Date: Mon, 20 May 1996 09:35:08 -0400
From: Wellen <cwellen-AT-pen.k12.va.us>
Subject: John Reed and "Ten Days that Shook the World"


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Greetings to Hugh and all other Comrades
>From Wei En Lin


Hugh recently recommended John Reed's "Ten
Days that Shook the World" for an understanding
of the October Revolution in Russia.

I cannot speak more highly of any journalistic
or historical work.  The virtue of the book--- aside
>from its obvious sympathy for needs and goals
of the workers, soldiers , and peasants---
is its truly objective presentation.
The book seethes with all the conflicts of the 
time, presenting the perspectives of all the
contending forces.  The views of tsarists, capitalists,
the petty-bourgeoisie, the workers, peasants, soldiers,
the Bolsheviks, the Mensheviks, the intellegensia, and
many others are all presented---IN THEIR OWN WORDS.
This is the chief virtue of Reed's work.  He is not 
afraid of opposing views.  He is concerned with the 
truth, and like Marx himself, willing to look carefully
at every singel viewpoint involved in or expressed
during the conflict.  As Marxists try to redefine themselves,
and learn from the collapse of the Soviet regime, no work
could be more useful.  It deserves reading and re-reading
again and again.

Sincere Regards,

Wei En Lin.

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