I found a book, titled “Bolshevism: Practice and Theory” by Bertrand Russell that discusses the impacts of the Russian Revolution in its immediate aftermath. I’m not sure who wrote in the book, but they must have been interested in the more glamorous interpretation of the history than we encounter today. The book was published in 1920 in New York by Harcourt, Brace and Howe amid a strong anti-capitalism movement to which Russell surely subscribes. I did not upload any photographs of the book’s casing, but it is in fairly good condition without any signs of re-binding. The casing looks original. When I open it, pieces of shredded paper litter my lap. I suppose this means that the book might be in need of re-binding.

Here are the examples of marginal notes:

Here, the reader is simply making notes summarizing main points in the reading. The last photograph shows the reader finding it amusing that the author asserts that Marxism has a tendency against psychological illusion, which in turn is amusing to me because this is the only instance in the book where the reader is using pen. “HA” is the only permanent marking made by anyone other than the reader. Could the reader not have kept that to him/herself. I wonder who the reader(s) was(were). The handwriting is very neat, so I’d bet these notes were taken a long time ago.

Here is a last image of some marginal notes:

The reader attributes the note “bread and butter theory” next to Russell’s explanation of Marxism as it relates to Communism. He says that Marxism “profoundly influences [Communist] views as to politics and tactics.” I’ve never heard of a “bread and butter theory” but I suppose I get what the read is driving at.