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We’ll send you carefully-selected books on politics, economics, society & culture by the world's leading radical authors.

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The Left Book Club was founded in 1936 to oppose war, inequality and fascism. Join us today and help support political education.

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Blackshirts and Reds

By Michael Parenti

For March, we're delighted to publish a modern classic by leading writer and political thinker Michael Parenti.

Blackshirts & Reds is an insightful exploration of 20th-century political struggles, focusing on the big issues – fascism, capitalism and communism, revolution and democracy – in a way that has huge relevance to the times we are living through right now.

Parenti argues that fascism is not an aberration, but rather is an integral part of capitalism, used as a weapon to crush popular resistance and preserve privilege. The book goes on to explore the reasons for the collapse of communism, encouraging readers to look beyond conventional narratives and challenge orthodox views on modern history.

Join in March to get your copy!

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We publish one book a month, alternating between contemporary writing (yellow books) and classics (black). Members can order anything they have missed.

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Gift membership from £7.99/m +p&p

All our memberships can be given as gifts. Just select the 'Give as Gift' option and we'll send you a digital gift card. The recipient can redeem the gift card at any time to start their subscription.

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Our community

Left Book Club isn’t just about the books. We organise events, where you can put your questions to authors and special guest speakers. We're also building a network of reading groups, and we can help you get your own group off the ground.

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Access to our online community forum, where you can chat to other members or set up your own reading group.

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Join a reading group near you or start your own. Check out our interactive map.

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Courses

Explore our new Academy section which features online courses.

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Login to buy our fabulous back catalogue of previous published books.

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Welcome to the Academy

The Academy is a new initiative designed to make anticapitalist education accessible to everyone, wherever you're based. It features online courses exploring essential themes.

Our first two courses are now available. The first explores Revolutionary Feminism, led by Lola Olufemi. The second explores War and Capitalism, looking at ways to help us resist both violence and oppression, led by Dilar Dirik.

Courses are free with any membership.

Explore our first courses in the new Academy section

Courses

Read With Us

Our campaign to launch 100 reading groups is underway, and we're already more than half way to our goal, with over 60 new reading groups in community centres, cafes, bookshops and workplaces.

Ever thought about starting your own reading group? If so, we'd love to hear from you. We offer training and a support network for all our reading group facilitators. You'll be joining a friendly and growing community.

Click the button below, or email Nik@leftbookclub.com

Get in touch

Explore our interactive map to find a reading group near you

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Unique gift ideas

If you're looking for a present, we have a beautiful selection of T shirts, bookmarks, totes, and other gifts. Explore these on our Merch page. All profits go towards our events and political education programmes.

Bookmarks set: hooks

£6.00

Tote: Bread and Roses

£20.00

Tote 'Solidarity'

£12.00

T Shirt 'Azadi' Short Sleeve Unisex / Oat

£25.00

“The aim of the Left Book Club is a simple one. It is to help in the terribly urgent struggle for world peace and against fascism”

—Victor Gollancz

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Founded by publisher Victor Gollancz in 1936, the original Left Book Club had 57,000 members. It is widely credited with paving the way for Labour’s landslide victory in 1945 and the creation of the welfare state. At least eight members of the 1945 Labour cabinet were Left Book Club authors, including Clement Attlee. Another famous Left Book Club author was George Orwell, as the LBC published the original edition of The Road to Wigan Pier.

Books were printed in their thousands and sent out to members every month via local bookshops.

2015 Relaunch

The Left Book Club relaunch covered in the Guardian

Read the article

Can you fight fascism with a book club?

Read a write-up of one of our reading groups here.

Read the article

Brilliant Book Clubs in London

As recommended by Time Out magazine

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The Left's book clubs

Read Molly's Smith's recommendation in Tribune magazine

Read the article

Merch

Check out our merch page for beautiful and unique gifts. We are a not-for-profit so all money raised helps us keep our subscription prices down.

Merch

Books

We publish one book a month, alternating between contemporary writing and classics.

Explore the books

Community

Use your member login to chat to other members in the community app, or set up your own reading group.

Community login

Discover the best radical writing, carefully curated for you, with the UK's leading not-for-profit book subscription.

We’ll send you carefully-selected books on politics, economics, society & culture by the world's leading radical authors.

Get an extra free book and pin when you pay upfront with an annual subscription. Choose from a range of membership options.

The Left Book Club was founded in 1936 to oppose war, inequality and fascism. Join us today and help support political education.

Blackshirts and Reds

Explore the books

Gift membership from £7.99/m +p&p

Our community

Community

Reading Groups

Courses

Books!

Welcome to the Academy

Explore our first courses in the new Academy section

"The magnificent Left Book Club is a window into an alternative future. Subscribe today" – Maxine Peake

Read With Us

Explore our interactive map to find a reading group near you

Unique gift ideas

“The aim of the Left Book Club is a simple one. It is to help in the terribly urgent struggle for world peace and against fascism”

—Victor Gollancz

2015 Relaunch

Can you fight fascism with a book club?

Brilliant Book Clubs in London

The Left's book clubs

"Thanks to the Left Book Club – the work that you do is tremendous" – John McDonnell

Merch

Books

Community

Our unique editions are printed with unlaminated card so no plastic is involved in the production of the book.

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