This new history of the russian revolution was one of many books published to mark the 100th anniversary of the bolshevik revolution. On the afternoon of july 4, 1917, thousands of soldiers, sailors and workers converged on a former royal palace, a sprawling palladian structure in the russian capital. Sheila fitzpatrick gets the one spot, but wade dominates without question. Between 1900 and 1920, russia underwent a complete and irreversible transformation. Book overview rex wade presents a new account of one of the pivotal events of modern history, combining his own long study of the revolution with the best of contemporary scholarship. The russian revolution, through american eyes history.
Solzhenitsyn breaks last taboo of the revolution world. The russian revolution is a carefully researched, wellwritten assessment of the complex and confusing events that did so much to shape the last century. Another suggestion is a fiction book, the white guard by mikhail bulgakov. Regardless of the readers view of the authors politics, there is no doubt that his analysis of the conditions leading up to the revolution. Russian revolution 1917 score a books 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. Two definitive works on the early days of the russian revolution, now collected in one captivating volume. The best books on the russian revolution london evening. Leaflets of the russian revolution new translations of the most important documents from socialist parties, soviets, and worker militias in petrograd during 1917. Top 10 books about the russian revolution the guardian. Rex wade presents an account of one of the pivotal events of modern history, combining his own long study of the revolution with the best of contemporary scholarship. A new history recalibrates the villains of the russian. The russian revolution 1st vintage books ed edition. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
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. May 29, 2017 an excellent resource for the facts and key players in russian history from the start of wwi to the mid1920s. Ive read way too many books on this, so that is high praise. 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. Hence we learn more about the opposition to lenin rather than an inside out view which would focus more on the bolshevik leadership. In his latest book solzhenitsyn, 84, deals with one of the last taboos of the communist revolution. The best books to read on the russian revolution, a. Rex wade, a historian at george mason university, has given a very accessible and solid summary of the developments, issues and people involved in this work. Visions and revisions problems in european civilization by suny, ronald. Mar 10, 2017 at queens university belfast, i read russian studies and english for my first degree. The best books on the russian revolution five books. The years of the revolution, delineated by steinberg as 1905 1921, compose a period of multinational and crossclass. 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.
If readers are interested in a broad work covering the essential actors and historical events leading up to and following the russian revolution of 1917, this book is. Within the village the assembly settled disputes and dealt with all matters affecting the village as a whole. This book is mainly a narrative history of the russian revolution in its two stages of february and october and everything in between. Martyanov mentions in his new book something that i learned on my visit to donbass in march 2015. The facts are well known, but history is about making connections between these facts, and there could be and there. History of the russian revolution by leon trotsky nook book. Taking advantage of the collapse of the tsarist regime in the middle of world war i, the bolsheviks staged a hostile takeover of the. Jun 06, 2017 the russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin basic books. Best precollapse book on russian revolution i strongly recommend reading richard pipes short title, communism.
The third edition has been updated to include new scholarship on topics such as the coming of the revolution and the beginning of bolshevik rule, as well as the revolutions cultural context. Historian sean mcmeekin has written a very readable revisionist history of the russian revolution. This bloody sunday was followed in succeeding months by a series of strikes, riots, assassinations, naval mutinies, and. Adams, arthur and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. This book traces a timeline of the bolshevik crackdown on revolutionary currents in russia and elsewhere around the world, starting before the october revolution and running up to the treaty between stalin and hitler. This included joint responsibility for taxes and, in the russian heartland, the periodic redistribution of land among the village families. 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. A saga of the russian revolution is a 2017 study of the history of the russian revolution, the formation of the soviet union, and its early history from the days of the new economic policy into the early days of stalinist rule by the russianborn american historian yuri slezkine. In the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and introduced communism to the world. The russian revolution and millions of other books are available for instant access.
In the russian revolution, historian sean mcmeekin traces the origins and events of the russian revolution, which brought an end to romanov rule and ushered the bolsheviks into power. Mcmeekin is a reliable guide to a complex story and the book moves seamlessly and clearly across a vast landscape of. Leon trotsky, from history of the russian revolution regarded by many as among the most powerful works of history ever written, this book offers an unparalleled account of one of the most pivotal and hotly debated events in world history. Between the dawn of the 20th century and 1920, russia underwent a complete and irreversible transformation, the effects of which would reverberate. 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. 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 at the end of the civil war. What happened during the russian revolution of 1917. Steinberg, the russian revolution, 19051921 oxford. Top 10 books about the russian revolution books the. My enjoyment of novels set in russia has never left me. The new york public library s russian materials are an important part of its rich collection on slavic history. Because as well as a political event of profound and ongoing consequence, mieville reveals the russian revolution as a breathtaking story. The russian revolution of 1917 has often been presented as a complete break with the past, with everything which had gone before swept away, and all aspects of politics, economy, and society reformed and made new. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required.
Steinbergs new book, the russian revolution, 19051921, is a history of the russian revolution as an effusion of experiences. Top ten books about the russian revolution historia magazine. But here is a book for those new to the events, told not only in their historical import but in all their passion and drama and strangeness. Wade recasts the political history of the revolution while giving due space to its social history. List of books and articles about russian revolution online.
In the russian revolution, historian sean mcmeekin traces the origins and events of the russian revolution, which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and changed the course of world history. Learn more about the russian revolution in this article. 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. The violent revolution marked the end of the romanov dynasty and centuries of russian imperial. The perspective of the book is to look at the revolution from outside in. When the bolsheviks usurped the russian revolution, it was a disaster for anticapitalist movements everywhere. Even public officials are shy of commemorating that part of the. Ten days that shook the world by john reed, history of the russian revolution by leon trotsky, doctor zhivago by bor. A new history recalibrates the villains of the russian revolution. The russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin basic books. The book is very good and shows normal wear for a good book. Feb 28, 2008 the russian revolution had a decisive impact on the history of the twentieth century.
Sean mcmeekin in the russian revolution, historian sean mcmeekin traces the origins and events of the russian revolution, which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and changed the course of. A new history, by sean mcmeekin, is an interesting book chronicling the russian revolution from onset to about the 1920s, or the end of the civil war. Apr 21, 2005 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. The russian revolution is the culmination of forty years of research by noted historian richard pipes. Russian revolution 19171921, 19171991 soviet union. A new history of the russian revolution miami university. The violent revolution marked the end of the romanov. This is the second best book ive read that gives an overview of the russian revolution. A very short introduction and millions of other books are available for instant access.
A new history and millions of other books are available for instant access. Its a book with a relatively new reader in mind, but i want the specialists to realize ive. 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. In the years following the collapse of the soviet regime and the opening of its archives, it has become possible to step back and see the full picture. The book registers the primacy of politics, but situates political developments firmly in the context of massive economic, social, and cultural change. Simply put, this is the best overall book on the subject of the russian revolution. The russian revolution, 1917 the library of congress. The author shows the revolution and the civil war as seen by russian imperial officers the whites, as opposed to bolsheviks, the reds in kiev. Sean mcmeekin brings many gifts to the task, not the least of which is that he can describe crowd scenes with immediacy. On the afternoon of july 4, 1917, thousands of soldiers, sailors and workers converged on a former. The russian revolution was the beginning of the modern age, says awardwinning author roland chambers.
If readers are interested in a broad work covering the essential actors and historical events leading up to and following the russian revolution of 1917, this book is a good place to start. This particular volume is really the second installment of pipess penetrating look at. Pdf the russian revolution download full pdf book download. 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. Between 1917 and 1922, russia underwent a complete and irreversible transformation. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. The book provides new insight on lenin, trotsky, and other bolcheviks that mcmeekin was able to gather from russian archives that have now fully opened up. Through the russian revolution by albert rhys williams. In time for the centenary of the russian revolution, new books revisit the. 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. Mcmeekin is a reliable guide to a complex story and the book moves seamlessly and clearly across a vast landscape of people and events. Wade clears away many of the myths and misconceptions that have clouded studies of the period. The russian revolution is an enormous subject, and to write a short and authoritative book on it is very difficult indeed.
Focusing on the revolution in its widest sense, sheila. The book is an excellent complement to a more indepth study of the russian revolution, fidges a peoples tragedy for example. The first is a family saga involving numerous named. Nevertheless, there are plenty of texts on the subject. The last of the tsars and a new history robert service dearly wants to indict lenin for the murder of the tsar but has to admit there is no direct evidence, while. The russian revolution had a decisive impact on the history of the twentieth century.
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 of this event for the first time. 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 at the end of the civil war it began during the first world war, with the february revolution that was focused in and around petrograd now saint. Now in a new edition, this provocative, highly readable work presents a fascinating look at events that culminated in the russian revolution. Russian revolution definition, causes, summary, history. 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. A history before beginning reading any indepth book such as this. The russian revolution of 1917 was one of the most explosive political events of the 20th century. Since the fall of communism there has been much reflection on the significance of the russian revolution. Groundbreaking in its inclusiveness, enthralling in its narrative of a movement whose purpose, in the words of leon trotsky, was to overthrow the world, the russian revolution draws conclusions that have already aroused great controversy in this countryand that are certain to be explosive when the book is published in the soviet union. The russian revolution, through american eyes on the centennial of the start of the russian revolution, explore about the tumultuous events. 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. This display, guestcurated by cuny professor susan smithpeter, draws from these collections to take a look back at one of the most significant moments in russian history 100 years ago.
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