The Spark that Lit the Revolution: Lenin in London and the Politics that Changed the World

by Robert Henderson

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin visited London on six occasions at the beginning of the twentieth century and it was in this city, where Marx wrote Das Kapital, that the roots of Lenin's political thought took shape. This book, from a former curator of the Russian collections at the British Library, tells the story for the first time of Lenin's intriguing relationship with the enigmatic Apollinariya Yakubova – a revolutionary known to her comrades as the 'primeval force of the Black Earth'.

The book reveals Lenin's London-based accomplices and political rivals, and sheds new light on his world-view – one which would have such a crucial impact on the twentieth century. This is the first full exploration of the formation of one of the leading political visionaries of his age. Henderson has made a series of stunning archival discoveries, published here for the first time, as well as photographs and details of the Russian revolutionaries (and indeed international police spies) who congregated in the east end of London - known then as the 'Little Russian Island'. Featuring an extraordinary amount of new archival material, this is an essential addition to our knowledge of Lenin the man and of the roots of the Russian revolution.

Genres: History, Russian History, Nonfiction, British Literature

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 19, 2020

Reviews

[Salvador Ramírez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro de historia trata de reconstruir el ambiente y pasos de Lenin cuando estuvo en Londres a principios del siglo XX. En el cuenta sobre las seis visitas a dicha ciudad (entre 1902 y 1911) y los revolucionarios rusos que habitaron y visitaron Londres fueron fundamentales para para el establecimiento de la revolución rusa de 1917. Entre las situaciones más remarcables estaba la Biblioteca Británica que contenía la mejor colección de materiales en Europa sobre Rusia y diversos temas. Un lugar que Lenin visitaría continuamente para investigar y escribir diversos materiales; y de la cual quedo impresionado. Algunas situaciones que me parecen remarcables es la existencia de una librería creada por un exiliado ruso (Russian Free Library) fundada en 1898, que fue fundamental como punto de encuentro para muchos revolucionarios, o el apoyo que jugo al inicio Yakubova, amiga de Lenin, y por la cual en algún momento sintió algo, y que terminarían alejados por visiones políticas diferentes. El texto también trata sobre algunos congresos de los revolucionarios rusos sucedidos en Europa y en especial en Londres, en donde se establecería la división entre los bolcheviques y los mencheviques.

Es un libro corto, esta escrito de forma ligera y es posible leerlo de manera rápida. Muy bien documentado utilizando diversas fuentes, incluyendo los archivos policiales, escrito por un investigador de la revolución rusa. Recomendable para los interesados de cómo se forjo la revolución rusa en el exilio.

[Carolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had so much fun reading this one! It was just lovely to be able to get lost in the world of the Russians political émigres, London, the British Museum Library and Lenin in the exile. Just a door to a fascinating point in European history... I'm only not giving 5 stars because there's A Lot of speculation about the nature of Lenin's relationship with Yakubova and I couldn't care less about that lol. If there's no proof if he was ever in love with her it just cross as bordering gossip, and there's so much more to care about Lenin's life that one "he said/she said".

[Carlos Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

An essentially enjoyable read, but somehow not as fascinating and profound as I want the story of Lenin in London to be. Some lovely nuggets of info (especially Lenin's near-obsession with the British Library), and an interesting picture of Russian émigré life in London at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, but overall too much gossip and speculation about trivia. Did Lenin have the hots for Yakubova? Frankly I'm not even slightly interested.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy and appreciate this book a lot as it explores the more human side of Lenin, which is nessecary due to his tained reputation thanks to bougoise textbooks, I enjoyed learning about his time in London and the comrades he made along the way. Only major critisim is the refrences at the back are difficult to navigate.