6 DOWN: “….. Press, publishers associated with leftwing theoretical works (5)”

The clue is in the title. We don’t want to give anything away, but 6 down in the Guardian Weekend supplement’s General Knowledge Crossword on Saturday was a nice easy one for us. There were lots of literary references in this week’s edition, and nestled among the hints for James Bond and Jane Austen was one clue that struck very close to home.

Anyway, we’ve scanned and uploaded it, in case anyone missed it and wants to have a go. No prizes for this one, as the answers were in the same magazine – so it’s just a bit of fun for a Saturday morning/Tuesday lunchtime.

 Click here for the answers.

Pluto Press TOP5s: Israel/Palestine

Every month at Pluto Press we add a handful of exciting new titles to an already extensive catalogue that covers a whole range of subjects. The broader subject headings are listed on our website and you can use the keyword search to look through in more detail, but we thought it was time to start championing a few books in each subject area on the blog as well. These are by no means definitive lists, and some categories will be broader than others, but hopefully they’ll whet your appetite and help guide you into the wider collection.

First up, this week, the Israel / Palestine conflict.

The titles below are just five of our many titles on the subject, but give a great starting point for the category. If we’ve piqued your interest on the subject, then check out the Middle East Studies and Israel/Palestine sections of our website.

Also, if you have any favourites within this subject lists, or a recommendation for a Pluto Top5 in another area, then do let us know on Facebook and Twitter.

Israeli Apartheid A Beginner’s Guide Ben White Indispensable introduction to the Israel/Palestine conflict, examining the current structures of Israeli domination. “A very strong and clear voice that does not shun from exposing in full, and in a most accessible manner, the essence of Zionism and Israeli policies in Palestine. In a world confused by competing narratives, disinformation and fabrication, this book is an excellent guide for understanding the magnitude of the crimes committed against the Palestinians and the nature of their present suffering and oppression.” – Professor Ilan Pappe, University of Exeter, Israeli historian and author of ‘The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine’ (2007) “This book deals rationally and cogently with a topic that almost always generates considerable heat even just with book titles. The reader may not agree with everything that White asserts but it is a highly commendable effort to throw light on a fraught subject.” – Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate £9.99 only £8.50 on the Pluto site

Palestinians in Israel Segregation, Discrimination and Democracy Ben White. Foreword by Haneen Zoabi Argues that Israel’s insistence on declaring itself a Jewish state leads to discrimination, segregation and a guarantee of continued conflict. “This book debunks convincingly and forcefully the myth of Israel being ‘the only democracy’ in the Middle East. As this book shows, the treatment of the Palestinians in Israel is the ultimate proof that the Jewish State is anything but democratic.” – Professor Ilan Pappe, University of Exeter and author of The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine and Out of the Frame “Essential reading to understand why there can never be peace unless Palestinian citizens of Israel are granted full equality, something they are systematically denied by Israel’s aggressive, and increasingly unrestrained Zionist ethnocracy.” – Ali Abunimah, Co-founder of Electronic Intifada, author of One Country £14.99 only £13.00 on the Pluto site

Hamas – Second Edition A Beginner’s Guide Khaled Hroub Acclaimed introduction to the Palestinian Islamist organisation in a simple Q&A format, fully revised and updated. “This short, timely introduction provides a history of the movement, a rundown of key policies and sketches of key figures.” – Guardian “This book could not be timelier. Drawing on his deep understanding of politics and religion in Palestine, Hroub expertly answers every important question about Hamas.” – James Piscatori, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies. £14.99 only £13.00 on the Pluto site

The Palestine-Israel Conflict – Third Edition A Basic Introduction Gregory Harms with Todd M. Ferry Fully updated and expanded edition of the classic best-selling primer on the Israel/Palestine conflict. “This superior and remarkably thorough, if brief, study of the Holy Land enigma is strongly recommended as an introduction.” – CHOICE “An indispensable, basic introduction.” – Gabriel Kolko, Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus at York University in Toronto and author of The Age of War £14.99 only £13.00 on the Pluto site

Married to Another Man Israel’s Dilemma in Palestine Ghada Karmi Celebrated author Ghada Karmi argues that the only practical solution to the conflict is for Palestinians and Israelis to live together in a secular democratic state “Ghada Karmi’s storytelling eloquence is celebrated. Now the sheer power and sense of her analysis throws down a challenge to those who claim the ‘problem’ of Israel and Palestine cannot be solved. She shows it can.” – John Pilger “Ghada Karmi’s storytelling eloquence is celebrated. Now the sheer power and sense of her analysis throws down a challenge to those who claim the ‘problem’ of Israel and Palestine cannot be solved. She shows it can.” – John Pilger £14.99 only £13.00 on the Pluto site

New Books from Pluto in May – Heretic’s Guide to Global Finance | Biohackers | Beyond the Developmental Sate | Organisational Anthropology | History of Anthropology, 2nd. Ed.

Good morning radicals and book-lovers! With May in full swing, and a second bank holiday almost upon us you’re probably in need of some more reading material.

We have five titles for your perusal this month, including a double update to our Anthropology, Culture and Society series. Read on below for more info, and remember that you can get all of them from our website with a 10% discount!

The Heretic’s Guide to Global Finance Hacking the Future of Money Brett Scott Shows how activists can tap into the internal dynamics of the sector to disrupt it and showcases the growing alternative finance movement. “This is an imaginative, even exuberant exploration of the daunting world of finance – it will unleash a generation of activists, and do a world of good.” – Bill McKibben, author of ‘Deep Economy’ “This book provides a unique inside-out look at our financial system, based on the author’s unusual personal adventure. It is not only a user-friendly guide to the complex maze of modern finance but also a manual for utilising and subverting it for social purposes in innovative ways. Smart and street-smart. “ – Ha-Joon Chang, University of Cambridge, author of ’23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism’ £12.99 only £11.50 on the Pluto site

Biohackers The Politics of Open Science Alessandro Delfanti Explores fundamental changes occurring in the circulation and ownership of scientific information. “Hacking, most often associated with the realm of bits and bytes, is now firmly entrenched in the world of biology. Alessandro Delfanti provides the definitive account covering the early, formative history of bio-hackers, a motley cohort of scientists, entrepreneurs, and amateur tinkers who are insisting on openness for their scientific enterprise. Written with nuance and precision, Delfanti examines key actors who drew inspiration from long-standing scientific norms and the philosophy of free software in order to re-imagine and reconstitute their ethos so as to be built upon openness and access. While this story is still unfolding, Delfanti’s engrossing account provides a vital road map essential to understand the past, present, and future of bio-hacking.” – Gabriella Coleman, Wolfe Chair in Scientific and Technological Literacy,McGill University and author of Coding Freedom: The Aesthetics and the Ethics of Hacking (2012). “Alessandro Delfanti’s book is a deft and accessible introduction to the changing face of science in the new century. ing, most often associated with the realm of bits and bytes, is now firmly entrenched in the world of biology. Alessandro Delfanti provides the definitive account covering the early, formative history of bio-hackers, a motley cohort of scientists, entrepreneurs, and amateur tinkers who are insisting on openness for their scientific enterprise. Written with nuance and precision, Delfanti examines key actors who drew inspiration from long-standing scientific norms and the philosophy of free software in order to re-imagine and reconstitute their ethos so as to be built upon openness and access. While this story is still unfolding, Delfanti’s engrossing account provides a vital road map essential to understand the past, present, and future of bio-hacking.” – Gabriella Coleman, Wolfe Chair in Scientific and Technological Literacy,McGill University and author of Coding Freedom: The Aesthetics and the Ethics of Hacking (2012). “Alessandro Delfanti’s book is a deft and accessible introduction to the changing face of science in the new century. He brings a journalist’s skill, a scientist’s skepticism and an activist’s passion to the question of open science today. The work offers an expert analysis of the global politics of big science and the details and pleasures, the successes and failures, of small-scale amateur and DIY biology. From the lucid writing emerges the story of a new ethic of sharing and decoding life – whether viewed under the microscope or lived out in hackerspaces and garage labs.” – Christopher Kelty, Associate Professor of Information Studies and Anthropology, Institute for Society and Genetics, UCLA “The biohackers are here. In this fascinating book, Alessandro Delfanti shows us how a new generation of scientists is breaking open the study of biology with the kinds of countercultural tools first used to hack the computer. Thanks to their work, science may never be the same again. ” – Fred Turner, Associate Professor of Communication, Stanford UniversityHe brings a journalist’s skill, a scientist’s skepticism and an activist’s passion to the question of open science today. The work offers an expert analysis of the global politics of big science and the details and pleasures, the successes and failures, of small-scale amateur and DIY biology. From the lucid writing emerges the story of a new ethic of sharing and decoding life – whether viewed under the microscope or lived out in hackerspaces and garage labs.” – Christopher Kelty, Associate Professor of Information Studies and Anthropology, Institute for Society and Genetics, UCLA £19.99 only £17.50 on the Pluto site

Beyond the Developmental State Industrial Policy into the Twenty-first Century Edited by Ben Fine, Jyoti Saraswati and Daniela Tavasci Exposes the theoretical and empirical limitations of the developmental state paradigm, offering policy alternatives. “A very important book. The contributions are highly original and this work is likely to inform the emergence of a new branch of the literature on economic development. The volume is particularly timely because of the continuing relevance of developmental-state debates given the long-term ‘decline of the West and rise of the rest’ and the current economic crisis.” – Alfredo Saad-Filho, Professor of Political Economy, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London “The developmental state has become a central concept in alternatives to the dominant neoliberal narratives of development. Fine and his colleagues combine a critical assessment of the existing literature with a series of country studies to show how powerful economic interests continue to shape the actions and effectiveness of the state. A valuable contribution to the search for inclusive and sustainable development strategies.” – Richard Kozul-Wright, Head, Unit on Economic Cooperation and Integration Among Developing Countries, UNCTAD £24.99 only £22.00 on the Pluto site

Organisational Anthropology Doing Ethnography in and Among Complex Organisations Edited by Christina Garsten and Anette Nyqvist A pioneering analysis of doing ethnographic fieldwork in different types of complex organisations. “Christina Garsten and Anette Nyquvist have put together baker’s dozen of fresh and lively first-hand accounts of carrying out ethnographic fieldwork in contemporary organizational settings – from convenience stores to high tech firms, from think tanks to advertising companies. That classical anthropological interests and means are highly relevant in such settings – although strained and stretched in various ways – is a point brought home vividly across the selections. This is a work that will appeal not only to anthropologists but also to all those with a scholarly or practical interest in culture and organization. “ – John Van Maanen, Erwin Schell Professor of Organisation Studies at MIT, author of Tales of the Field (2011) “The engagement between organization studies and anthropology is both longstanding and rapidly developing. In this fascinating volume some of the leading exponents of organizational anthropology reflect on its history and future directions; its potentials and pitfalls. The book is an invaluable resource for all those who research organizations or are simply interested in the nature, both extraordinary and mundane, of organizational life as disclosed by anthropological study.” – Christopher Grey, Professor of Organisation Studies, Royal Holloway, University of London £60 only £54.00 on the Pluto site

A History of Anthropology – Second Edition Thomas Hylland Eriksen and Finn Sivert Nielsen Thoroughly updated and revised edition of a popular classic of modern anthropology. - £17.99 only £16.00 on the Pluto site

Remembering Nakba Day – the ethnic cleansing of Palestine

Today marks the 65th anniversary of the Nakba (the Catastrophe), marking the displacement of Palestinians when Israel was created.

About 60,000 Palestinians were driven out or killed, reducing the Arab population from 45% to just 4%.

Details of the Israeli atrocities indicate that they were as inhuman and violent as those that have been roundly condemned by the International Community in other conflicts. On April 9, 1948, Zionist forces that included the notorious Stern Gang and Irgun units entered the village of Deir Yassin and sprayed the houses with machine-gun fire, killing many of the inhabitants. The survivors were then collected together and murdered in cold blood.

A 12 year old witness at Deir Yassin reported: “They took us out one after the other; shot an old man and when one of his daughters cried, she was shot too. Then they called my brother Muhammad, and shot him in front of us, and when my mother yelled, bending over him — carrying my little sister Hudra in her hands, still breastfeeding her — they shot her too.”

Visit the Palestine Solidarity Campaign for more information, or read more about the conflict and the Nakba in some of our books below.

Generation Palestine Voices from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement Edited by Rich Wiles. Foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu Brings together Palestinian and international activists in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. “The BDS movement is the most enlightened, imaginative, moral, fearless and dynamic blow for freedom I have known for many years. I believe it will be a vital factor in the liberation of Palestine. The inspiring voices in this book will help achieve that goal.” – John Pilger “Reading this book, talking about it and acting upon its ideas is a further political act against an injustice that has lasted a lifetime. “ – John Berger £14.99 only £13.00 on the Pluto site

Palestinians in Israel Segregation, Discrimination and Democracy Ben White. Foreword by Haneen Zoabi Argues that Israel’s insistence on declaring itself a Jewish state leads to discrimination, segregation and a guarantee of continued conflict. “This book debunks convincingly and forcefully the myth of Israel being ‘the only democracy’ in the Middle East. As this book shows, the treatment of the Palestinians in Israel is the ultimate proof that the Jewish State is anything but democratic.” – Professor Ilan Pappe, University of Exeter and author of The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine and Out of the Frame “Essential reading to understand why there can never be peace unless Palestinian citizens of Israel are granted full equality, something they are systematically denied by Israel’s aggressive, and increasingly unrestrained Zionist ethnocracy.” – Ali Abunimah, Co-founder of Electronic Intifada, author of One Country £14.99 only £13.00 on the Pluto site

Israeli Apartheid A Beginner’s Guide Ben White Indispensable introduction to the Israel/Palestine conflict, examining the current structures of Israeli domination. “A very strong and clear voice that does not shun from exposing in full, and in a most accessible manner, the essence of Zionism and Israeli policies in Palestine. In a world confused by competing narratives, disinformation and fabrication, this book is an excellent guide for understanding the magnitude of the crimes committed against the Palestinians and the nature of their present suffering and oppression.” – Professor Ilan Pappe, University of Exeter, Israeli historian and author of ‘The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine’ (2007) “This book deals rationally and cogently with a topic that almost always generates considerable heat even just with book titles. The reader may not agree with everything that White asserts but it is a highly commendable effort to throw light on a fraught subject.” – Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate £9.99 only £8.50 on the Pluto site

The Palestine-Israel Conflict – Third Edition A Basic Introduction Gregory Harms with Todd M. Ferry Fully updated and expanded edition of the classic best-selling primer on the Israel/Palestine conflict. “This superior and remarkably thorough, if brief, study of the Holy Land enigma is strongly recommended as an introduction.” – CHOICE “An indispensable, basic introduction.” – Gabriel Kolko, Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus at York University in Toronto and author of The Age of War £14.99 only £13.00 on the Pluto site

Rich Wiles wins Palestine Photography Prize

Rich Wiles, editor of Generation Palestine: Voices from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (Pluto, 2013), was a major prize winner at the Palestine Photography Awards on Sunday 12th May. Wiles is an internationally renowned photographer, having been recognized in previous international photography competitions including the prestigious Travel Photographer of the Year, and has exhibited his work widely around the world.

This latest award saw him take first place in the ‘Open International’ category, a category open to all professional photographers in the world who have worked or work in Palestine.

Wiles will be touring the UK in June to publicly launch Generation Palestine: Voices from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement, with more than 15 events already scheduled nationwide. He is also preparing a major photographic installation exhibition to be shown at a central London gallery over the summer. Full details of all events will be posted here as soon as final dates are confirmed.

Generation Palestine Voices from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement Edited by Rich Wiles. Foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu Brings together Palestinian and international activists in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. “The BDS movement is the most enlightened, imaginative, moral, fearless and dynamic blow for freedom I have known for many years. I believe it will be a vital factor in the liberation of Palestine. The inspiring voices in this book will help achieve that goal.” – John Pilger “Reading this book, talking about it and acting upon its ideas is a further political act against an injustice that has lasted a lifetime. “ – John Berger £14.99 only £13.00 on the Pluto site

McGettigan debates senior government advisor

Andrew McGettigan has responded to a critical review of his new book, The Great University Gamble (Pluto, 2013), by Nick Hillman, special advisor to David Willetts, the Minister for Universities & Science.

Writing for the WonkHE blog, Hillman’s review commends McGettigan’s approach at making the debate on higher education more accessible – clearly and engagingly explaining the complicated legal and financial issues – but questions the conclusions reached.

McGettigan leaves a thorough response to Hillman’s questions in the comments at the bottom and poses a few to his reviewer in return.

Check out the debate, and see what you think, here.

If you haven’t yet read the book, you can buy a copy from our website.

Andrew McGettigan has also been discussing the proliferation of ‘MOOCS’ - massive, open, online courses – and what they mean for the future of higher education, for the Guardian.

The Great University Gamble Money, Markets and the Future of Higher Education Andrew McGettigan A critical and deeply informed survey of the brave new world of UK Higher Education emerging from government cuts and market-driven reforms. “Andrew McGettigan is in my opinion by far the most knowledgeable person in the country on the government’s obscure and yet revolutionary programme of change for universities. He provides us with a full and independent view of the short, medium and longer-term implications of the government’s plans. This book is essential and deeply worrying reading.” – Simon Szreter, Professor of History and Public Policy, University of Cambridge “Andrew McGettigan is one of the most respected and incisive commentators on higher education. There are no other texts at present that address the political economy of higher education and none that put all the pieces of the jigsaw together to reveal the picture with such clarity.” – John Holmwood, Professor of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nottingham, co-founder of the Campaign for the Public University and editor of A Manifesto for the Public University (2011) £16.99 only £15.00 on the Pluto site

The London Radical Bookfair – in Pictures

The London Radical Bookfair took place on Saturday. It was a wonderful inaugural event filled with booksellers, publishers and eager buyers; Redemption ales and delicious veggie food. The Bread and Roses Award for Radical Publishing was handed out on stage in the afternoon, drawing things to a close.

Pluto emerged much lighter in stock – especially in our three short-listed books. If you missed the event, don’t worry – it was a great success, so there’ll probably be another one next year! For those of you blighted by our instant gratification, YouTube generation culture, we’ve got some pictures that you can browse and immerse yourself in. Just close your eyes, imagine the smell of books, beer and (veggie) burgers…

Pluto books tastefully laid out on our stall

Pluto’s Marketing Manager does some  social media…

The three shortlisted books

Donny Gluckstein, author of A People’s History of the Second World War, shortlisted for the Bread and Roses Award.

This year featured a children’s book award as well – the bookfair caters for radicals of all ages and sizes…

Scene from the balcony

Our Marketing & Publicity Assistant and Managing Director converse with a customer

The Lone Wolf of Marketing

Eveline Lubbers, author of Secret Manoeuvres in the Dark, gives a packed out talk in a room behind the stage.

Eveline talks about the grey areas between state and corporate spying

A satisfied Pluto customer shows off his trendy new canvas bag (also available in black)

Candidates, organisers and judges at the prize giving

“To Thine Own Self Be True”

“If this was the anarchist bookfair, the beer would have sold out by 3pm, so come on everyone, drink up! No one wants to have to take it home…”

Nina Power announces the winner of the main prize