History of the Russian Revolution

By: Leon Trotsky

Narrated by: Jonathan Booth

The Russian Revolution of 1917 was one of the most cataclysmic events in world history, profoundly shaping politics, international relations, social patterns, economics and science in the century that followed. It created long-lasting aftershocks which travelled far beyond its geographical borders. How did it happen? What were the sequence of events that led, following the shocking upheaval of the old Romanov order, to a fierce and violent rivalry between a variety of revolutionary factions and the ultimate victory of the Bolsheviks?

Throughout the 20th century many accounts were written—and especially in the closing years when Russian archives became more available to external historians. But prime among them remains this work, History of the Russian Revolution, published as early as 1930—for it was a work (virtually unique among historical accounts of major events) written by one of the key protagonists, the Ukrainian-Russian Marxist politician Leon Trotsky (1879-1940). It appeared just a year after he was expelled from Russia (in 1929), having lost a power struggle within the revolutionary government headed by Josef Stalin who had seized control following the death of Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924).

Trotsky was forced to flee for his life and in exile immediately set about recording what actually happened (according to his viewpoint). He documented both the February Revolution (the ending of the Tsarist regime) and the October Revolution led by Lenin (and Trotsky’s) Bolshevik movement which ultimately resulted (in 1923) in the new Russian state of the Soviet Union.

Trotsky’s work is divided into three parts: Volume I - The Overthrow of Tzarism, Volume II - The Attempted Counter-Revolution (headed by the socialist Alexander Kerensky), Volume III - The Triumphs of the Soviets. In his vigorous but also personal account of the events leading to Bolshevik victory, Trotsky applied his strong intellectual and analytical abilities, while at the same time allowed his close involvement to present his knowledge of the causes, the results and the personalities in considerable detail. It is a powerful and extraordinary story, all the more engaging because we know how it ended.

For Trotsky himself, of course, it was going to end 10 years after publication with his assassination in Mexico (famously with an ice-pick) by an agent of Stalin’s NKVD. The importance of History of the Russian Revolution was marked by its English publication in 1932 in the definitive translation by Max Eastman, just two years after its publication in Russian (in Germany). However, it was only in 1997 that it was cleared for publication in Russia itself. Jonathan Booth gives Trotsky’s important work its first unabridged audio recording.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2008 Yvette Székely Eastman (P)2022 Ukemi Productions Ltd

Absolutely essential work

One of the greatest histories ever written about one of the most important events in world history. Jonathan Booth is an excellent narrator. Trotsky has phenomenal and sharp analysis, backed up by vast and thorough primary sources, and a ruthless honesty.

One of the Greatest Works of History Ever Written

Regardless of your stance on questions of politics, it’s impossible to argue that the Russian Revolution is not one of the most significant events of modern history. This recounting was written by a leading participant of the struggle against Tsarism and Capitalism, but it is unique in that it does not rely on his personal recollection or memory of events. Instead, it favors public records, political newspapers, and the recollections of political allies and opponents as the basis for the history as it is recounted. For the liberal historians and academics, this book will be well worth all 53 hours it takes to listen to this remarkable audio reproduction. For the young Marxist, such as myself, currently embroiled in the labor movement in a pitched battle against both the union bureaucracy and the capitalist bosses, this audio production is simply priceless. The text itself is over 1,000 pages; thanks to this production I can listen in the car, on the job, and while I cook or clean at home. It makes Trotsky’s masterpiece something that I can digest and consume instead of something that sits on my shelf, begging to be read in my nonexistent free time. I cannot believe I am lucky enough to have stumbled upon this. I would suggest it to any interested, and plan to outright force it into the eager hands (and ears) of my comrades.

Fantastic book, great narrator

Trotsky details in magnificent detail the processes which took place in Russia in 1917, pointing out the line of action of the various socio-political groups and how they interacted with each other, leading events to occur in the way they did. Though the book is now many decades old, it is a must-read for the understanding of the Russian Revolution and the regime that followed.

Jonathan Booth, the narrator, makes sure to present Trotsky's arguments with energy and conviction, as if he were the author himself trying to convince the reader of his narrative. Aside from a single exception, in the form of one sentence towards the end, I could not personally notice any instances in which the narration had a different tone from what the text intended.

Very dull with occasional interesting tid bits

End at the October revolution and does not discuss how they consolidated power. It so far into the weeds it’s hard to keep track of the narrative and reads more like an essay to convince you Trotsky is right than a history. Not bad, but not a fan