Karl marx his life and environment is a 1939 biography of the philosopher karl marx by the historian of ideas isaiah berlin in a 1995 interview with michael ignatieff first broadcast on bbc two in november 1997 after his death berlin described how he came to write the book when i was first asked to do iti read far more marx that will ever be good for anyone else to read again he was pompous heavy highly intelligent made heavy german jokes quite good rather a . Karl marx his life and environment by berlin isaiah 1909 1997 publication date 1996 topics marx karl 1818 1883 marx karl 1818 1883 communists communistes publisher new york oxford university press collection inlibrary printdisabled internetarchivebooks china digitizing sponsor internet archive contributor internet archive language english includes bibliographical references . For example marx lived during the age of romantic revolutions in which popular revolutionary figures like herzen mazzini blanqui and lassalle commanded almost religious like followings marx spent most of his life in obscurity in the london library and yet today his name is still known by almost everyone on the planet marxs central thesis that historical material conditions and not ideas influence history has been undercut by its very success. Karl marx his life and environment by berlin isaiah sir publication date 1963 topics marx karl 1818 1883 publisher london new york oxford university press collection inlibrary printdisabled internetarchivebooks digitizing sponsor kahle austin foundation contributor internet archive language english 295 p 17 cm bibliography p 285 289 access restricted item true