The Trials of Spinoza, Tariq Ali, (Seagull Books, 2011) 61pp., hardback, price together with a DVD, £13.00, ISBN 978 1 9064 9784 2.

This is exquisitely produced, Tariq Ali originally wrote The Trials of Spinoza as a contribution to a series on philosophy for BBC Channel 4 TV and the DVD accompanying this book gives the original production.  Ali writes eloquently and with political engagement, testifying to the relevance today of Spinoza's work.

It has of course long been recognised that Baruch Spinoza (1632-77) was an important rationalist thinker of the seventeenth century.  He had imbibed scepticism as a child from his family of Sephardic Jews who, expelled from Portugal, took refuge in Amsterdam.  By the age of 24 Spinoza was challenging the validity of the Old Testament and consequently was excommunicated.  He became deeply involved in the turbulent politics of the period and in this biographical play Tariq Ali, a prolific writer on aspects of world history and a novelist, puts into context Spinoza's philosophy with the caption ‘1659 Amsterdam'.  It is an intriguing volume and DVD.