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The End of the Line
A veteran journalist's firsthand account of the failure of communism in the Soviet Union and China.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 12, 2018
Very good book!
August 17, 2025
Interesting book. Lotta big words
October 23, 2015
Akin to Theodore Dalrymple's 'Utopia's Elsewhere', its a deep personal account of his time in the old Soviet Union and China from the 70s up until 1990.
It is not just an account of what he did and/or saw, Wren contextualises, comments and analyses the strange experiences he had during his time in both countries.
Of course the SU collapsed around the time of the books publication and China, while still ruled by the communist party is a different place. However account of these two places help us understand where Russia and China are today based on their recent history and culture.
Also it is a great snapshot of an increasingly bizarre (as time moves on) experiment in communism and it should not be forgotten. Accounts like this are much more useful than the macro histories of such nations and ideologies and through the everyday the true nature of the system is revealed to modern audiences.
It is not just an account of what he did and/or saw, Wren contextualises, comments and analyses the strange experiences he had during his time in both countries.
Of course the SU collapsed around the time of the books publication and China, while still ruled by the communist party is a different place. However account of these two places help us understand where Russia and China are today based on their recent history and culture.
Also it is a great snapshot of an increasingly bizarre (as time moves on) experiment in communism and it should not be forgotten. Accounts like this are much more useful than the macro histories of such nations and ideologies and through the everyday the true nature of the system is revealed to modern audiences.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews