"This is a serious and accomplished synthesis. . . . Biographical vignettes enliven the presentation of ideas, and references to studies of regional diversities . . . give the narrative an uncommonly rich texture. . . . Lucid and illuminating. . . . It is the best book on the subject to put into the hands of our students."--Helmut Gruber, International Labor and Working Class History "A synthetic narrative by a young academic scholar . . . who has independent ideas on an important subject. . . . This book is worth reading if for no other reason than its modest, but nonpatronizing rehabilitation from generations of Marxist caricature of a host of deeply democratic European socialists."--James H. Billington, Washington Post Book World "One asset of this book is its lack of the overbearing personal partisanship one finds in so many historical studies of socialism. . . . [Lindeman incorporates] some recent and inaccessible studies in social history written 'from the bottom up.'"--David D'Arcy, World View "As a whole, Lindemann offers a more balanced treatment of the ideas and the movement of socialism than found in many extant histories. . . . A must for all college and university libraries."--Choice "A competent and fair-minded study of a controversial subject. It presents much factual material and judicious interpretation in lucid prose."--L. S. Stavrianos, Los Angeles Times Book Review