Young Lenin

"The young Lenin;" by Leon Trotsky, published by David and Charles. Trotsky's biography of Lenin's formative years-written in 1933 and long believed lost-is an historical document published here for the first time in English, an engrossing account of the youth of a brilliant leader and modern political genius, told by one of Lenin's closest associates. Leon Trotsky depicts the homelife and school years of the energetic, quick-minded boy whose life was greatly affected by the execution of his older brother, Alexander, for taking part in an unsuccessful assassination attempt. The narrative follows Lenin's development through the time when, in his early twenties, he begins to study Marx and to develop the political theories that would change the course of history. In writing of Lenin's youth, Trotsky also writes of the Russia in which both Trotsky and Lenin came of age; and in giving a portrait of late 19th century Russia, the author captures the mood of a nation hurtling toward revolution. Leon Trotsky was Lenin's chief lieutenant during the Russian Revolution. Outmaneuvered by Stalin after Lenin's death, Trotsky was forced into exile and assassinated in Mexico in 1940. When he wrote The Young Lenin, the first volume of a planned full biography, he contracted with Doubleday (then Doubleday Doran) to publish it in an English translation by his friend and translator, Max Eastman. The distinguished, socialist author and journalist had translated twelve of the fifteen chapters when both the Russian and the English manuscripts disappeared. Eastman regretfully concluded that Stalinist agents had made off with them and he abandoned plans to publish the book. Twenty years later, just as inexplicably as they had disappeared, the manuscripts reappeared in Max Eastman's study. Then other projects intervened, and it was not until 1968 that Eastman resumed his work. His agent offered the still-uncompleted translation to Doubleday-not realizing the company had had it under contract for 35 years! Eastman was completing his translation when he died in 1969; the translation has been completed and annotated by Maurice Friedberg, Director of the Russian and East European Institute at Indiana University. Book details: 224 pages, published 1972. Order now on BookShops.in with fast, reliable delivery across India.