Karl Marx

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7 No brief biography with large print and multiple illustrations can pre sent more than bare superficialities. Taking that as a given, Karl Marx does a more than adequate job in highlighting the life and beliefs of this political activ ist and theorist. The book is attractively packaged, with both period photo graphs and drawings and contemporary color sketches. The book suffers from two major flaws: first, there is no sum mary of Marx' overall influence on Le nin and other Marxists, nor of how his theories have been put into practice; second, the bibliography is not appro priate for the book or the audience. Two books deal with aspects of Ameri can economics and make no reference to Marx; one, a history of Russia (which is incorrectly cited) mentions Marx in one short paragraph at the end of the book. Another is a history of 18th-Century Europe. Feinberg's Marx and Marxism (Watts, 1985), which is relevant, is a dull, stodgy narrative for secondary-school students, unenli vened by illustrations and only moder ately successful in depicting Marx' per sonality and describing his theories. Hunter's Karl Marx covers the lifeif not the beliefsjust as well and is much more readable. Ann W. Moore, Lane Road Library, Columbus