Unfortunately I have trouble focusing and am easily distracted (likely do to a combination of ADHD, bipolar, and the internet reducing my attention span). Do to that, the number of books I’ve gotten through can be counted on one hand. However I do intend to push through it and get more theory read. (my current plan is to read the book at the same time as running the equivalent audio book to set a pace and block out some external distractions).

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If you count audiobooks, I’ve “read”

• some of Marx’s shorter works (Wage Labour and Capital, Critique of the Gotha Programme, etc.). I haven’t read Capital yet, but I did listen to the first season of Marx Madness podcast, which covers volume 1, so I’m basically an expert _/s
• some of Engels (Principles of Communism, Socialism: Utopian and Scientific, the very short but excellent On Authority, etc.)
• Lenin’s State and Revolution, Imperialism and a few essays
• Stalin’s Foundations of Leninism
• a bit of Mao
• Outside of theory: Parenti’s Blackshirts and Reds and Democracy for the Few. Very easy listening.

I’ve been mostly listening to world news and Marxist podcasts for the past few months, but I’m trying to go through more theory

I’m going very slowly lol, im just bad at setting aside time to read. Now that it is summer for me I hope to read more. I already have read the manifesto, Value Price and Profit, Wage Labour and Capital, Principles of Communism, Socialism Utopian and Scientific, Orgins of the family, and State and Revolution. I am currently reading Imperialism by Lenin and have mao to read and luxemburg.

I’ve read once through: state and rev, imperialims the highest stage of capitalism, what is to be done, left wing communism an infantile disorder, socialism utopiaan and scientific, soviet democracy by Pat Sloan, reform or revolution, materialism and empirio criticism, on contradiction, on practice, on authority, wage labour and capital, value price and profit. Currently reading Capital and Rewi Alley’s autobiography as well as building a list of Aotearoa specific reading

I’m pretty slow and so far I’ve only read The Communist Manifest, Principles of Communism and State and Revolution

I’ve never delved into any of the big stuff, besides origins of family, property, and the state (audiobook, not finished yet). I’ve listened to interviews and small excerpts/ books? like The Tasks of the Proletariat in Our Revolutiona, Marxism vs Liberalism, and I think I listened to What is to be Done?

I’d similar give myself a 6. I also tend to jump from book to book to excerpt to book, hehe.

I’m pretty similar. I’ve made it through the big ones; The Manifesto, Socialism: Utopian and Scientific, On Authority, Principles of Communism, etc. But have yet to finish any of the volumes of Capital. State and Revolution I’m dabbling in, it seems like a really good work.

Overall I’d give myself a 6/10. I definitely understand the core points and do learn as much as I can even if it isnt directly through theory itself but am not too far beyond that.

Edit: typo and I only got into Marxism about 9 months ago, so I would say I’m doing well but comparatively to some of our geniuses, definitely behind

I struggle with keeping focus at times, but I try my best to sit down and read some sort of theory at least once a week, preferably more often if I manage to get my brain to cooperate. I’ve read various bits of Marx, Engels and Lenin (currently going through Imperialism) and a small bit of Mao. Apart from that I also try to educate myself on history, particularly the 20th century and the post Cold War era.

I tend to find as I go further back in time, stuff becomes more impenetrable. Or I lose focus or something. That said, I don’t really do serious reading where I fill up the margins with notes and discuss it with comrades. Just hang out at a bar drinking beer and reading Parenti. shrug

For marxism, I am pretty far behind where I should be. I am fairly well read in terms of history, especially US history, and in certain aspects of literature.

I’m applying for a doctorate in system science so I guess I’m pretty well read. I recommend audio books 100%

Maybe I’ll lose some respect but I value being honest: I’ve completed zero theory books.

I’ve read some of Imperialism: Highest Stage of Capitalism, Das Kapital, the Communist Manifesto. I’ve read little bits and exerts from Mao, Che, Lenin, Marx, Trotsky, and a few other less famous people. Honestly I probably got 80% or more of my theory from YouTube videos and articles all across the web.

Despite this, I can say with confidence that I have a pretty solid understanding of most of the fundamental concepts. I’ve always strove to try and understand things on my lonesome, I see it as a mark of understanding to be able to explain a concept in completely original words.

I would definitely like to read more but I already have a dozen things I am juggling in life and it may be years more before I completely finish a single book, and as far as politics go the next thing I should be doing is joining an organization again and making propaganda as besides some niche issues I feel like I have all the education I need to do what is required of me, and any further while nice is a little redundant. I would definitely never describe myself as a cadre and I know when to defer to the superior knowledge of better-read comrades, but to be blunt I know what is and isn’t my position within the movement.