Hi all. I have two specific categories of books I’d like recommendations for. I have started to become much more interested in history.
I’m planning to read about 5 Russian classics throughout 2024. Before I do this, I’d like to learn about Russia’s history. I practically possess 0 knowledge about Russia as a nation besides the look of their flag. I’m a 22 year old male for context. Something that isn’t too complicated would be nice. I don’t expect to be a genius in Russian history, I more so just want to get a better grasp of the country’s roots and ideologies before I dive into some classic literature from there. I’d like to learn about the Soviet Union, Stalin, Lenin, the gulags, and major pivotal events in politics & culture.
I’m also looking to learn about the French Revolution and Napoleon specifically. I hope this isn’t embarrassing to admit, but I pretty much know nothing about either. I travelled to Vienna this year. I saw a huge painting of Napoleon mounted on a horse while the horse was solely on its hind legs. It struck me as one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. It also made me think about the disastrous inevitable consequences of war despite it being such a beautiful piece of art. The painting is something I think about frequently.
Any help & guidance would be greatly appreciated. I also don’t mind reading a few books for each category. Cheers
by Unlucky-Pudding4959
2 Comments
To start, there are many good biographies of Stalin (one by Kotkin, another by Montefiore). He is the pivotal figure of the 20th century who is responsible for Holodomor, one of the ugliest stains on human history (tens of millions murdered in Ukraine, if you include the implementation of the NEP plans and collectivism). For the more humane period of Russian history, when I think they really flourished (in a twisted Russian kind of way) you might check out a series on Amazon called Ekaterina. It is in Russian (turn on your subtitles), and it’s very well done and stays on track, in terms of historical accuracy. It’s the story of the rise of Catherine the Great – the amazing Empress who brought enlightenment and change to Russia and set the foundation for the empire for the 19th century. For the panorama of Russian life, from the elite to the military to farmers and the peasantry, Leo Tolstoy is your guy. Anne Applebaum’s “Gulag” — it will imprint on your psyche. More nonfiction: The Black Book of Communism. Alexander Solzhenitsyn can also shed some light on this subject. As rich and beautiful and laden with natural resources as Mother Russia is….with every inch of soil that you plow, you will uncover bones.
Coming Out of the Ice, by Victor Herman, is an autobiography about an American boy who wound up in the Soviet gulags and survived. It is gut-wrenching and brutal, so be prepared. It’s the one book I can say I’ll never forget.