The First Time In History: Two Years of Russia's New Life

Tales From the Front #5

by Anna Louise Strong

"The First Time in History" offers a firsthand account of life in Soviet Russia during a critical period of its history, from 1921 to 1923. Anna Louise Strong, a journalist who was politicized by the political upheavals in her time such as the Everett Massacre and the Seattle General strike, was invited to the USSR to document the work of building the world’s first socialist State. Her work of political journalism in to this end offers keen observations and insights that provide a vivid and nuanced portrayal of the social, economic, and political changes that took place during this pivotal time. Her reflections on the meaning of revolution, the nature of power, and the struggle for liberation remain as relevant today as they were nearly a century ago.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Russia, Soviet Union

Paperback

First published January 1, 1924

About the author

American journalist and activist, best known for her reporting on and support for communist movements in the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China.

Reviews

[phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very humanising first hand account of the first years of the USSR. the determination and passion of the soviet people is something to learn from for generations to come!

[Dan Sharber · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is a remarkable snapshot of russia right after the revolution. it was after war communism and the end of the great famine and the early, heady days of the new economic policy. this is a realistic and practical examination of many many aspects of life in russian during this time. you get an idea of how education, housing, utilities, the oil industry, alcohol consumption/regulation etc etc were all run and transformed. this is a book for people who have practical questions about what socialism would 'look' like. the tragedy of this story - though coming after the book was written and published - was that the possibilities of the revolution were smothered by stalin and the rising bureaucracy. the most common fear expressed more by the people in the book was the revolution being strangled by american capital (which was desperately needed both in a monetary sense and a know-how sense) with a more distant fear being the bureaucratization of the party. either way the excitement and the hope for a future free of want and built on the model of cooperation within a commonwealth is palpable in this book. i found it beautiful and inspiring as well as eminently practical. if you enjoy the personal and individual stories of the revolution this book is for you. something to read along with Ten Days that Shook the World and also for fans of Homage to Catalonia.

[Morgon George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent description of changes and conditions in post-1917 Russia

[Pozzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about the political development in the Soviet Union during the NEP era.