I admit I stayed away from Lenin, fearing he’d be a difficult and academic read. I was sorely mistaken. Lenin writes with a spunky lucidity, sparring with anarchists, opportunists, social democrats, and others to delineate the Marxist path to communism. The State and Revolution is a must-read for any would-be abolitionist and leftist of any persuasion. Lenin masterfully sinks his teeth into the strategic weaknesses of his peers and builds a firm argument for the need for a proletariat-led revolution and dictatorship of the proletariat. These WWE-style takedowns better makes me understand the divisions among leftists better, as the urgency of the revolution and the truly opposing perspectives inevitably create a powder keg in dangerous circumstances. While I have my own criticisms and questions about the work--how do we ensure that state power does not corrupt revolutionaries, as it has in the Soviet Union and China?, for example--this is the strongest theoretical ground I have found to stand on at the moment. Looking forward to reading more Lenin and dipping into more Marxist theory soon. 5 out of 5.