One of the most renowned Soviet writers of the 20th century, Maxim Gorky was an early supporter of the Bolsheviks. He became disillusioned with the turn of events after the 1917 revolution, however, and wrote a series of critical articles for the magazine "New Life" that eventually caused the new communist government to dose down the publication. This is a collection of these articles. It is an analysis of the Russian national character, a condemnation of the Bolshevik methods of government and a vision of a future in which respect for individual accomplishment replaces the tyranny of the tsars and the brutality of Russian peasant existence. It was not translated into English until 1968 and was not published in the Soviet Union until 1989. The English edition is now back in print with a new introduction, chronology and notes.