The Thaw: Soviet Society and Culture during the 1950s and 1960s

by Denis Kozlov, Eleonory Gilburd

The period from Stalin's death in 1953 to the end of the 1960s marked a crucial epoch in Soviet history. Though not overtly revolutionary, this era produced significant shifts in policies, ideas, language, artistic practices, daily behaviours, and material life. It was also during this time that social, cultural, and intellectual processes in the USSR began to parallel those in the West (and particularly in Europe) as never before. This volume examines in fascinating detail the various facets of Soviet life during the 1950s and 1960s, a period termed the 'Thaw.' Featuring innovative research by historical, literary, and film scholars from across the world, this book helps to answer fundamental questions about the nature and ultimate fortune of the Soviet order - both in its internal dynamics and in its long-term and global perspectives.

Genres: Soviet History

528 pages, Hardcover

First published August 7, 2013

Reviews

[Meihan Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely fascinating book!! Particularly the part about culture exchanges in Moscow in the late 1950s and the Thaw Cinema. Surprised to know that Clear Skies was not a popular choice among moviegoers in 1962. I think it's much better than The Cranes are Flying and the ending has its own bit of Jane Austen in it.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great collection of essays on various aspects of the Soviet Thaw. It covers topics ranging from the fate of former Gulag prisoners to the Virgin Lands campaign and Thaw-era film and fashion. I found the essay on the revival of Soviet internationalism and the 1957 World Youth Festival in Moscow especially interesting. While acknowledging the limitations of the Thaw, the book is an important corrective to the more ‘pessimistic’ narratives of the era.