Anatoly Lunacharsky was one of the most popular and influential speakers and writers in the socialist movement in Russia. He was a passionate advocate of education and literature, serving as Commissar of Education in the first post-October revolutionary government.
This collection compiles a series of Lunacharsky’s biographical writings, penned throughout his life as a socialist organiser. They describe in rich detail the political and personal qualities of many of the most prominent figures on the Russian left, including Lenin, Trotsky, Zinoviev and Martov.
A serious historical understanding of the Russian Revolution requires much more than the study of its great leaders, but Lunacharsky’s portraits of these remarkable individuals adds life and depth to our knowledge of the mass struggle that took place.