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Trotsky in New York, 1917

A Radical on the Eve of Revolution

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Trotsky in New York, 1917

By: Kenneth D. Ackerman
Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
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About this listen

Lev Davidovich Trotsky burst onto the world stage in November 1917 as coleader of a Marxist Revolution seizing power in Russia. It made him one of the most recognized personalities of the 20th century, a global icon of radical change. Yet just months earlier, this same Lev Trotsky was a nobody, a refugee expelled from Europe, writing obscure pamphlets and speeches, barely noticed outside a small circle of fellow travelers. Where had he come from to topple Russia and change the world? Where else? New York City.

Between January and March 1917, Trotsky found refuge in the United States. America had kept itself out of the European Great War, leaving New York the freest city on earth. During his time there - just over 10 weeks - Trotsky immersed himself in the local scene. He settled his family in the Bronx, edited a radical left wing tabloid in Greenwich Village, sampled the lifestyle, and plunged headlong into local politics. His clashes with leading New York socialists over the question of US entry into World War I would reshape the American left for the next 50 years.

©2016 Kenneth D. Ackerman (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Historical Military Political Science Politicians Politics & Activism Politics & Government Russia New York War Socialism Soviet Union Imperialism Latin American Refugee Winston Churchill Biography
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Having listened to this and Downfall of A Revolutionary I have a new appreciation for and understanding of Trotsky. Highly recommended for historians and historical enthusiasts - covers histories of migration, socialism and politics in the contexts of America, the First World War and the Russian Revolution.

Great history

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A great and fair insight into a brief but very important part of Trotsky's life.

Highly recommended!

Highly recommended!

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The writer provides a clear and normally engaging narrative. But this is mired by an obvious political bias with regular negative adjectives thrown in unnecessarily, stretching to historical distortion at points.

Clearly Written but biased

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Interesting relatively unknown aspect of Trotsky life. Writer does really understand pre WW1 socialism.

A Liberals view of Trotsky

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