Welcome to Jacobin Radio, I'm Susie Weisman Radio. I'm Susie Wiseman,

writer, filmmaker, and journalist Tarak Eilie joins us to talk about his

new book, The Dilemas of Lenin, written in this centenary year of the Russian Revolution

and aptly published this month of April, exactly 100 years since

Lenin's explosive April Theses.

The call to Revolution after the successful February Revolution brought down the Tsar, but didn't see the Soviets or

councils assume power. Tarak's book brings out an unknown Lenin, one who loved Latin

literature and classical music and who was profoundly influenced by the political convulsions of the time

that intimately affected his own family.

History sees Lenin as a ruthless dictator so it may be surprising to see his commitment to

universal democracy from below put forward in his

key writings from 1917. We'll ask Tarak to unravel the myths and slanders about Lenin's role

in history, how to assess Lenin's ideas and actions,

and ask what relevance they have for today.

All this when our program returns in just a moment.

I'm Susie Weisman, very pleased to have Tarak Ali with us.

He's a writer, a filmmaker, a journalist, and he's joining us to talk

about his new book, The Delemas of Lenin, which was written in the centenary year of the Russian

Revolution and aptly published this month of April, exactly a hundred years since Lenin's explosive April Theses, which was the call to action to Revolution after its successful February Revolution in Russia brought down the czar, but

didn't see the Soviets or the councils assume power.

Tarix book brings out an unknown Lenin, one who loved Latin literature and classical music and who was

profoundly influenced by the political convulsions of the time that intimately affected

...