I never knew that Trotsky's assassination took place near the home of Frieda Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

[NNadir]

I was surfing the internet to relax some insomnia and came across reviews of Dmitri Volkogonov's biography of Trotsky, Trotsky: The Eternal Revolutionary

Volkognovov is an interesting guy, a high ranking military officer who was charged with studying the history of the Soviet State in its secret archives before the Soviet Union disintegrated. A passionate communist, this work left him disillusioned, and caused him to write biographies of not only Trotsky, but also of Stalin and Lenin, all of which were critical apparently.

I haven't read these books, but as I'm interested, more than ever after recent events in this country, in authoritarianism and its psychology, I may put these on my future reading list.

I once read Trotsky's bitter biography of Stalin, (of course with a grain of salt) and frankly, I find the guy fascinating in a sordid kind of way.

According to one review, Trotsky, who was murdered in Mexico by Stalin's agents, with an axe to the brain - giving a new spin on "splitting headache" - was murdered near the home of the great artists Diego Rivera and his wife, the much suffering great artist Freida Kahlo. He'd actually lived for a while with the two great artists, and had a brief affair with Kahlo.

Kahlo was briefly arrested under suspicion of participating or conspiring in Trotsky's murder, but was released.

Who knew?

[Captain Zero]

1. Another old story had Trotsky

With an ice pick to the head.

[NNadir]

3. Giving new meaning to "Do you mind if I pick your brain?"

[TlalocW]

2. I did

Degree in Spanish, and I've visited both Rivera and Khahlo's houses in Mexico City.

Fascinating stuff.

TlalocW

[brush]

4. I had heard he fled to Mexico and was in intellectual and artistic circles. He couldn't get out of..

Stalin's reach though even having lived in other countries before being granted asylum in Mexico.

[Mister Ed]

6. I never knew until I saw the movie "Frida".

Very well-made movie, with multiple Oscar nominations and a top-notch cast.

[NJCher]

9. That's how I learned of it, too.

We enjoyed the movie very much, too. SH ewas excellent in her role.

[FreepFryer]

7. I recommend the Trotsky miniseries in Russian, which I believe is on Netflix. (Nt)

[BainsBane]

8. I visited Trotsy's house in Coyoacan

and therefore knew he lived in the same neighborhood as both Khalo and Rivera’s homes. There are rumors Rivera played a role in the murder.

[eppur_se_muova]

10. The thing I remember most vividly about Stalin is that he died alone on the floor of his bedroom ...

... because no one had the courage to risk arousing his anger by disturbing him and so they waited hours to open the door. By then it was too late.

A fitting end, in a small way.