Before winning international fame in October 1917, Trotsky had already gained a reputation as one of the most talented socialist writers and critics. In this compilation of profiles, Trotsky creates indelible portraits of some of the giants of pre-World War One European socialism, including Jean Jaures, Karl Kautsky, Victor and Fritz Adler, Georgi Plekhanov, Julius Martov, Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg.