Trotsky
A Biography
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- 85,00 kr
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- 85,00 kr
Publisher Description
Winner of the Duff Cooper Prize, an acclaimed portrait of Leon Trotsky from one of the finest scholars of modern and Soviet era Russia.
‘An outstanding, fascinating biography of this dazzling titan’ – Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Daily Telegraph
Trotsky lived a brilliant life in extraordinary times. A pioneering radical politician, theorist, and icon of the Russian Revolution, he is commonly portrayed by his followers as a pure revolutionary soul and powerful intellect unjustly hounded into exile by Stalin and his henchmen.
Robert Service draws upon a wealth of material from previously unexamined archives to craft a vivid biography of this colossal figure, challenging traditionally held views and assumptions. Spanning from Trotsky’s childhood as part of a Jewish farming family to the years of his banishment, Trotsky: A Biography simultaneously chronicles his role in some of the biggest moments in Russian history: the October Revolution, the establishment of the Red Army, the Civil War.
A thoroughly engaging and balanced account, it moves beyond Trotsky’s public persona, painting a rich picture of a sparkling writer, ‘ladies’ man’, philosopher of everyday life and grand seigneur of his household. Robert Service’s research and profound understanding of Russian history combine in this masterful and compelling biography of the man and his legacy.
‘Exemplary’ – Robert Harris, The Sunday Times
Discover more acclaimed biographies from Robert Service: Stalin and Lenin.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Having covered Lenin and Stalin, Oxford history professor Service completes his biographical trilogy with the life of Leon Trotsky. Thick and intensely researched but a pleasure to read, it should remain the definitive work for some time. Trotsky (1879 1940) "flashed like a comet across the political sky," sharing credit with Lenin for winning the 1917 revolution but losing the battle to succeed him after his 1923 death. While this outline is well known, Service mines new and old sources to fill in the details. A brilliant writer and speaker but too arrogant to attract a following, Trotsky had no chance against the methodical Stalin, whom he repeatedly insulted. Stalin forced him into exile in 1929 and had him murdered in 1940. Before and during exile, Trotsky poured out histories, memoirs and journalism, heavily influencing our picture of the revolution and its major figures. Service emphasizes that he was no objective observer. Stalin was not as stupid as portrayed, and Trotsky had no objection to mass murder when it served his purposes. This is a thoughtful, rewarding and essential contribution to 20th-century history. 50 b&w photos.
