I really dont understand why would you want to learn of russian revolution and civil war from a fiction book. This book reveals, from the perspective of one of its central actors, the russian revolution s profoundly democratic, emancipatory character. The russian revolution was a rebellion that consisted of two revolts. Dystopian novels can challenge readers to think differently about current social and political climates, and in some instances can even inspire action. Russian fantasy developed from the centuriesold traditions of slavic mythology and folklore. Ten days that shook the world by john reed, doctor zhivago by.
I would, in addition, recommend simon sebag montefiores the romanovs. Simon sebag montefiores recommended reading on russia and. The first part narrates how a rich schoolgirl, sashenka, joins. Russian revolution books tagged russian revolution. In short, manor farm is a model of russia, and old major, snowball, and napoleon represent the dominant figures of the russian revolution. Dystopias are societies in cataclysmic decline, with characters who battle environmental ruin, technological control, and government oppression. Regardless of the readers view of the authors politics, there is no doubt that his analysis of the conditions leading up to the revolution. Figes also has a condensed version titled revolutionary russia.
The russian revolution old major napoleon announces that the windmill was sabotaged by snowball all animals thought to be a part of the treason are executed parallel to the conspiracy around trotsky and his plot to. In a society without freedom, the great writers were the truthtellers, the voice of the voiceless, and the conscience of a nationa second government, as alexander solzhenitsyn once put it. Animal farm may not be a literal interpretation of the russian revolution. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. A history, that looks at the russian revolution over the span of one hundred years, from 1891 to 1991. A hundred years after the russian revolution, history, according to. 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. Amor towles goodreads author shelved 3 times as russian historical fiction avg rating 4. Sunscreens for babies kids sunglasses sunscreens for kids. How lenins love of literature shaped the russian revolution. I read both trotskys book and reeds around the same time in college, and i couldnt help but remark how similar they seemed. Dec 11, 2016 i really dont understand why would you want to learn of russian revolution and civil war from a fiction book. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search.
Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Top 10 books about the russian revolution books the. On the afternoon of july 4, 1917, thousands of soldiers, sailors and workers converged on a former. Our nonfiction book of the month for february, the romanovs 161918 by simon sebag montefiore, is an exceptional example of this years reflections on the 100 years that have passed since the climactic russian revolutions of 1917. What are the best nonfiction books on russian revolution. It was so beautifully written that while reading, i felt as if i had gone back in time. Pages in category novels set in the russian revolution the following 15 pages are in this category, out of 15 total. In the expert hands of translators pevear and volokhonsky, this bulgakov classic shines. China mieville is an author of science fiction novels and the only writer in. China mieville makes the russian revolution come alive in an excellent.
Revolution threatens and inna feldman is drawn into intrigue concerning rasputin and also a love triangle in a pageturning novel. Though most of mievilles fiction can certainly be read and enjoyed merely. Although the february revolution began on march 8 according to our calendar, it was february 23 on the russian julian calendar. 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. The books success was celebrated by the entry of a new word into the russian lexicon. In the russian language, fantasy, science fiction, horror and all other related genres are considered a part of a larger umbrella term, fantastika, roughly equivalent to speculative fiction, and are less divided than in the west. For 303 years the russian tsar came from the house of romanov.
Many of the characters and events of orwells novel parallel those of the russian revolution. Each of the ten works of fiction below is an acknowledged classic of russian literature. Sometimes the bolshevik revolution is referred to as the october revolution. One revolt was in february 1917, and the other was in october 1917. The revolution of 1917 is a revolution of trains, writes the author, whose final perspective, in this book, is from the liberated train, in libertys dim light. Discover the best historical russian fiction in best sellers. It is divided in three parts and only the first one is set at the time of the russian revolution, so i can recommend you only 33% of the book. Ayn rand, russianborn american writer whose commercially successful novels promoting individualism and laissezfaire capitalism were influential among conservatives and libertarians. The book is one of the most complete tellings of the russian revolution, but at over 900 pages, its a daunting tome. If the communist house in foundation pit is fiction, the house 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. Stories and poems from the russian revolution edited by boris dralyuk, published by pushkin press. The book was an intriguing adventure yet a well researched fictional account of both life for a young jewish man in early 1900s new york city, and the events leading to the russian revolution. Oct 16, 2014 fictionwriting in russia has always been serious business.
What are the best fiction books to learn about the russian. The best books on the russian revolution five books. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon kindle store best sellers. How collective farming was established in the ussr. The first book depicts first world war, the russian revolution, and the struggle for womens suffrage. Science fiction and fantasy have been part of mainstream russian literature since the 19th century. Fictionwriting in russia has always been serious business.
Jun 26, 2009 the book was an intriguing adventure yet a well researched fictional account of both life for a young jewish man in early 1900s new york city, and the events leading to the russian revolution. China mieville is an author of science fiction novels and the only. The best books on the russian revolution, as recommended by author roland. It serves as the most vital and inspiring record of the russian revolution to date.
The best books on the russian revolution five books expert. There are, in fact, separate chapters for each month from february to october. The narrative of the russian revolution is as urgent and strange as that of any novel, and october is the key political event of the 20th century. This list may not reflect recent changes learn more. Popular russian historical fiction books showing 7 of 37 a gentleman in moscow paperback by. The russian revolution of 1917 was in fact not one but two revolutions. Please tell us more about six weeks in russia in 1919 there are only a couple of wellknown eyewitness accounts of the revolution. The first part narrates how a rich schoolgirl, sashenka, joins the communist party just before the russian revolution. The russian revolution had a decisive impact on the history of the twentieth century. A personal record by nn sukhanov this book was necessary reading for all early historians of the revolution. She returned to russia in 1921 and then moved to the united states in 1926. It is one of those onceinadecade texts that brings the past acutely into the present.
Russian science fiction emerged in the mid19th century and rose to its golden age during the soviet era, both in cinema and literature, with writers like the strugatsky brothers, kir bulychov, and. The best known is probably john reeds ten days that shook the world, but ive gone with ransomes book because ransome is my man, and because whereas reeds book is a highly imaginative view of the 1917 revolution. What are the best nonfiction books on russian revolution of. Mar 25, 2017 the books success was celebrated by the entry of a new word into the russian lexicon.
Originally published in three parts, trotskys masterpiece is collected here in a single volume. Oct 30, 2017 the book is one of the most complete tellings of the russian revolution, but at over 900 pages, its a daunting tome. Mar 10, 2017 revolution threatens and inna feldman is drawn into intrigue concerning rasputin and also a love triangle in a pageturning novel. But historian douglas smith, in his magnificently researched new book. The book is also a thinly disguised retelling of the 1917 russian revolution from orwells pointofview. Inappropriate the list including its title or description facilitates illegal activity, or contains hate speech or ad hominem attacks on a fellow goodreads member or author. We believe every one of us deserves equal access to factbased news and analysis. Top 10 books about the russian revolution books the guardian. As an account of a revolution, given by one of its chief actors, it stands unique in world literature. The story of the russian revolution by china mieville. List of books and articles about russian revolution online. May 07, 2017 the narrative of the russian revolution is as urgent and strange as that of any novel, and october is the key political event of the 20th century.
Because of this, the book was rejected by several publishers on the grounds that it was too controversial to publish at a time when the soviets were at war with germany the wartime enemy of england. A nice narrative history of the russian revolution in 1917. The past year has prompted a predictable flurry of sovietthemed activity to mark the. There are, in fact, separate chapters for each month from february to october, 1917. Incorrect book the list contains an incorrect book please specify the title of the book. This was a complex time, where there wasnt just 2 sides and describing it as clusterfuck is a serious understatement.
Sep 15, 2017 10 fictional books about real revolutions, because sometimes fiction is the best source of truth. Top ten books about the russian revolution historia. Jones is modeled on tsar nicholas ii 18681918, the last russian emperor. This novel looks at three families, of jewish, russian and. This book, by design, is meant to be a nonintimidating book of narrative. 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, that looks at the russian revolution over the span of one hundred years, from 1891 to. A new history recalibrates the villains of the russian. History of the russian revolution by leon trotsky nook book. When the tsarist regime was overthrown in the russian revolution of 1917, her family moved to crimea, where she finished high school. In short, manor farm is a model of russia, and old major, snowball, and napoleon represent.
List of books and articles about russian revolution. 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. Feb 01, 2011 i read both trotskys book and reeds around the same time in college, and i couldnt help but remark how similar they seemed. 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. The russian revolution 18911924 by orlando figes 82 times fall of giants by ken follett 76 times nicholas and alexandra by robert k.
Spam or selfpromotional the list is spam or selfpromotional. It covers more than russia, but i included it in my list of russian historical fiction books because significant parts of all three books take place in russia. This dream was the backdrop to my novel fear of mirrors, which i. I should think, for scholarly specialists who will find few facts new to them. On the centenary of the russian revolution, china mieville tells the extraordinary. Sukhanov, a left menshevik hostile to lenin, was actually. Below is our selection of the best books on the revolution from bourgeois comedy. Top 10 books about the russian revolution the guardian. The bolshevik revolution refers to the second revolution that occurred in russia in october 1917 led by lenin and the bolshevik party. The following 15 pages are in this category, out of 15 total. This bloody sunday was followed in succeeding months by a series of strikes, riots, assassinations, naval mutinies, and. Isaac deutscher i would routinely smuggle copies of trotskys history of the russian revolution into the ussrso our colleagues could know a. The best books to read on the russian revolution, a.
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