Best russian history books this is a list of the greatest russian history books. This volume assembles the work of leading international scholars in a comprehensive history of russian literary theory and criticism from 1917 to the postsoviet age. List of books and articles about communism online research. Richard pipes is the baird professor of history at harvard university. The past year has prompted a predictable flurry of sovietthemed activity to mark the 100th anniversary of the october revolution.
Pipes is a much published and revered expert on the soviet union. Leon trotsky the history of the russian revolution volume one. Mikhail lomonosov, polymath scientist and artist, the first opponent of the normanist theory, published an early account of russian history. Communism, it seems, is on its last legs in todays 21st century world.
Top 10 books about the russian revolution the guardian. Russian communist revolution summarydocuments the rise of russian comm. Pages in category communist books the following 63 pages are in this category, out of 63 total. Russian history in which the smallest number of saints was produced. Leon trotsky the history of the russian revolution volume. Susan compton, russian avantgarde books 19171934, the mit press, 1992, 175 pp. It explores all the key aspects such as the development of the bolsheviks as a revolutionary party, the 1905 revolution, the collapse of the tsarists, the russian civil war and historical interpretations of lenins legacy to russian history. Since 1991, historians have been monumentally challenged to explain the collapse of the soviet union and communist rule in russia. Evgeny dobrenko is professor and department head of russian and slavonic studies at the university of sheffield. Similar steps have been taken with regards to teaching history in schools. By examining the dynamics of literary criticism and theory in three arenaspolitical, intellectual, and institutionalthe authors capture the progression and structure of russian literary criticism and its changing function and. Finance, and oft and privately ow no other country clearly a tool ofg of finance,2 and designed to stin national interest. Putin accused of soviet tactics in drafting new history book reuters. After earning a phd in history from harvard university in 1950, he was instructor and lecturer in history and literature at harvard until 1958 when he became the baird professor of history at harvard, until he retired in 1996.
Jan 30, 2014 the handbooks essays take on many of the puzzles of communist history. The modern form of communism written with a capital c began to develop with the split 1903 within the russian social democratic labor party into factions of bolshevism and menshevism. For a website for marxist analysis of current events with an unwavering principled focus on historical truth the world socialist web site is unmatched also two films. Jun 15, 2006 buy a history of the soviet union from the beginning to the end 2 by kenez, peter isbn. This second edition is extended to cover the tsarist prerevolutionary period.
But a deeper problem, less often addressed, is the real nature of the soviet system that was finally swept away. A saga of the russian revolution slezkine, yuri on. It was always going to be a tough task in a country where communist leaders such as josef stalin airbrushed enemies out of photographs and. Whether your chief interest is russian or world history, political theory, or international relations, youll take away fresh knowledge and insight as professor hamburg examines the improbable origins of communist rule in russia, the ascent of the red star to its zenith, and its decline and apparent end in the wake of 1989s events. The 12 writers from the communist era you should know the soviet union was formed in 1922, following the october revolution of 1917 and the subsequent bolshevik coup. Apr 12, 2017 history books top 10 books about the russian revolution a century after the bolsheviks seized power for communism, tariq ali chooses some of the best books about an uprising that changed the world.
What are some of the best, most insightful, and unbiased. Constitution fundamental law of the union of soviet socialist republics. The main use of books in the soviet union was to imbed cultural products into the collective memory of the people. The history of the russian revolution volume one the overthrow of tzarism online version. I have chosen ten russian books, available in english, to answer these three. The story of the last of the romanovs and the coming of the bolsheviki new york, blue ribbon books, ca. The best period in the history of the russian church was the period of the tartar yoke, when spiritually it was most independent and displayed a strong social sense. Translated by max eastman, 1932 library of congress catalog card number 8083994 isbn 09460834 transcribed for the world wide web by john gowland australia, alphanos pangas greece and david walters united states 1997 through 2000. The untold story of how the soviet union won the race for americas top secrets b. Inspired by the russian revolution, the communist party of china is formed. Communism in childrens books cotsen childrens library. Understanding the convulsions of the recent past in. A guide to learning about russian history, from the revolution to putin. Lenin and revolutionary russia examines the background to and the course of the russian revolution of 1917 and lenins regime.
This second and final volume of the authors definitive study of the revolution of 1905 and its aftermath focuses on the years 1906 and 1907, and in particular on the struggle over the duma, the elected legislature that was the principal fruit of the events of 1905. The best books on the russian revolution london evening. The origins and evolution of the soviet banking system. One cannot put it down without realizing, once and for all, that the road to utopia is paved with the bodies of the innocentand leads nowhere. Its a wellresearched, fascinating look at how the soviet union was affected and reacted to the german invasion and the four years of conflict that followed. This important but often overlooked chapter in russian foreign policy history is important for understanding precommunist russias imperial. He is author, editor, or coeditor of twenty books including the cambridge companion to twentiethcentury russian literature and soviet culture and power. The book identifies the social tensions and political inconsistencies that spurred radical change in the government of russia, from the turn of the century to the revolution of 1917.
The more radical wing, the bolsheviks, were led by lenin and advocated immediate and violent revolution to bring about the downfall of capitalism and the. Synopsis an examination of political, social and cultural developments in the soviet union. Russia under the boshevik regime is the third volume in his trilogy on russia. Communism takes hold in china and beyond july 1, 1921. Written by leon trotsky coleader with lenin of the october russian revolution. History communist party soviet union bolsheviks abebooks. These are a mix of books i read in political science and history classes. Top 10 books about the russian revolution books the guardian. It has developed at a catastrophic tempo through interruption and change in its type of civilization. Our nonfiction book of the month for february, the romanovs 161918 by. Palat, since 1989 professor of russian and european history, jawaharlal nehru university, delhi, india. List of books and articles about russian history online.
Brills russian revolution centenary ebook collection offers unique access to. One major conundrum in the evolution of communist states is the contradiction between. Participants wave communist flags near a statue of soviet leader vladimir lenin during an international workers day parade in donetsk, east ukraine, may 2014. Russia was for many centuries separated, geographically and politically, from the development of western civilization and culture, and thus came late into what, for most of europe, would be called the modern age. Socialism is an assault on reality wednesday, february 1, 1995. The history of the russian revolution and 10 days that shook the world by john reed. The fate of the russian people in history has been an unhappy one and full of suffering. A history of russian literary theory and criticism. Hingley looks at the whole context of russia history, literature, what society is like. Buy history of the communist party of the soviet union bolsheviks. Through the russian revolution by albert rhys williams. Lifestyle books 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. Power and the soviet elite the letter of an old bolshevik, and other essays, praeger publications in russian history and world communism.
Censorship of books in the soviet union from 19201940. If youre interested in wwii, i usually recommend ivans war by catherine merridale. Sep 28, 2010 lenin and stalin both had ideas of how books should be used in the soviet union and these ideas are contrary to how we perceive the use of books today. The history of international legal theory in russia. These are some of writers who persevered within the totalitarian state or its satellite communist countries, and managed to create art out of hardship. In the case of chinese names, i have generally used the pinyin system. The pageant of russian history new york et al longmans, green, 1950, by elizabeth seeger, illust. Russia under tsarism and communism 18811953 this title is a comprehensive core text on russian history from 1881 to the death of stalin. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Power and the soviet elite the letter of an old bolshevik. History the following article deals with the formation and history of the russian state and empire until 1917 and after the formation of the contemporary russian federation in 1991. The five books on russia you should read providence. In spite of the opinion of the slavophils it is impossible to find an organic unity in russian history. Printed by maurer and dimmick, 1925, by alexander berkman multiple.
History books top 10 books about the russian revolution a century after the bolsheviks seized power for communism, tariq ali chooses some of. A hundred years after the russian revolution, history, according to most. A history of the soviet union from the beginning to the. Top 10 books about the russian revolution books the. It is a second edition of the bestselling communist russia under lenin and stalin. Animal farm by george orwell, the communist manifesto by karl marx, one day in the life of ivan denisovich by aleksandr solzh.
The soviet socialist constitution by soviet union abebooks. The handbooks essays take on many of the puzzles of communist history. Professor krylovs navy is a memoir that covers russian history from midnineteenth century to late 1920s from a unique perspective. Of course, the history of russia is as vast as the nation itself. The history of russian banking is a striking example of the complete dependence of a central bank on the ministry of for saintsimonist influence on several ministers of finance, see normano 6, ch. A history of socialism in russia, 19171991 and russia under the bolshevik regime. Covering the events of 1891 to 1924, figes book is a masterclass of historical writing, mixing the personal. Lenins success globalised marxism and the communist manifesto. Proceedings of the third congress of the communist international. The best books on communism five books expert recommendations. For a website for marxist analysis of current events with an unwavering principled focus on historical truth the world socialist web site is unmatched.
History of the communist party of the soviet union bolsheviks. The top five anticommunist books ever written conservative. The concluding chapter of my russian diary the bolshevik myth berlin. The best books on communism recommended by robert conquest. It starts with the childhood on the estate with serfs and servants, continues with education in the naval corps. Peterson, a history of russian symbolism, amsterdamphiladelphia. Short course by joseph stalin and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. David duke, incorporating the writings of aleksandr solzhenitsyn, frank britton and others. Simon sebag montefiores recommended reading on russia and. Mar 17, 2016 as far as i can tell, this book attempts to argue with khrushchevs secret speech and exonerate stalin. Lenin and stalin both had ideas of how books should be used in the soviet union and these ideas are contrary to how we perceive the use of books today. Vladimir pustogarovs biography of friedrich martens was published in russian in 1993, but a more complete and updated english version of this book edited by.
What are the best books to read about communist history. Malia does not mince words in his forthright and illuminating book. History of the communist party of the soviet union. Pages in category history books about the soviet union the following 20 pages are in this category, out of 20 total. Some interesting new material recently retrieved from russian archives is included, and some stimulating ideas are advanced. Having looked at the arguments presented by the contents, i would say that it is not accurate and generally a work of sensationalism, although. A history of the soviet union from the beginning to the end. Contemporary history textbooks in the south caucasus edited by lubos vesely authors ilham abbasov, nino chikovani, ketevan kakitelashvili, sergey rumyantsev, tigran zakaryan, mikayel zolyan translation tamriko bakuradze proofreading lydia gawa technical assistance marek dvorak, lucie pavkova designed by side2 printed by bcs, s. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He knows russia very well, but he does this as an englishman knowing russia very well, and is good at observing how different russians are. Power and the soviet elite the letter of an old bolshevik, and other essays, praeger publications in russian history and world communism nicolaevsky, boris i on. This new book was to be written in beautiful and correct russian.
Russian revolution centenary ebook collection brill. The 12 writers from the communist era you should know. Communismsoviet unionhistoryteen nonfiction, russian. But defenders of property and human liberty should always remain vigilant against totalitarian leftism, which is why weve selected the top 5 anticommunist books ever written.
As far as i can tell, this book attempts to argue with khrushchevs secret speech and exonerate stalin. Russia was for many centuries separated, geographically and politically, from the development of western civilization and culture, and thus came late into what. This is the single most important work on the ethnic origins of the russian revolution and the greatest holocaust in the history of mankind. Communism in russia studies in european history richard sakwa on. Information on the period from 1917 to 1991 can be found in the entry on the union of soviet socialist republics. After the revolution in october 1917, soviet russia tried to establish an alternative form of social organization based on the ideology of communism and the practices of soviet democracy. The 47 books were selected from the cotsens holdings of approximately 1,500 sovietera russian imprints, almost 1,000 of which were published between the 1917 revolution and the beginning of wwii. When a russian author has published a book or article in english, i use the spelling of his or her name adopted by that author. Visiting professor of imperial russian history at the university of chicago 2006.