Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Lenin: A Very Brief History

Rate this book
Want to learn more about history, but don’t think you have the time? Think again.

Lenin was the Russian revolutionary leader who led the Bolsheviks victory and oversaw the creation of the world’s first socialist state. A staunch advocate of Marxism, he was the first Premier of the Soviet Union, he died in 1924 and historians have argued over his legacy ever since. This book examines the man and his legacy.

The Very Brief History series is intended to give the reader a short, concise account of the most important events in world history. Each book provides the reader with the essential facts concerning a particular event or person; no distractions, just the essential facts, allowing the reader to master the subject in the shortest time possible.

With The Very Brief History series, anyone can become a history expert!

34 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2013

8 people are currently reading
42 people want to read

About the author

Mark Black

87 books5 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
5 (10%)
4 stars
11 (22%)
3 stars
19 (38%)
2 stars
7 (14%)
1 star
8 (16%)
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Profile Image for Mark Maguire.
190 reviews4 followers
January 26, 2014
My bookcases are crammed with books on or by Lenin. I have always considered him to be one History's greatest figures as well as a beacon for oppressed peoples across the globe; lacking the photogenic qualities of Che Guevara, but significantly more disciplined and principled.

However, over the years, the books have gathered dust and a sizeable proportion of the knowledge that I once had has apparently disappeared. This Kindle book was acquired with a view to jogging the memory back into action, and on this front it was successful and covers the life and times of Lenin in a brief and salient manner.

The book also brought to light a number of previously unknown aspects about Lenin and his entourage which now warrants further investigation, most notably, his relationship with Stalin and Imperial Germany.

A worthwhile overview of one of most History's most revered, and reviled historical figures.
55 reviews
September 14, 2014
While this "Very Brief History" was an interesting read, I thought a lot of the book got bogged down with the politics of the time. Yes, it's certainly necessary to understand what was going on, but the middle portion dragged, and really slowed down the pace of the book. I'd almost say that it got a little too detailed/technical with the politics. This problem didn't really arise with the "Stalin: A Very Brief History." Overall, I feel like I got less of a feel for Lenin, as a person, though more about the politics, so it's certainly not a useless, or even a bad read. Just not quite what I expected, given the other books of the series.
Profile Image for Anna.
73 reviews8 followers
March 22, 2015
I studied this period of Russian history in school several years ago and saw this book to be free on kindle and thought it might be a refreshing reintroduction on the subject. It certainly was although undoubtedly incredibly narrative and detail inevitably was missed out at times. However the final chapter on Lenin's death was fascinating and I was pleasantly surprised at the evaluation of evidence incorporated. Overall, for those who know nothing about Lenin or have rusty knowledge on the period may find this to be very useful.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.