Reviews

Pipes, a Harvard professor and noteworthy author of numerous works, most recently The Concise History of the Russian Revolution (LJ 10/1/95), has edited and translated previously secret archived memos about Lenin from the Bolshevik period and after. In the introduction, he aptly points out that the "official" Lenin is significantly different from the "unknown" Lenin described by many thousands of secret unpublished documents. His book is very cumbersome to read; over 100 documents are given, with notes at the end of each. Some of the actual document illustrations are illegible, and Pipes's interpretation of what they portray is thinly veiled opinion. The information is very specialized academic information, unsuitable for most libraries.‘Harry V. Willems, Southeast Kansas Lib. System, Iola