a unique and indispensable contribution to our political and social history - an inspiration for anyone who puts money second and people first, and a deliberate provocation to everyone else.
REVIEW WILL BE FORTHCOMING NEXT WEEK.
Author Bio
Chris Trotter is one of New Zealand’s leading political commentators, and regularly appears on radio and television as well as having long-running colunns in the Independent Business Review and the Dominion-Post. He is also editor of the current affairs magazine Political Review,which he founded with the late Bruce Jesson. He lives in Auckland.
ISBN: 1869418093 Imprint: RH NZ
EAN/ISBN-13: 9781869418090 Subject: History
Price: $36.99 Format: Trade Paperback
Release: 17-08-2007
Source: Random House
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Comments
Simon Boyce
August 28th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
Trotter has not published Political Review in years, and now writes exclusively for a business audience. Although the book may seem left-wing, it actually relies on quotes from elite historians, most centre-right, and his own experience in the ‘labour movement’. He also ignores recent historical research by younger historians, so his views on Nash’s financial policy and state housing in Naenae are outdated. Nor does he refer to any articles published in Political Review. In fact, all the quotes come from friends or elite authors who also secured commercial book contracts. They used to call this a ‘contradiction’.
Ant
August 28th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
The text in the article above, as indicated, comes from the publishers. However, I’m interested to know what constitutes an ‘elite author’ as opposed to, I guess, a ‘non-elite author’?
Simon Boyce
August 29th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
re: ‘elite authors’
For those who have approached commercial book publishers, the first thing they want to know is if the author is already well-known, or an academic. Academics can guarantee a certain level of sales over time for obvious reasons. The only other way of getting a non-fiction book published is if the author can arrange a public subsidy, and this requires being well-connected. By ‘elite authors’ therefore, I mean those authors who are already public figures, have academic status, or are otherwise well-connected. These authors only tend to refer to the work of others in this category, irrespective of ideological view.
Nick
September 10th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
Having just read Trotters book a number of points should be noted. First as Simon Boyce notes Trotters quotes come from a broad political spectrum. Not a problem, this only tends to enhance Trotters analysis of events whilst leaving it open to the reader to decide for themselves. Second the non inclusion of more recent historians views is not necessarily bad. For example Niall Fergusson in reinterpreting events from a neo conservative perspective has no issue with the vintage of quotes from Adam Smith, or Marx. And he can be convincing in the same way Trotter is from an opposite position. Last, the ‘contradictions” and the securing of a publishing contract with the anti capitalist viewpoint of the book consists one of those systemic issues called “damned if you do, damned if you dont”. To get to his audience Trotter has no other option than to use the accursed presses of his capitalist oppressors. A good read.