Robert Service's The Penguin History of Modern Russia: From Tsarism to the Twenty-first Century provides a superb panorama of Russia in the modern age. Service identifies the origins of the great terror in the Bolshevik regimes early years and the ascension of Stalin to power. Lenin is a colossal figure whose influence on twentieth-century history cannot be underestimated. This book was easier to read than many history books but did provide insight and accurate historical data. He served two terms as president, before himself relinquishing the post to his prime minister, Dimitri Medvedev, only to return to presidential power for a third time in 2012. Robert John Service FBA is a British historian, academic, and author who has written extensively on the history of the Soviet Union, particularly the era from the October … Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2019. Help us improve our Author Pages by updating your bibliography and submitting a new or current image and biography. Russia needs a period of quiet, but it would be idle to assume, he concludes, that its capacity to astound the world has been exhausted. In discovering the origins of the USSR, he casts light on the nature of the state and society which Lenin left behind and which have not entirely disappeared after the collapse of the Soviet regime in 1991. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. This is the story of these characters: everyone from the ineffectual but perfectly positioned Somerset Maugham to vain writers and revolutionary sympathizers whose love affairs were as dangerous as their politics. Until its denouement, no Western or Soviet politician foresaw that the standoff between the two superpowers -- after decades of struggle over every aspect of security, politics, economics, and ideas -- would end within the lifetime of the current generation. It is obvious that he is very well-studied on Russian history, and he does a great job explaining what was going on in the country through all the different time periods and regime changes the people endured. If you are a "casual" historian preparing for a trip, this will be a thorough overview for you. Robert Service has written a calmly authoritative biography on this seemingly unknowable figure. I'm not a history buff, and I have no training in history. Stalin was one of a handful of members of the Bolshevik Central Committee who formed its inner core. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. He has widened the focus out from 1917 so as to cover both the final years of the Romanov dynasty and the inception of the Soviet order. There's no question that the Soviet regime was an indiscriminately ruthless entity. If you just want a medium-strength review of Russia (more than Fodors, but not 600 pages), it might be a little more than you need. His other books include biographies of Lenin, Stalin and Trotsky, a textbook on the Russian Revolution and Russia: Experiment with a People, from 1991 to the Present. This book deals almost exclusively with internal affairs in the USSR and then Russia and the break away republics. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. There's a problem loading this menu right now. He manages to pack quite a bit of information in such a small space from such a long period. How are we to make sense of this history? In consequence, his assessment of certain eventsfor example, whether Stalin was prostrated by the German invasiondoes not incorporate the newest evidence that he was. Intimidation of the populace, though essential, was not the only ingredient extending the Soviet Union's longevity. A History of Twentieth-Century Russia is the first work to use the mass of material that has become available in the documentary collections, memoirs, and archives over the past decade. Follow to get new release updates and improved recommendations. A professor of Russian history and politics at the University of London and the author of a trilogy on Lenin, Service avoids the politicization that has plagued Soviet history of recent years. 9 When Mikhail Gorbachëv introduced perestroika in the mid-1980s, the USSR went through a springtime of growth and release. The Last of the Tsars by Robert Service review – dispelling the myths. I’ve tried in this book to bring back the historical Nicholas – a decent family man, complacent ruler and a far-right political thinker – a much more complex man than the rather romantic figure that appears in both Russian and western books to this day. Rather, in a piece of superb analysis, he sets out how Putin the man was swallowed up by the machine he created. Through this sharply observed exposéf conflicting loyalties, we get a very vivid sense of how diverse the shades of Western and Eastern political opinion were during these years. Students of Russian history will find this book informative and surprisingly powerful, in particular, Service's narrative on the causes of the Soviet collapse, which he believes Gorbachev's radical social reforms brought about by inadvertently opening the door for dramatic change to take place. No less could have been expected from the author of a series of magisterial … . But Yeltsin has ``reintroduced violence as a method of political struggle'' in his attack on the Duma and in Chechnya, and democratic and legal procedures ``have been treated with contempt.'' It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Under a succession of leaders from Lenin to Gorbachev, various methods were used to conserve and strengthen this compound. Use the Amazon App to scan ISBNs and compare prices. I meant to hit 4 stars. A History of Modern Russia: From Tsarism to the Twenty-First Century, Third Edition, ( of London) has had access to some of the state and special archives in Moscow, although not as extensive an access as Dmitri Volkogonov (Autopsy for an Empire, p. 186). ), Kremlin Winter: Russia and the Second Coming of Vladimir Putin, ( I'm going on my first trip to Russia in a month and wanted to understand more about Russian history than the five pages of context in my Fodor's. Despite this, there have been signs of liberal growth and Putin – and Russia – now faces a far from certain future.In Kremlin Winter, Robert Service, acclaimed biographer of Lenin, Stalin and Trotsky and one of our finest historians of modern Russia, brings his deep understanding of that country to bear on the man who leads it. History books. Service's forecast is ``not entirely'' pessimistic. Bought this book as I was studying the history of Russia and found this book very interesting and helpful. 38 In Kremlin Winter, Robert Service, acclaimed biographer of Lenin, Stalin and Trotsky and one of our finest historians of modern Russia, brings his deep understanding of that country to bear on the man who leads it. Service (Russian history and politics, Sch. The last 50 pages are devoted to developments since the implosion of the Soviet Union. Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2007. Nevertheless, this book, which is written cleanly and with a bit of humor, is sure to become a reference work that few libraries and students of 20th-century Russian politics will want to be without. Now, on the hundredth anniversary of that revolution, Robert Service, the eminent historian of Russia, examines Nicholas's life and thought from the months before his momentous abdication to his death, with his family, in Ekaterinburg in July 1918. Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items. Service treats the Russian Revolution as part of a whole history of the 20th century, not an isolated event. This is a splendid book, much the best that I have ever read about Lenin ...I was overwhelmed by the power and vividness of this portrait.' At times the emphasis was upon shaking up the ingredients, at others upon stabilization. These years of civil war in Russia were years when the West strove to understand the new communist regime while also seeking to undermine it. He shows how seven decades of communist rule, which penetrated every aspect of Soviet life, continue to influence Russia today. Yet, just six years earlier, when Mikhail Gorbachev became general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and chose Eduard Shevardnadze as his foreign minister, the Cold War seemed like a permanent fixture in world politics. It is a riveting insight into power politics as Russia faces a blizzard of difficulties both at home and abroad. Free delivery worldwide on over 20 million titles. Such was the concentration of power that the Politburo routinely discussed whether writers should be given exit visas or special medical facilitiesit was, he notes, as if the postwar British Cabinet had debated ``whether George Orwell could visit France or Evelyn Waugh have a gall-bladder operation.'' ). Robert Service is Professor of Russian Studies at St Antony’s College, Oxford. The latter is of obvoius relevance to anyone wishing to understand 21st century Russia. Book was in good condition. Nor was it at all obvious that that the Soviet political leadership would undertake a huge internal reform of the USSR, or that the threat of a nuclear Armageddon could or would be peacefully wound down. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. (. Please try again. . Robert Service was until his retirement professor of Russian History at Oxford University. Paperback This is no easy task considering the complexity and the romantic view that many people still maintain of the last Russian Tsar. Russia is the ultimate story, a story of grandeur of false hopes and shattered dreams. Service (Russian History and Politics/Univ. Learn more about the program. A riveting account of the last eighteen months of Tsar Nicholas II's life and reign from one of the finest Russian historians writing today. Robert Service, a professor at the University of London's School of Slavonic and Eastern European studies, closely looks at this period in. --, In his fresh and lively survey of recent Russian history, Robert Service spans the whole era from the rise of communism in the first decade of this century to the aftermath of its collapse in 1991. A straightforward and able analysis, in a text agreeably free of academic jargon. In Kremlin Winter, Robert Service, one of our finest historians of Russia, plots the seasonal shifts in events since 2012 and those that may be expected in the immediate future. He reveals a premier who cannot take his supremacy for granted, yet is determined to impose his will not only on his closest associates but on society at large. Topics. Something went wrong. Making use of recently opened archives, he has been able to piece together the private as well as the public life, giving the first complete picture of Lenin. 'One of our most accomplished, erudite and prolific historians of modern Russia.' Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. His approach is fundamentally different from that of other contemporary authors such as Mark D. Steinberg and Vladimir Khustalev (The Fall of the Romanovs, LJ 10/15/95) and Valentin Berezhkov (At Stalin's Side, LJ 9/1/94). He cites welfare reforms, education, and significant economic progress as a unifying force that brought a share of betterment into Russian society. Putin’s rule, whether as president or prime minister, has been marked by a steady increase in domestic repression and international assertiveness. As the first Communist society, the USSR was both an admired model and an object of fear and hatred to the rest of the world. Buy a cheap copy of Reinterpreting Russia book by Robert Service. Unable to add item to List. He is a fellow of St Antony's College and an associate fellow of the Hoover Institution. The 13-digit and 10-digit formats both work. Recommended for academic libraries or public libraries with Russian history collections. , Spies and Commissars: The Early Years of the Russian Revolution, ( He does not believe in demonising the Russian leader. He reveals a premier who cannot take his supremacy for granted, yet is determined to impose his will not only on his closest associates but on society at large. I purchased this book to "fill in the gaps" since my college survey course over 35 years ago! Nowadays he is focusing on Russia in its international framework. Updating his acclaimed History of Modern Russia, Robert Service provides a panoramic perspective on a country whose Soviet past encompassed revolution, civil war, mass terror, and two world wars. I overall really enjoyed the structure of the book, and it made it easy to get into. He is also salutary in emphasizing the limitations of centralization in a country as disorganized as Russia and the growing ineffectiveness of terror in dealing with an increasingly complex society. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. In wide-ranging discussions on topics from Kremlin politics to rock music and macroeconomics to contemporary poetry, Service takes us inside to witness the changes from both … It is an extraordinarily lucid, masterful account of the most complex and turbulent period in Russia's long history. . Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2005. Robert Service is a Fellow of the British Academy and of St Antony's College, Oxford. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and Amazon Prime. It was especially useful in that while I was in Russia, Putin was very much in the news in the US and Russia, though from very different perspectives! This new edition takes the story from 2002 through the entire presidency of Vladimir Putin to the election of his successor, Dmitri Medvedev. 24 Service is also keen to debunk the theory that it was merely fear and intimidation that explains the endurance of the state. After reading this book you will have a very good understanding of what Russia and the former SSR's have been through and through this what may be in store for their future. Just recently finished reading it. Russia's recent past has encompassed revolution, civil war, mass terror and two world wars, and the country is still undergoing huge change. It is hard to think of another country - including the United States - that had more of an impact on world politics. of Slavonic and East European Studies, Univ. ', A History of Modern Russia--Readable and Insightful, Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2007. His prose is great and enjoyable. He is currently a professor of Russian history at the University of Oxford, a Fellow of St. Antony's College, Oxford, and a senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. But Service also tarries to analyze the "Soviet compound," his chemical metaphor for the political techniques that made the Leninist state work for so many decades. If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you grow your business. The book is incredibly well-researched and thorough. This collection of essays views Russia in a... Free shipping over $10. A History of Twentieth-Century Russia treats the years from 1917 to 1991 as a single period and analyzes the peculiar mixture of political, economic, and social ingredients that made up the Soviet formula. All this occurred against a background of dictatorship, civil war, forcible industrialization, terror, world war, and the postwar arms race. Robert Service gives a general overview in this book of the years 1900-2000 in Russia. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. of London) attempts to solve the problem raised by Winston Churchill when he observed that Russia is "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma." In "A History of Twentieth Century Russia" Robert Service brings a well written general history that in many ways addresses this. Please try your request again later. The American Historical Review has published a critical examination of two books: the denunciatory biography Trotsky by British historian Robert Service and In … Robert Service's lively analysis examines: Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. 73 Through the prism of Lenin's career, Service examines events such as the October Revolution and the ideas of Marxism-Leninism, the one-party state, economic modernisation, dictatorship, and the politics of inter-war Europe. 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