A great many books have been written about Stalin, portraying him as the “father of the peoples,” a commander-in-chief, as well as a inhuman being, a monster. Yet all of them provoke disputes and are accused of lacking objectivity. Leon Trotsky, for some time Stalin’s closest associate, was a direct participant in, and witness to, the events that took place—so his memoirs occupy a special place. Trotsky’s assassination prevented him from finishing his book, but what he managed to write still shocked both Stalin’s supporters and his opponents.
Because everyone understands perfectly well: Comrade Stalin is still with us.