What are some good books to read about Lenin, the Bolsheviks, its policies, etc.?

[Fourth Internationalist]

Ever since I have been a Marxist, I've been a bit torn about this time period, and the two most common opinions I hear are, to quickly summarize them, Lenin and the Bolshevik Party, the early USSR, etc was genuinely on its way to socialism, gave power to the workers’ etc. until Stalin. The other view I hear (and the one I lean towards), often from much more libertarian Marxists, anarchists, etc. is that it was early on, while with Lenin, when it began to lose its genuine socialism because of its authoritarian policies, etc. rather than Stalin.

So, to get to the point, are there any good books, or any other sources, that talk about this, perhaps from a communist or Marxist viewpoint, both pro- and anti-? Are there any authors that you particularly like, perhaps since you may have read their work?

[MarxArchist]

Ever since I have been a Marxist, I've been a bit torn about this time period, and the two most common opinions I hear are, to quickly summarize them, Lenin and the Bolshevik Party, the early USSR, etc was genuinely on its way to socialism, gave power to the workers’ etc. until Stalin. The other view I hear (and the one I lean towards), often from much more libertarian Marxists, anarchists, etc. is that it was early on, while with Lenin, when it began to lose its genuine socialism because of its authoritarian policies, etc. rather than Stalin.

So, to get to the point, are there any good books, or any other sources, that talk about this, perhaps from a communist or Marxist viewpoint, both pro- and anti-? Are there any authors that you particularly like, perhaps since you may have read their work?

I might get tarred and feathered for this by supporters of Russian Bolshevism but I'm use to it ;) Kautsky the renegade had a lot to say regarding your question.

http://www.marxists.org/archive/kautsky/1918/03/bolsheviki.htm

http://www.marxists.org/archive/kautsky/1919/terrcomm/ch08.htm

[Lenina Rosenweg]

History of The Russian Revolution by Trotsky, Amazing book,
I've heard people who aren't Trotskyists say its the greatest book they've ever read.

http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1930/hrr/

Revolution Betrayed by Trotsky may help answer some of the questions you have

http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1936/revbet/index.htm

Memoirs of A Revolutionist by Victor Serge is a must read, IMO. He was an anarchist who joined the Bolshevoks. He talks about Kronstadt, etc.

Issac Deitscher's biography of Trotsky is the most amazing adventure story I've ever read

http://www.amazon.com/The-Prophet-Armed-Trotsky-1879-1921/dp/1859844413

His bio of Stalin is interesting.

I haven't read it yet but Sheila Fitzpatrick's history is supposed to be very good

http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Revolution-Sheila-Fitzpatrick/dp/0199237670/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364684952&sr=1-1&keywords=russian+revolution+fitzpatrick

Three Who Made A Revolution is quite good although written from a non-Marxist perspective.

http://www.amazon.com/Three-Who-Made-Revolution-Biographical/dp/0815411774/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364685052&sr=1-1&keywords=three+who+made+a+revolution

Bertram Wolfe was originally in the Lovestoneite faction of the CPUS, lkater he became a Cold War liberal, I think.

[Nevsky]

"The Russian Revolution" by Rosa Luxemburg:

http://www.marxists.org/archive/luxemburg/1918/russian-revolution/index.htm

Stalin's perspective on Leninism and the Great October Socialist Revolution:

http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1924/foundations-leninism/index.htm

[MarxArchist]

History of The Russian Revolution by Trotsky, Amazing book,
I've heard people who aren't Trotskyists say its the greatest book they've ever read.

http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1930/hrr/

Revolution Betrayed by Trotsky may help answer some of the questions you have

http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1936/revbet/index.htm

Memoirs of A Revolutionist by Victor Serge is a must read, IMO. He was an anarchist who joined the Bolshevoks. He talks about Kronstadt, etc.

Issac Deitscher's biography of Trotsky is the most amazing adventure story I've ever read

http://www.amazon.com/The-Prophet-Armed-Trotsky-1879-1921/dp/1859844413

His bio of Stalin is interesting.

I haven't read it yet but Sheila Fitzpatrick's history is supposed to be very good

http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Revolution-Sheila-Fitzpatrick/dp/0199237670/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364684952&sr=1-1&keywords=russian+revolution+fitzpatrick

Three Who Made A Revolution is quite good although written from a non-Marxist perspective.

http://www.amazon.com/Three-Who-Made-Revolution-Biographical/dp/0815411774/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364685052&sr=1-1&keywords=three+who+made+a+revolution

Bertram Wolfe was originally in the Lovestoneite faction of the CPUS, lkater he became a Cold War liberal, I think.
Trotsky Trotsky Trotsky, something tells me you're a Trotskyist. What about that Trotsky guy? Did you mention him? ;) OP, check this out-Compulsory and militarized labor!

http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1920/terrcomm/ch08.htm

[Let's Get Free]

"The Bolsheviks and Workers Control."

http://zinelibrary.info/files/bolshies&workercontrol.pdf

[Akshay!]

I don't know if this has been already mentioned but Bertrand Russell's "The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism" is certainly one of the best, if not the best, book about Lenin and the Bolshevik Revolution. And then of course, I would reommend reading Luxemburg and Trotsky's books too. Apart from that, if you wanna go into detail, you can read Deutscher's biographies of Stalin and Trotsky.

[Brosa Luxemburg]

E.H. Carr's 3 volume work called The Bolshevik Revolution.

Prelude To Revolution, The Bolsheviks Come To Power, and The Bolsheviks In Power by Alexander Rabinowitch

William Chamberlin's The Russian Revolution (volumes one and two)

Year One of the Russian Revolution by Victor Serge

Ten Days That Shook The World by John Reed

The Russian Revolution by Rex Wade

I would also suggest reading works of Lenin, Trotsky, Garvil Myasnikov, Nikolai Bukharin, Kollontai, and others.

ComradeOm also made this http://www.revleft.com/vb/introducing-revleft-historical-t120423/index.html

[Sudsy]

Lenin: A Biography by Robert Service. This book focuses more on Lenin as an individual rather than the Bolshevik Revolution, but it is still really interesting.