The philosopher Antonio Negri is one of the preeminent thinkers of our time: his writings on class, socialism, and empire have had an enormous influence on contemporary political theory. His political activism and outspoken advocacy for the downtrodden have also placed him at the centre of some of the most dramatic developments in recent Italian history. ‘Story of a Communist’ — the first volume of Negri’s three-part autobiography — gives a fascinating account of his intellectual development and of the price he has paid for living out his ideals. Negri paints a vivid portrait of the ferment in which some of his most important arguments and ideas took shape, and he provides crucial context for an understanding of the operaismo movement and of the influence that it continues to exert. Story of a Communist is also a profoundly personal work, however: it is a compelling and often moving narrative of a childhood overshadowed by Fascism, of the author’s involvement with Left-wing politics in the post-war period, and, finally, of his arrest in 1979 for alleged involvement in terrorist activities. This is a powerful record of an extraordinary life, and of the historical forces that have shaped it.