Marx and Marxism, Leninism, Stalinism, revisionism, totalitarianism vs. democracy, and American intellectuals from John Reed to Michael Harrington and John Kenneth Galbraith - these are among the subjects Sidney Hook treats. In a selected group of essays and review articles, Professor Hook, who has been called the dean of critical Marxist scholars in the United States, demonstrates the range of his concerns and the coherence of an intellectual position that has long discomfited his critics. He provides illuminating discussion of Marx's political beliefs, the failure of his historical predictions, and the nature and meaning of freedom, and includes a stimulating critique of modern conservatism. Professor Hook's contributions have a rare clarity, freshness, and relevance to the great issues of our era. They provide a critical overview of Marxism and will appeal to all who have an interest in the development of ideas.