In this Dad Tangent, we meet Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov—better known as Lenin. Yes, that Lenin. Revolutionary, political mastermind, and the guy who decided Russia needed a total system reboot.

We’ll talk about his wild journey from exiled bookworm to leader of the Bolshevik Revolution, why he was obsessed with Marxism, and how one sealed train ride across Europe flipped history upside down. Oh—and if you managed to correctly pronounce “Ulyanov” on the first try? Congratulations, language wizard. Thanks, Big Lebowski.

From pamphlets to power grabs, Lenin’s story is a crash course in how one man with an idea (and a really intense stare) can change the world.