Mike Marqusee Was One of the Left’s Great Culture Writers
It’s ten years since the death of Mike Marqusee, a brilliant socialist writer who tackled everything from the careers of Muhammad Ali and Bob Dylan to the politics of Zionism. Marqusee’s addictively readable work deserves to reach a new generation.
Mike Marqusee developed his profile as a left-wing intellectual from outside the field of higher education altogether. (Facebook)
Ten years ago today, just before reaching his sixty-second birthday, Mike Marqusee died after a long struggle with cancer. Marqusee, who was born in the United States but made his home in London, was one of the finest socialist writers of his time in the English (or perhaps any) language.
His books and articles covered a huge variety of subjects, but two of his main concerns stand out and have only gained in significance over the last decade: the politics of mass culture under capitalism, especially sports, and the relationship between Israel, Zionism, and Jewish identity.
Beyond the Academy
Before going into more detail about his body of work, it’s worth taking a moment to consider what type of writer Marqusee was, and why he stood out among his contemporaries. In his essay “Renewals,” published at the start of the new century, Perry Anderson discussed the impact of academic culture on the anglophone left:
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