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The Origins of the October Revolution
by Philip Pomper
In 1886, Alexander Ulyanov, a brilliant biology student, joined a small group of students at St. Petersburg University to plot the assassination of Russia's tsar. Known as the second "First March" for the date of their action, this group failed disastrously in their mission, and its leaders, Alexander included, were executed. History has largely forgotten Alexander, but for the most important consequence of his execution: his younger brother, Vladimir, went on to lead the October Revolution of 1917 and head the new Soviet government under his revolutionary pseudonym "Lenin."
Probing the Ulyanov family archives, historian Philip Pomper uncovers Alexander’s transformation from ascetic student to terrorist, and the impact his fate had on Lenin. Vividly portraying the psychological dynamics of a family that would change history, Lenin’s Brother is a perspective-changing glimpse into Lenin's formative years—and his subsequent behavior as a revolutionary.
"...Pomper delivers a spirited account of this obscure figure, skillfully interweaving a vivid portrait of 19th-century Russian culture and revolutionary ferment." - Publishers Weekly
"An evenhanded, complex, fascinating historical analysis." - Kirkus Reviews
"This work deserves a wide readership, from serious students and scholars of revolutionary Russia to enthusiasts of biography or psychohistory." - Library Journal
The psychological reading that Pomper renders -- that Lenin, in some significant degree, made the revolution to avenge what the tsarist regime had done to his brother and his family -- may not be entirely convincing in the absence of direct testimony from Lenin or those who knew him. But the canvas that Pomper so richly fills ... makes for very engaging reading." - The Council on Foreign Affairs
This information about Lenin's Brother was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Philip Pomper is the William F. Armstrong Professor of History at Wesleyan University. He has written and edited nine books, including The Russian Intelligentsia. He lives in Middletown, Connecticut.
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