The classic biography of Leon Trotsky is Isaac Deutscher's trilogy. Tony Cliff too produce an excellent biography in four volumes which contain a critique of Deutscher's politics and some of his interpretations. Alan Todd's single volume take on Trotsky is a refreshing addition to the literature. It should be on the bookshelf of anyone interested in Trotsky and his politics.

Well-written, at times even gripping account of Leon Trotsky's life and political struggle. I get the impression that the picture being painted is somewhat one-sided, although when the other side is Stalin, balance may be the last thing that's called for.

Definitely going to recommend this to anyone with an interest in the origin of the Soviet Union.

Took a different approach to a lot of books concerning political and historic figures with more of a focus on the man and the steps he took along the way.

Didn't realise that there were chances he could have stopped the rise of Stalin but by the time he tried to it was too late

It seems also that there was a naivety about him as well in spite of his intelligence and that at times he thought by appealing to the better nature of Stalin he could resume his standing in the country and the party long past the point where most would have given

Good for the general reader as doesn't quote great chunks of his writing just snippets here and there which enhances the book as some books on historical and political figures do make the mistake of using huge chunks of published writings rather than actual analysis.

A fine addition to the books already written about Trotsky

The biggest question about Trotsky is why was he pushed out of the Soviet Union by Stalin. Trotsky was a late joiner to the Bolsheviks which was one of the reasons that Stalin never trusted him. But more so because Trotsky was so well thought of for his intellect, speaking ability and creation of the Red Army which led to the victory of the Communists (Bolshevik) over all of the other participants in the Russian Civil War.

All those who speak about Trotsky (his contemporaries, the old Bolsheviks) speak of his ability to put difficult polemics into words that could be understood by the peasants. He is also spoken of as a man who always dressed well and presented himself as a cultured Socialist, whereas Stalin was an under-educated peasant. Unlike many, he was never "hale fellow,well met" but very much a self-contained private person even to the two woman in his life and his two daughters and two sons.

This self-containment led to him being seen as stand-offish and he never created a following that he led, or wish to lead. Those who considered themselves Trotskyists, created groups in his name and fought their battles without his help. They were always a shadow group behind him, but never with him or led by him. The only thing he was passionate about was the creation of a workers run state.

The subtitle “The Passionate Revolutionary” puts the man at the heart of this biography in a nutshell, and the adjective could also be used to describe the author’s work: passionate. And therefore gripping. I admit, I asked for an ARC because, apart from some vague notions that didn’t much exceed Trotsky’s “afterlife” as a logo-like representation on T-shirts some modern-day wannabe rebel-cum-hipsters might want to wear, I didn’t know much neither about Trotsky’s life nor about his fights, his ideas, his struggles, not even why he had fallen out with his former comrades after Lenin’s death. Yet, precisely because the man more than his ideas had become an icon as potent as the Che, I craved for more information.

And Allan Todd delivered. In detail without becoming exhausting, in a vivid, flowing writing style—passion could be detected there, too—and with many titbits and anecdotes I guess one wouldn’t find in any other biography. Moreover, Trotsky has been researched and has become such a legend, a cleaving persona, that, and this is another guess of mine, it’s probably rare to get a more or less exhaustive and neutral description. Either you’re an unconditional fan, the biographer’s curse seems to be, or a political foe, be it from the right or the left. Now, in this book, I didn’t feel anything akin to fandom or hatred, just someone who tries to pick up the pieces of Trotsky’s life and present them as is.

Therefore, I found this a compelling, extremely interesting read, and an easy read to boot (none of that off-putting, dry historian’s vocabulary). From Trotsky’s birth, his younger years, his initial disinterest for political thoughts and struggles, his involvement with social movements, his enrolment in socialism, his exiles, his rise in the party ranks, but also his private, nay, his most intimate life is examined, and no dazzling whites nor condemning blacks have been left out. In the end, what I got was a contrasted portrait of a passionate revolutionary indeed, maybe a tad snob, a bit impatiently misanthropic, a little detached from ordinary people and their lives—someone who lived in an intellectual sphere, yet had an uncanny knack of putting into words what ordinary people wanted to hear while trying to remain true to his core values.

One can wholeheartedly agree or disagree with a vengeance with Trotsky’s ideas and deeds—there is not the main goal nor the main interest of this biography. Trotsky was, is, and probably will be a fascinating hero or satan for generations still, and to get to know him the way I had the impression I did is a first step to understanding him. A book I recommend without a moment’s hesitation.

I loved this book, the author has clearly done a huge amount of research and this shed new light on the controversial figure that is Trotsky. It is very well written and although I don’t always agree with the authors interpretation the fact that he has clearly done his research means that doesn’t matter. It’s an interesting perspective regardless. Highly recommend.