Praise for Bronshtein in the Bronx
Lit Hub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2025
“[Bronshtein in the Bronx] is as mordantly funny and wickedly ironic as Littell’s earlier novels. But it’s also even more haunted by family ghosts, particularly that of his father, Leon.”
—Sarah Weinman, The Crime Lady
“Narrated in the first person by Lev Bronshtein (Leon Trotsky’s real name), the novel proceeds by dint of encounter, argument, exposition and wisecrack—a dialectic of sorts . . . Imaginatively uninhibited . . . The author has clearly done his research.”
—The Wall Street Journal
“For those who enjoyed Yuri Hererra’s account of Mexican hero Benito Juarez’s time in New Orleans, here’s another tale of revolutionary exile: Trotsky in NYC! Robert Littell is the perfect person to take on this daunting task without sacrificing story.”
—Lit Hub
“Extraordinary . . . Littell’s Bronshtein becomes a hero to the socialists scrambling around the Big Apple’s streets as he wrestles with questions relating to his revolutionary ideology, his place in his own family, his relationship with Lenin, and his own conscience.”
—AudioFile
“Wandering through socialist cafes, newsroom debates, and the bustling streets of New York, Trotsky confronts questions about his revolutionary ideals, his loyalties to Lenin, and his own family ties. With the revolution looming, he must balance his grand vision for the world with the personal sacrifices that come with it. Brought to vivid life by Robert Littell, this gripping novel is a fresh and fictionalized look at a little-known chapter in Trotsky’s life.”
—Unpacked
“Excellent.”
—Hey Alma
“[A] clever novel, satirical, ribald, and entertaining.”
—Historical Novels Review
“Lively . . . [Bronshtein in the Bronx] give[s] us a picture of a committed revolutionary who spent years exiled from Russia.”
—New York Labor History Association
“[Littell] offers both charms and insights in this slim work of fiction.”
—Jewish Book Council
“As Trotsky navigates the complexities of family and the challenges of urban living, Littell expertly creates a strong sense of place, conveying the vibrancy of New York’s heady political climate and culture . . . Suggest to listeners who appreciated the energy and inventiveness of Stephen May’s Sell Us the Rope.”
—Library Journal, Starred Review (audiobook)
“Charming . . . An air of irreverence pervades this account, which is full of winking anachronisms that poke fun at Trotsky and his fellow idealists . . . Littell’s fans will love this playful swerve.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Colorful . . . Littell creates a well-rounded personality in Trotsky.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Riveting . . . Littell captures his subject masterfully and conveys the famed revolutionary’s complex nature . . . While the mission is serious, the narrative hits humorous high notes with the dialogue between Trotsky and his nemesis, Leon Litzky. Litzky’s presence is only subconscious, but Trotsky’s interactions with him offer a window into a brilliant yet troubled mind.”
—BookReporter.com
Praise for Robert Littell
“Compulsive reading from start to finish.”
—The Boston Globe
“Hugely entertaining . . . A serious look at how our nation exercises power . . . Popular fiction at its finest.”
—The Washington Post Book World
“Littell is so gifted a creator of intelligent entertainment that I could give away almost everything and still not spoil your pleasure in reading.”
—NPR’s All Things Considered
“A ripping good yarn—entertaining, chilling and insightful . . . Littell is great about nailing the details that make his stories convincing.”
—Newsweek
“[Littell’s] variety of genre fiction deals with one of the oldest themes in Western art, the wavering line between illusion and reality.”
—Chicago Tribune
“If Robert Littell didn’t invent the American spy novel, he should have.”
—Tom Clancy
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