Leon Trotsky

Born Lev Davidovich Bronstein in 1879, he became known to history as Leon Trotsky, one of the most important and controversial revolutionaries of the 20th century. He played leading roles in the 1905 Russian Revolution and the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, and later helped build and lead the Red Army during the Russian Civil War.

Trotsky was not only a political leader but also a powerful writer and speaker. His books and essays combine autobiography, history, and sharp political analysis, giving readers a firsthand view of revolution, power struggles, and exile. Among his best-known works is My Life, a memoir that traces his journey from childhood to international fame and political defeat.

After losing the struggle for power against Joseph Stalin, he was expelled from the Soviet Union and spent his later years in exile in Turkey, France, Norway, and finally Mexico. He continued writing until his assassination in 1940, leaving behind a body of work that remains influential in political history and revolutionary thought.