Lenin: The Definitive Biography

Lenin: The Definitive Biography provides a comprehensive and original analysis of the life of the revolutionary socialist leader.

Lenin is a colossal figure whose influence on 20th-century history cannot be underestimated. Robert Service has written a meticulous and definitive biography of this strangely elusive political leader. Drawing on recently declassified archives, he was able to weave together the private life and public activity of an extraordinary man.

Lenin's childhood is examined in detail, as are his family, education, marriage, lifestyle, and habits. Ultimately, a comprehensive portrait of the personal development of the founder of the Soviet Union is achieved.

In Lenin: The Definitive Biography , Service takes a fresh look at Lenin as both a political leader and a thinker. From the perspective of his career, he analyzes the October Revolution, the ideas of Marxism-Leninism, the one-party state, communist economic policy, dictatorship, and the politics of interwar Europe. And, by investigating the origins of the Soviet Union, he elucidates the nature of the state and society left by Lenin—a state and society that did not entirely disappear after the collapse of the Soviet regime in 1991.