Cirrus@Austlit

'Isn’t raising one’s child supposed to be full of joy and laughter? Apparently not, according to the horror genre.'

'Towards the End presents the contemporary world as broken and dying, a world that is moving irreversibly towards collapse as well as rebirth. The collection begins with the speaker’s disillusion with the ideals of capitalism, and the ironic realisation that happiness and prosperity may no longer be attainable. The middle section of the collection reflects, with dark humour and a controlled anger, on the dysfunction of our socio-political systems and the signs of their disintegration. The final poems in the book imagine a universal humanity beyond the failures of the contemporary world, and prophesy global resistance, rejuvenation and revolution. The collection may be described as a fusion of social satire, gothic dystopia and historical materialism, interwoven with autobiographical reflection.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'This book argues that a renewed consideration of artistic value should both critique contemporary bureaucratic misunderstandings of what art is and address the complexities and questions of contemporary philosophers in new and provocative ways. Writer and poet Ali Alizadeh focusses on the artistic theories of the key Western philosopher of value, Karl Marx. He explores Marx’s thoughts on art and literature and provides a new account of his revolutionary view of why we make art and how we understand art’s value.

'By returning to Marx’s writings, from his juvenile poetry and earliest journalism to his final publications, Alizadeh proposes a theory which not only challenges many tenets of contemporary Marxist literary or cultural theory, but one which also presents us with a profound, coherent and stimulating theory of art that defines, values and demonstrates artistic practice. By mapping Marx’s intellectual development from the ideals of a young Hegelian to the polemics of a seasoned internationalist communist he shows that Marx never lost sight of art as a key aspect of human activity.' (Publication summary)

'One need not be a parent of a young child, as I am, to be conscious of the full-blown resurgence of the superhero in contemporary popular culture. Beyond the dizzying proliferation of fetishised merchandise to do with Marvel and DC protagonists and the frankly obscene sights of middle-aged folk squeezed into uncomplaining lycra and leotards at Comic-Con gatherings, one may sense the spectral presence of the hero, that crucial cultural figure which has beguiled humanity since the epics of Homer and the demigods of ancient mythology. Yet there is more to the hero than a fanciful tale of courage and exceptional strength.' (Introduction)

'Ali Alizadeh’s novel The Last Days of Jeanne d’Arc is a new interpretation of the life of one of history’s most fascinating figures, Joan of Arc. Countless books have been written about the young Frenchwoman who claimed to hear the voices of saints, led the armies of France in the war against England in the Middle Ages, and was captured and burnt for heresy by her enemies. This novel, while based on a rigorous and extensive study of the existing historical material, tells the well-known story in a new and provocative way. Alizadeh provides the first serious dramatisation of Jeanne’s sexuality. He uses an innovative storytelling technique that weaves together a range of narrative perspectives to tell the story of a courageous young woman who, driven by a forbidden desire and a passion for justice, changes the course of Western history.' (Publication Summary)

Parallel translation : English and Iranian

Parallel translation : English and Iranian