this is a PM I sent to someone

[Sinister Intents]

What should I know as I delve into Lenin? I've read his biographical sketch of Marx, three parts of Marxism, The heritage we renounce, and now I'm on what is to be done.

I've reread all the Marx and Engels I can with works I haven't

I have to read the German Ideology, Poverty of Philosophy, 18th Brumaire, the 2nd volume of Capital and so one

I've read State and Revolution and parts of Imperialism

So what do you all think? Can someone talk to me about this

[Sewer Socialist]

You should explain what you hope to get out of reading more Lenin than you have? What are you looking for?

The only thing by Lenin I've read is S&R. I liked it as an affirmation of revolution and rejection of social democracy, but I'm not really interested in reading more by him.

Impressive reading regiment, though! I'm finishing up that Aufheben intro to analyses of the USSR, which I didn't realize was so long when I started reading it. Not sure what I'll read next, but I really like what I'm reading now.

Maybe I'll read Dauve on Lenin, idk

[Asero]

Firstly, this shouldn't be in Chit-chat.

I'd start with Lars Lih's Bibliography on Lenin (Critical Lives) and John Reed's Ten Days That Shook the World as an introduction to the historical background.

Looking at Le Socialiste's post from a while ago, (I don't have a high enough post count to give links; the thread was called Default Good books on Lenin, the October Revolution, and the Russian Civil War) I cannot help but wholly agree with him. I'll repeat his post in a slightly abridged manner in the order I think they should be read*:

The Bolsheviks Come to Power, by Alexander Rabinowitch
Lenin Rediscovered: What Is To Be Done? In Context, by Lars T. Lih
Lenin and the Revolutionary Party, by Paul Le Blanc
Lenin's Political Thought: Theory and Practice in the Democratic and Socialist Revolutions, by Neil Harding

(*as an aside, the only of these books from Le Socialiste's recommendations I have personally read and have a personal copy of is Lenin Rediscovered, so take my advice with a grain of salt)

According to Stalin, the following of "Lenin's pamphlets... constitute priceless contributions to the general treasury of Marxism": The State and Revolution, "Left Wing" Communism, Imperialism, What Is To Be Done?, Two Tactics, and The Proletarian Revolution and the Renegade Kautsky, which I recommend to be read roughly in this order, though you can read Lenin in practically any order. Lenin has writings on many subjects, but the list Stalin gave that I have repeated is where you should start.

I also personally recommend the Verso Books edition (the one with Zizek's introduction) to Trotsky's Terrorism and Communism, Stalin's Foundations of Leninism, and Zizek's introduction to Revolution at the Gates.

A point many anti-Leninists state against Leninism (that I agree with) is that reading Lenin (or Leninists) doesn't excuse yourself from reading Marx or Engels in any way. If you want to get into Marxism, read Marx (and Engels).