Left Lives 5: Essays in Honour of Jack McGinley

€20.00

This final title from Umiskin Press is, fittingly, dedicated to the memory and work of its founder Jack McGinley. Running through many of the tributes paid after his sudden death in November 2024 was the observation that Umiskin Press would be ‘his legacy’. Of course, as the obituary essay contained in this collection indicates, there were indeed ‘many Jack McGinleys’ but Umiskin certainly ranks high among his considerable accomplishments.

As with the previous volumes in the series, Left Lives 5 sheds light on some little known labour movement figures or examines more familiar lives in original and imaginative ways. All five volumes have been distinguished by high quality contributions from professional and worker historians, trade union and socialist activists, students and, in some cases, first time writers. This broad church was a strength of McGinley’s conception of Umiskin as a ‘not-for-profit’ publishing house that encouraged and published work that mainstream imprints would consider unprofitable or too niche. Umiskin has done much to bring labour history publishing in from the margins. Since 2012, Umiskin has produced well over twenty titles, a remarkable achievement that entirely reflects the drive, energy and vision of its Principal.

The full table of contents of Left Lives 5 can be viewed here.