Reviews and Comments

Throughout the 70s, Janine Wiedel visited the industry of the West Midlands, documenting the work and workers across the mines, steelworks, potteries and jewelry and chain makers.

Beyond the amazing photographs of the work in action (all the way down to the face of the coal mines!), there is a large collection of wonderful portraits, showing off the human side of the labor in the larger than life industry.

Burnout gives a great overview on how defeat in political struggles can lead to despair. There are no easy answers here on how to avoid it, but maybe on how to come to terms with the fact that despair is likely to be part of a political struggle.

Across the chapters, Hannah Proctor looks at Melancholia, nostalgia, depression, the titular burnout, exhaustion, bitterness, trauma and mourning — across historical defeats in the fight for a more just and equal society, across a wide range of academic resources.

Definitely not an easy read, but a necessary one I’d say. I really enjoyed her concept of “non-adaptive healing”, on recovering without accepting the status quo that (partially) causes any of those challenges outlined across the chapters.

A very quick and easy read to get an introduction about trade unions in the UK, what they are & do, the challenges faced and how & why you should be in one!