This book is an outstanding overview of the life and thoughts of Karl Marx. The editor masterfully weaves together Marx's published works and private letters into a rich tapestry of history and ideas. In addition to what you might expect to find in a collection like this (the text of "The Communist Manifesto", selections from "Das Kapital"), there are also tidbits from Marx's hand that help you truly understand the man and the history of his ideology, from his predictions on the fates of France and Russia, even down to his favorite color (red, of course) and his old report cards. No serious student of economic and political philosophy should be without an understanding of Karl Marx. This book provides it like no other.