Book excerpt: Following their consciences in defiance of their government, some 2,800 young Americans between 1936 and 1938 joined the cause of Spanish democracy under the banner of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. Passing the Torch is an outspoken tribute to the heroism of the American volunteers of the 1930s and to their tradition of hope and resistance, which continues to inspire social activists to this day. A photoessay that captures the spirit of radicalism embodied in the brigadistas, this richly illustrated volume portrays Central American solidarity work in the 1980s, massive protests against the Gulf War in 1991, and the World Trade Organization "Battle in Seattle" in December 1999. It also profiles seven Seattle-area veterans, representative of the 120 surviving members of the Lincoln Brigade, and documents the dedication ceremony of the first public monument to the Brigade in the United States. All text is presented in Spanish and English.