Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
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The Oranges of Revolution by Clare Saponia: Take the trouble to listen to our inner selves
CLARE SAPONIA explains the inspiration behind her new collections of poems
ANGUS REID explains the significance of Cuba’s egalitarian in letter and spirit Family Code and the pertinent lessons it holds for democracies anywhere in the world
Special report by PEOPLE’S WORLD
NICK WRIGHT considers how the isolation of Israel and a new film on the controversial Italian communist leader are creating new reference points for Italy’s left
CARLOS MARTINEZ says Cuba’s achievements in the face of a criminal blockade are startling, but the island’s future if the United States succeeds in crushing it looks bleak
AMNON BROWNFIELD STEIN reports that far-right MPs who mobbed the event organised by Hadash may have helped raise awareness of the brutality of the Israeli right
THE Oranges of Revolution emerged from the hearth of the Arab Spring and explores its knock-on effect felt around the globe, from Cairo to Kiev — not only politically, but also socially, economically and spiritually.
The collection is divided into five parts: Skin, Pith, Flesh, Pips and Juice, with the consistency of an orange used as a metaphor to depict the various stages of society in its relationship with revolution.
The poems delve into a range of issues across time, from outdated colonial values to despotic trigger-happy dictatorships, financial turmoil and social upheaval.
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