Ten Days That Shook the World

Ten Days That Shook the World (1919) is a book by the American journalist and socialist John Reed about the October Revolution in Russia in 1917, which Reed experienced first hand. Reed followed many of the prominent Bolshevik leaders closely during his time in Russia. The book allows the reader to almost be a participant, alongside Reed, Lenin and Trotsky, in these momentous events.
John Reed was active in the left wing of the Socialist Party of America and went on to found the Communist Party, USA.  He died tragically young at 32 in 1920, shortly after this book was finished.