Product Description

Together with Lenin, Trotsky was the most charismatic and dominating figure of the Russian revolution. A dynamic public speaker, a brilliant organizer and theorist, he was largely responsible for advocating the system of state terror which was ultimately to lead to the nightmare of Stalinism. This biography describes Trotsky's career as a revolutionary before World War I and his roles successively as chief organizer of the October revolution, military hero of the Russian civil war and outspoken critic of the Stalinst style of leadership. Widely regarded as Lenin's likely successor, Trotsky was outmanoeuvred by his enemy, Stalin and found himself expelled from the Communist Party, written out of the history of the revolution, exiled and finally murdered in Mexico by Stalin's agents. The author tracked down members of Stalin's overseas hit-squad and found relatives of Trotsky in Russia. Combined with his access to Soviet archives, this biography lends insight into one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, whose faith in the world socialist revolution remained undimmed to the end.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #250843 in Books
• Published on: 1997-04-07
• Original language: Russian
• Binding: Paperback
• 576 pages

Customer Reviews

a brilliantly insightful biography
Dmitri Volkogonov has the ideal position from which to write an incivisive attack into the portrayal of Trotsky by the former soviet regime as the 'bad guy', confirming what we already suspected but going far further providing us with a wealth of information that is quite simply unbelievable when contrasted against the usual austerity so typical of soviet history when the truth was so strictly controlled. Volkogonov points out that Trotsky prepared himself perfectly for the mirror of history and this is evident in this work. A necessity for anyone interested in soviet history or communism/socialism in general, once you have read this book ensure that you also read Stalin and Lenin by Volkogonov - books equally worthy of praise. If you are further interested in the biographies of these men I would also recommend the work of Alex de Jonge which aside from being v humourous also provides a similarly insightful perspective.

A masterpiece
Trotsky is in many ways the forgotten man of the Russian Revolution, with his actual achievements shadowed by the perception of many that he would have created a functioning U.S.S.R. Volkogonov in his book tries to look at the man behind the image and provides an interesting insight into what could have been. The only slight problem is that it is a little disjointed.

Outstanding.
A brilliant insight into the life and times of a man dedicated to the Idea of Revolution first, and socialism, etc, second.