Historian sean mcmeekin has written a very readable revisionist history of the russian revolution. I would tone that praise down a bit and call it readable. The best books on the russian revolution london evening. Theres a reason why this book is a classic ascher gives us. The russian revolution was the beginning of the modern age, says awardwinning author roland chambers. Russian revolution definition, causes, summary, history. The first edition of the novel was published in 1918, and was written by leon trotsky. Here is a list of characters from the book, which had things in common with some important people who played a role in the russian revolution.
At queens university belfast, i read russian studies and english for my first degree. The first one give us a good analysis of the happenings and causes that leaded firstly to. Idea for gentleman in moscow came from many nights. Leon trotsky was a leader of the russian revolution in 1917 and is the author of my life, the history of the russian revolution, and the revolution betrayed. The perspective of the book is to look at the revolution from. The russian revolution is a carefully researched, wellwritten assessment of the complex and confusing events that did so much to shape the last century. Animal farm is an allegorical novella by george orwell, first published in england on 17 august 1945.
The russian revolution is a monster of a book 842 pages not including endnotes. Washington post book world hails it as a gripping read. On the afternoon of july 4, 1917, thousands of soldiers, sailors and workers converged on a former royal. The russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin basic books. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 1040 pages and is available in paperback format. A new history recalibrates the villains of the russian revolution. In this classic work, the author incorporates data from archives thatwere previously inaccessible not only to western but also to soviet historians, as well as drawing on. In short, manor farm is a model of russia, and old major, snowball, and napoleon represent. Trotskys book is divided into 3 volumes, the overthrow of tsarism, the history of the russian revolution and the triumph of the soviets. The best books on the russian revolution five books. List of books and articles about russian revolution. The best books on the russian revolution, as recommended by author.
Top 10 books about the russian revolution books the guardian. This is a whirlwind journey through russian revolution each topic is covered in a couple of pages. The book tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy. His new book, which will also be published in the soviet union. The book is both a testament to the popularity of the revolution and the hard necessities imposed on red petrograd confronted with the white. The russian revolution of 1917 was one of the pivotal events in world history, and the russian bolshevik party played a central role in that. The book registers the primacy of politics, but situates political developments firmly in the context of massive economic, social, and cultural change. The best books on the russian revolution saul david picks the best of the many new books published to coincide with the centenary of the russian revolution. Richard pipes book about the russian revolution has two parts. Top 10 books about the russian revolution books the. The russian revolution of 1917 was one of the most explosive political events of the 20th century. In the midst of the russian revolution of 1905, the crew of the battleship potemkin mutiny against the brutal, tyrannical regime of the vessels officers. Free download or read online history of the russian revolution pdf epub book.
The book starts with czarist rule, then covers karl marx philosophy, czar nicholas romanov, rasputin, world war i, events of 1917, lenin, trotsky, october revolution, stalin, and the legacy of. Schmitt distinguished service professor in modern russian history at the university of chicago, is the author of many books on soviet social, cultural, and political history, including the russian revolution, stalins peasants, everyday. Trotsky finished writing it in russian in 1930 and was then translated into english by max eastman in 1932. A new history recalibrates the villains of the russian. This new history of the russian revolution was one of many books published to mark the 100th anniversary of the bolshevik revolution. He tells us what solzhenitsyn imagined lenin was like, and about the childrens author who led a double life as a spy in bolshevik russia. Russian revolution 1917 score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.
Nevertheless, there are plenty of texts on the subject. The history of the russian revolution by leon trotsky is a threevolume book on the russian revolution of 1917. That was the beginning of a gentleman in moscow, the story of a russian aristocrat who is sentenced by the bolsheviks during the revolution to a. Women, resistance and revolution is an invaluable historical study, as well as a trove of anecdote and example fit to inspire todays generation of feminist thinkers and activists. Links between the russian revolution and animal farm characters the characters in animal farm all share a link between certain people involved during the russian revolution.
Leaflets of the russian revolution new translations of the most important documents from socialist parties, soviets, and worker militias in petrograd during 1917. My enjoyment of novels set in russia has never left me. This film is based on the book about vasili ivanovich chapaev 1887 1919 who was in real life the commander of the 25th division of the red army. Russian revolution, two revolutions in 1917, the first of which, in february march, new style, overthrew the imperial government and the second of which, in october november, placed the bolsheviks in power, leading to the creation of the soviet union. Web history of russia and the former ussr at internet archive web the vladimir ilyich lenin internet archive at web the leon trotsky internet archive at. About 900 pages long, this book is an imposing firsthand account of the russian revolution, remarkable for having been composed by one of its chief protagonistsproof, if need be, that leon trotsky was a formidable writer amongst other things. A history of the russian revolution, leon trotsky about 900 pages long, this book is an imposing firsthand account of the russian revolution, remarkable for having been composed by one of its chief protagonistsproof, if need be, that leon trotsky was a formidable writer amongst other things. The violent revolution marked the end of the romanov dynasty and centuries of russian imperial. The following is a chronological list of books by leon trotsky, a marxist theoretician, including hardcover and paperback books and pamphlets published during his life and posthumously during the years immediately following his assassination in the summer of 1940. The fact that he dedicates the russian revolution to the victims tells you all you need to know about his perspective on the subject. The author, a distinguished harvard historian, seeks to present a comprehensive view of the russian revolution, tracing its roots in the half century before 1917, a period he has already examined in russia under the old regime lj 31575. Pdf history of the russian revolution book by leon. The author, a distinguished harvard historian, seeks to present a comprehensive view of the russian revolution, tracing its roots in the half century before 1917, a period he has already examined in.
The centenary of the russian revolution is an opportunity for me to revisit books that are set just before, during and in the immediate aftermath of the revolution. They have selected these books for their content, accessibility and affordability. Now, following the collapse of the soviet regime and the opening of its archives, it is possible to step back and see the full picture. Trotskys history of the russian revolution is a demanding book, one that merits careful study. This bloody sunday was followed in succeeding months by a series of strikes, riots, assassinations, naval mutinies, and.
The facts are well known, but history is about making connections between these facts, and there could be and there are many histories of the russian revolution. The russian revolution s of 1917 may be the most important and worldaltering event of the twentieth century, but restrictions on documents and official communist histories have often affected the efforts of historians. What smiths book might lack in colour and verve it makes up for in pithy brevity. This book was necessary reading for all early historians of the revolution. Two definitive works on the early days of the russian revolution, now collected in one captivating volume. The main characters of this history, non fiction story are leon trotsky, vladimir lenin. Although he was too young to have participated in the events of the revolution of 1917, he joined grassroots communist groups to spread literacyand the word of lenin. The russian revolution had a decisive impact on the history of the twentieth century. Stories and poems from the russian revolution is a collection of literary responses to one of the most cataclysmic events in modern world history, which exposes the immense conflictedness and doubt, conviction and hope, pessimism and optimism which political events provoked among contemporary writers sometimes at the same time, even. Sukhanov, a leftmenshevik hostile to lenin, was actually present in. One of orwells goals in writing animal farm was to portray the russian or bolshevik revolution of 1917 as one that resulted in a government more oppressive, totalitarian, and deadly than the one it overthrew. Within an overall narrative that provides a clear description of the 1917 revolution, he introduces several new approaches on its political history and the complexity of the october revolution. On the hundredth anniversary of the revolutions of 1917, weve collected together the very best books on revolutionary russia.
Rappaport makes no pretence that hers is anything but an account of foreigners experiences in someone elses revolution. Given its length and complexity, however, its difficult not to give up on it. Regardless of the readers view of the authors politics, there is no doubt that his analysis of the conditions leading up to the revolution. Most popular russian revolution movies and tv shows imdb. They are available for purchase through our affiliate partner, the book depository, at low. The best books on the russian revolution pan macmillan. The best books to read on the russian revolution, a recommended list. This selection of russian revolution books has been recommended by alpha history authors. The first volume primarily looks at russia under tsarism, the february revolution, the provisional government and the initial formulation of a new strategy upon the arrival of lenin back to russia. Since the fall of communism there has been much reflection on the significance of the russian revolution. Women in russia before and after the revolution by sheila rowbotham read an extract from this book.
Ten days that shook the world by john reed, history of the russian revolution by leon trotsky, doctor zhivago by bor. Nevertheless, sticking it out until the end proves worth the effort. Top ten books about the russian revolution historia magazine. Many of the characters and events of orwells novel parallel those of the russian revolution. Included are the original russian or german language titles and publication information, as well as the name and publication. The russian revolution was a period of political and social revolution across the territory of the russian empire, commencing with the abolition of the monarchy in 1917, and concluding in 1923 after the bolshevik establishment of the soviet union, along with five other soviet republics, ukraine, belarus, armenia, azerbaijan and georgia, resulting in the end of the civil war.
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