In this second volume of his Lenin trilogy, Robert Service builds on the approach established in the first. He emphasises the extraordinary circumstances in Russia and the world enabling Lenin to come to power in 1917. He also details ways whereby Lenin led a turbulent Bolshevik party and adjusted its policies so as to gain authority in the soviets. Lenin the crafty and pragmatic politican as well as the utopian and merciless class warrior are portrayed. ‘Dr Service has made excellent use of freshly available original documents but even without them this book would have been outstanding’ - Susan Walker, International Affairs ‘…immensely detailed, scholarly biography…’ - Richard Pendry, New Statesman and Society ‘Robert Service takes such a most welcome broad view in the second volume of his projected trilogy…For this eagerly awaited end to his labours, all power to the Service elbow’ - Paul Dukes, Times Higher Education Supplement