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Хождение по мукам #3
Dimineata mohorata
The central place in Alexei Tolstoy's work is held by his books about the events of the Great October Revolution and the Civil War. His Ordeal (1919-1941) is a book about the Russian people as they forge their way to a new life, about the Russian intelligentsia, which, as a result of a long "ordeal", found its place in society.
Tolstoy himself wrote of the plan behind his trilogy: "It's time to begin studying the Revolution, it's time for the artist to become a historian and a thinker... I not only acknowledge the Revolution - with such acknowledgement alone it would not be possible even to write a novel - I love its dark majesty, its world-wide scope. And that is the task of my novel - to create this majesty, this scope in all its complexity.
Unknown Binding
Published January 1, 1987
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About the author
Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy
556 books150 followers (Russian: Алексей Николаевич Толстой)
Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy, nicknamed the Comrade Count, was a Russian writer who wrote in many genres but specialized in science fiction and historical novels.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksey_...
Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy, nicknamed the Comrade Count, was a Russian writer who wrote in many genres but specialized in science fiction and historical novels.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksey_...
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 15, 2022
I have just changed my 4-star rating into full five stars .... The reason? Incredible as it may sound, I already miss the characters ... and I usually award books I would like to reread at some point with five stars ... There is something about this novel that captivated me ... the sisters, their strong bond and the ways they face the political and social changes that embrace them. The Civil War, poverty, famine, and shaping of the new world force the Russian intelligentisa to make their choices and to make them fast. One should always remember when and why this epic novel was written but there is no denying that this saga offers a feel of the times which can hardly ever be found in modern historical fiction.
On a personal note. Several years before WW1 began my great-grandfather was offered a position in Moscow and the family left for Russia and spent there the whole year and decided to escape just when the Revolution began. My grandfather was born almost precisely on the day when the Winter Palace was stormed. I always find it hard to imagine parents with four young children and an infant escaping Russia in November 1917. Probably that was the last moment they were able to make such a journey back home. Books like this saga never fail to make me think about them ...
On a personal note. Several years before WW1 began my great-grandfather was offered a position in Moscow and the family left for Russia and spent there the whole year and decided to escape just when the Revolution began. My grandfather was born almost precisely on the day when the Winter Palace was stormed. I always find it hard to imagine parents with four young children and an infant escaping Russia in November 1917. Probably that was the last moment they were able to make such a journey back home. Books like this saga never fail to make me think about them ...
December 16, 2019
الكتاب الأخير من هذه الثلاثية.
تحدثت الرواية عن الحرب، الحب، الدراما، الأقدار المكسورة.
اظهر هذا الجزء تطور شخصيات الأبطال وكيف تغيرت وتأقلمت مع الظروف المتغيرة آنذاك، كما اظهرت مشاعر وثقة الناس وأملهم في التغيير.
الثلاثية باختصار تغطي حياة روسيا في الفترة بين 1914-1919، خلال الحرب العالمية الثانية، والثورة الأهلية الروسية، وعالم مابعد الثورة، انصح بها لمحبي التاريخ الروسي.
تحدثت الرواية عن الحرب، الحب، الدراما، الأقدار المكسورة.
اظهر هذا الجزء تطور شخصيات الأبطال وكيف تغيرت وتأقلمت مع الظروف المتغيرة آنذاك، كما اظهرت مشاعر وثقة الناس وأملهم في التغيير.
الثلاثية باختصار تغطي حياة روسيا في الفترة بين 1914-1919، خلال الحرب العالمية الثانية، والثورة الأهلية الروسية، وعالم مابعد الثورة، انصح بها لمحبي التاريخ الروسي.
December 1, 2016
Книга такого уровня, что ревьюшку к ней надо писать долго и вдумчиво. Сейчас просто не готов.
Если кратко, то это эпик уровня "Тихого Дона", охватывающий жизнь России в период 1914–1919, от мира, через мировую войну, две революции и гражданскую, опять к миру.
Война, любовь, драма, сломанные судьбы, все на высшем уровне.
Гримдарк местами такой, что все Аберкромби с Мартинами на его фоне выглядят как резвящиеся дети.
А местами очень лирично и жизнеутверждающе.
Все как в жизни :)
В очередной раз убедился для себя, что "красный граф" Толстой безусловно величайший русскоязычный автор ХХ века, рядом и поставить некого.
Если кратко, то это эпик уровня "Тихого Дона", охватывающий жизнь России в период 1914–1919, от мира, через мировую войну, две революции и гражданскую, опять к миру.
Война, любовь, драма, сломанные судьбы, все на высшем уровне.
Гримдарк местами такой, что все Аберкромби с Мартинами на его фоне выглядят как резвящиеся дети.
А местами очень лирично и жизнеутверждающе.
Все как в жизни :)
В очередной раз убедился для себя, что "красный граф" Толстой безусловно величайший русскоязычный автор ХХ века, рядом и поставить некого.
April 20, 2018
Azap yollari'nin 3. ve son kitabi. Bir onceki kitabin karanlik havasi bu kitapta dagilmaya basliyor, hem kitabin kahramanlarinin yasantilarinda hem de genel olarak gelecege donuk bir tad aliyor. Diger iki kitap gibi dili cok guclu, kisisel betimlemeler kitabin kahramanlarindan cok ikinci kisilere kayiyor bu kitapta, bir nevi toplumun resmini daha cok yansitiyor. Uclu roman uzun olsa da beklenildiginden cok daha hizli okunuyor bu yuzden. Tavsiye ederim.
September 28, 2020
نهار غائم هو الجزء الثالث من ثلاثية درب الآلام لألكسي تولستوي.
بعد تشكل كل فريق متصارع وفناء ألوية وجيوش وظهور جماعات مختلفة متقاتلة في هذه الحرب الطاحنة يصبح البقاء لمن نفسه طويل ونظرته بعيدة.
بعد اندفاع المتقاتلين وهجومهم الدموي على بعضهم، يصور لنا الكاتب في هذا الجزء طريقة تحرك الجيوش ووصف المعارك التي أودت بحياة الملايين من البشر والمهجرين، ظهر بين العديد من المقاتلين لغة اليأس من طول الحرب وضراوتها، فتمسك كل فريق بموقفه جعل الحرب أكثر قسوة على عامة الناس.
في حين أن العديد من الدول التي كانت تدعم البيض قد تراجعت، وأن الألمان بعد انتهاء الحرب العالمية الأولى وتغير نظامهم انسحبوا من روسيا مما جعل البيض ومن يدعمهم في موقف أضعف وإن كانوا يسيطرون على مناطق شاسعة ولديهم قوتهم وعتادهم، وحتى مقاتليهم يوجد عدد كبير من القوزاق; قوزاق منطقتي الدون الهادئ وقوزاق كوبان.
على مسار الأجزاء الثلاثة من (ثلاثية درب الآلام) كانت حكاية الشقيقتان (كاتيا وداشا) مستمرة مع تغير ظروفهما المادية والنفسية، وتنقلهما حيث الوضع السائد يرمي بهما مع قساوة الحياة التي بدلت العديد من المفاهيم والسلوكيات، أو حتى أسلوب الحياة الذي كان قبل الحرب العالمية الأولى وقبل سقوط الحكم القيصري.
اقتباسات:
وإلى جانب الانقطاع التام عن الحياة فإن الاستعجال العديم النفع، الانشغال بالتوافه إحدى نواقص مثقفينا
"وهكذا تلتقي بإنسان، وتمر به ساهيا، بينما هو أمامك مملكة من خرائب داخنة..."
إن الإنسان الحي يتحمل من الجراح والمصائب ما لا يتحملها حيوان.
أصبحت أخاف الموت... أخاف أن تصيبني رصاصة في الرأس، فإنها لن تقتل في مكان آخر، أما في الرأس فأخافها. الرأس ليس هدفا، فقد صنع لشيء آخر. إنني أشفق على أفكاري...
وازداد القتال فظاعة واستماتة لأن المتحاربين في كلا الجانبين من الروس. بعضهم في سبيل حياة جديدة غير مشهودة والبعض الآخر في سبيل أن يبقى القديم على حاله.
إذا كان الإنسان لا يحب نفسه، فإنه لا يقدر أن يحب أحدا... فما نفعه بعد ذلك؟
تهديم المجتمع المجرم بأسره! تهديما لا رحمة فيه، حتى يسوي أرضاً فلا يبقى من حجر على حجر... بحيث لا تخرج من البذرة اللعينة دولة أو سلطة أو رأس مال أو مدن أو مصانع مرة أخرى... (الفوضويين)
إن الخروج على القانون هو ما نعتمد عليه، وهو ملاكاتنا. إن الخروج على القانون هو التعبير الأكثر احتراماً لحياة الشعب.... (الفوضويين)
الخارج على القانون العدو اللدود لكل تنظيم للدولة، بما في ذلك اشتراكيتكم، يا عزيزي. وفي الخروج على القانون دليل على قدرة الشعب على الحياة... الخارج على القانون لا يتصالح ولا يهاب، يهدم من أجل التهديم. وتلك هي العفوية الشعبية الاجتماعية الحقيقية. (الفوضويين)
في العلاقة مع النساء يجب أن تبعد كل الصغائر.. ويجب الحرص على الحب... وكن على يقظة دائما! هل جربت أن تحدق في عينين محبتين؟ تلك أعجوبة الحياة...
أحقاً أن الحياة تولي كالحلم في رأس على الوسادة، وبعد أن تخادع خداعا عقيما تتلاشى بعد زفرة الاستيقاظ؟
إننا نقاتل وراء المتاريس من أجل حقنا وحق العالم في أن نقضي مرة وإلى الأبد على استثمار الإنسان للإنسان.
بعد تشكل كل فريق متصارع وفناء ألوية وجيوش وظهور جماعات مختلفة متقاتلة في هذه الحرب الطاحنة يصبح البقاء لمن نفسه طويل ونظرته بعيدة.
بعد اندفاع المتقاتلين وهجومهم الدموي على بعضهم، يصور لنا الكاتب في هذا الجزء طريقة تحرك الجيوش ووصف المعارك التي أودت بحياة الملايين من البشر والمهجرين، ظهر بين العديد من المقاتلين لغة اليأس من طول الحرب وضراوتها، فتمسك كل فريق بموقفه جعل الحرب أكثر قسوة على عامة الناس.
في حين أن العديد من الدول التي كانت تدعم البيض قد تراجعت، وأن الألمان بعد انتهاء الحرب العالمية الأولى وتغير نظامهم انسحبوا من روسيا مما جعل البيض ومن يدعمهم في موقف أضعف وإن كانوا يسيطرون على مناطق شاسعة ولديهم قوتهم وعتادهم، وحتى مقاتليهم يوجد عدد كبير من القوزاق; قوزاق منطقتي الدون الهادئ وقوزاق كوبان.
على مسار الأجزاء الثلاثة من (ثلاثية درب الآلام) كانت حكاية الشقيقتان (كاتيا وداشا) مستمرة مع تغير ظروفهما المادية والنفسية، وتنقلهما حيث الوضع السائد يرمي بهما مع قساوة الحياة التي بدلت العديد من المفاهيم والسلوكيات، أو حتى أسلوب الحياة الذي كان قبل الحرب العالمية الأولى وقبل سقوط الحكم القيصري.
اقتباسات:
وإلى جانب الانقطاع التام عن الحياة فإن الاستعجال العديم النفع، الانشغال بالتوافه إحدى نواقص مثقفينا
"وهكذا تلتقي بإنسان، وتمر به ساهيا، بينما هو أمامك مملكة من خرائب داخنة..."
إن الإنسان الحي يتحمل من الجراح والمصائب ما لا يتحملها حيوان.
أصبحت أخاف الموت... أخاف أن تصيبني رصاصة في الرأس، فإنها لن تقتل في مكان آخر، أما في الرأس فأخافها. الرأس ليس هدفا، فقد صنع لشيء آخر. إنني أشفق على أفكاري...
وازداد القتال فظاعة واستماتة لأن المتحاربين في كلا الجانبين من الروس. بعضهم في سبيل حياة جديدة غير مشهودة والبعض الآخر في سبيل أن يبقى القديم على حاله.
إذا كان الإنسان لا يحب نفسه، فإنه لا يقدر أن يحب أحدا... فما نفعه بعد ذلك؟
تهديم المجتمع المجرم بأسره! تهديما لا رحمة فيه، حتى يسوي أرضاً فلا يبقى من حجر على حجر... بحيث لا تخرج من البذرة اللعينة دولة أو سلطة أو رأس مال أو مدن أو مصانع مرة أخرى... (الفوضويين)
إن الخروج على القانون هو ما نعتمد عليه، وهو ملاكاتنا. إن الخروج على القانون هو التعبير الأكثر احتراماً لحياة الشعب.... (الفوضويين)
الخارج على القانون العدو اللدود لكل تنظيم للدولة، بما في ذلك اشتراكيتكم، يا عزيزي. وفي الخروج على القانون دليل على قدرة الشعب على الحياة... الخارج على القانون لا يتصالح ولا يهاب، يهدم من أجل التهديم. وتلك هي العفوية الشعبية الاجتماعية الحقيقية. (الفوضويين)
في العلاقة مع النساء يجب أن تبعد كل الصغائر.. ويجب الحرص على الحب... وكن على يقظة دائما! هل جربت أن تحدق في عينين محبتين؟ تلك أعجوبة الحياة...
أحقاً أن الحياة تولي كالحلم في رأس على الوسادة، وبعد أن تخادع خداعا عقيما تتلاشى بعد زفرة الاستيقاظ؟
إننا نقاتل وراء المتاريس من أجل حقنا وحق العالم في أن نقضي مرة وإلى الأبد على استثمار الإنسان للإنسان.
January 17, 2019
بعد از مدت زیادی تمام شد، هر چند در بینش کتابهای زیادی خواندن...
در کل جلد یک و سه خوب بود و جلد دو به خاطر جزئیات زیاد و... دلچسب نبود
جلد سه تحول مردم را به خوبی نشان میداد و حس و حال آن روزها و اعتماد و امید مردم به تغییر را با بیانی نشان میداد که به جان می نشست...
پذیرش سختی ها، لذت بردن از آنها و حرکت برای هدفی والا...
در کل جلد یک و سه خوب بود و جلد دو به خاطر جزئیات زیاد و... دلچسب نبود
جلد سه تحول مردم را به خوبی نشان میداد و حس و حال آن روزها و اعتماد و امید مردم به تغییر را با بیانی نشان میداد که به جان می نشست...
پذیرش سختی ها، لذت بردن از آنها و حرکت برای هدفی والا...
January 7, 2020
If you don't count the last pages which had the Communist propaganda (but on the other hand that what they really believed at the time, they thought they'll end all exploration of man by man) this is a solid book to the trilogy of the Civil War. Written beautifully, the characters are great and the pace is fast when it's a fight and slow when people think about life
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2020
Revolutions don’t just happen. They are in fact product of profound societal stress; the status quo is too much of a powerful force even in the most unjust of countries to be eschewed lightly in favor of a great leap into the unknown. And there was no ‘modern’ country more unjust than Tsarist Russia. The calcification of a once-great empire, the folly of a dynasty that had lost its connection with its land and its history and any sense of noblesse oblige, as were the Romanovs and their last hapless emperor Nicholas II. But not even this figure, alone, was enough to spark revolution; thick and rich in the winter palace eating caviar while his serfs worked bent and aggrieved in the fields. It was in fact the great war that brought on revolution – a war that ended the old ways in all of Europe, and Russia was no exception. The fact that Nicholas doubled down on serfdom while the rest of his peers across the continent were liberalizing their stranglehold on their people was his own special madness; the hands of Rasputin, the hemophilia of his son and heir. No not even in this was unleashed the madness. It was the war that did it; sending serf/slaves to fight and die against the Kaizer’s Germany armies, a war that also ended that monarch’s rule, along with the Ottomans. Everything was changing, why should Russia be any different?
That is what Alexei Tolstoy’s three-part epic ‘Ordeal’ is about. The start of the war, the death of the Tzar, the murder of the mad monk, the fighting first against the Germans but then the Russian Civil War into which the country was plunged – the White Armies against the Red Armies with the Anarchist Greens throw in there. The disintegration of a massive empire after hundreds of years of corruption ending in an orgy of violence that gave way to the stale totalitarianism of communism. It is a grand story; those of us in the west often think that one day Lenin wandered into St. Petersburg, grabbed the Tzar and his family and lined them up in front of the shooting range and that was it. In point of fact the Russian Civil war was begun not by the Bolsheviks but by the Constituent Assembly, the Mensheviks and resulted in more than one interim government and an almost-return of the Whites to power; five years of mayhem until Lenin and Stalin prevailed. And it could have gone many different ways. Had the French or British intervened – had the Mensheviks’ more rational reformations prevailed, had assassination attempts on Lenin been successful history would have turned out very differently. Nothing is written beforehand – that is the lesson with which one enters into the commitment of reading Alexei Tolstoy’s masterpiece.
Alexei, the nephew of the great novelist Leo, member of a great noble family that began with Andrey who moved to Moscow to serve in the court of Vasily II in the 1400s at the very beginning, before even St. Petersburg was built, and witnessed the entirety of Imperial Russia’s 600 year story. A family that still exists, Nikolai and Artemy and Vladimir who are still active in Russia today. Alexei was a monarchist, a supporter of the Whites, an exile first in Paris and then in Berlin where he grew disaffected by the Russian refugee-elites and returned to become one of the greatest voices of the Reds. Life is strange that way, and there is no accounting for how it will turn out.
No, revolutions do not simply happen for if there is one thing that people can be counted upon to consider it is their own welfare. The moral hazard for those living day-to-day attempting to raise their families and hold the ends together is zero, every decision is existential. If they feel, even just hope, that their lives are improving – or that there is somebody fighting for them – they will be patient, keeping their heads down and plowing forward. The tremendous discipline of men and women raising a family, juxtaposed against those whose moral hazard is complete and who, in the Gramscian sense, seek to foment radical change secure in the utopian belief that the violence will not reach them – people like Alexei Tolstoy who only survived by becoming a mouthpiece of revolution, selling his tremendous talent to the perpetuation of a great evil.
Today Lenin is dead, Stalin is dead. What is left over are broken down statues abandoned under the trees growing around them and the lessons acquired from a time of great turmoil and preserved as if in amber by the tremendous talent of Alexei Tolstoy and his compatriots. It is up to us, then, to learn from those lessons as we seek to build the worlds for our children and our children’s children. You can start by reading ‘Ordeal’.
That is what Alexei Tolstoy’s three-part epic ‘Ordeal’ is about. The start of the war, the death of the Tzar, the murder of the mad monk, the fighting first against the Germans but then the Russian Civil War into which the country was plunged – the White Armies against the Red Armies with the Anarchist Greens throw in there. The disintegration of a massive empire after hundreds of years of corruption ending in an orgy of violence that gave way to the stale totalitarianism of communism. It is a grand story; those of us in the west often think that one day Lenin wandered into St. Petersburg, grabbed the Tzar and his family and lined them up in front of the shooting range and that was it. In point of fact the Russian Civil war was begun not by the Bolsheviks but by the Constituent Assembly, the Mensheviks and resulted in more than one interim government and an almost-return of the Whites to power; five years of mayhem until Lenin and Stalin prevailed. And it could have gone many different ways. Had the French or British intervened – had the Mensheviks’ more rational reformations prevailed, had assassination attempts on Lenin been successful history would have turned out very differently. Nothing is written beforehand – that is the lesson with which one enters into the commitment of reading Alexei Tolstoy’s masterpiece.
Alexei, the nephew of the great novelist Leo, member of a great noble family that began with Andrey who moved to Moscow to serve in the court of Vasily II in the 1400s at the very beginning, before even St. Petersburg was built, and witnessed the entirety of Imperial Russia’s 600 year story. A family that still exists, Nikolai and Artemy and Vladimir who are still active in Russia today. Alexei was a monarchist, a supporter of the Whites, an exile first in Paris and then in Berlin where he grew disaffected by the Russian refugee-elites and returned to become one of the greatest voices of the Reds. Life is strange that way, and there is no accounting for how it will turn out.
No, revolutions do not simply happen for if there is one thing that people can be counted upon to consider it is their own welfare. The moral hazard for those living day-to-day attempting to raise their families and hold the ends together is zero, every decision is existential. If they feel, even just hope, that their lives are improving – or that there is somebody fighting for them – they will be patient, keeping their heads down and plowing forward. The tremendous discipline of men and women raising a family, juxtaposed against those whose moral hazard is complete and who, in the Gramscian sense, seek to foment radical change secure in the utopian belief that the violence will not reach them – people like Alexei Tolstoy who only survived by becoming a mouthpiece of revolution, selling his tremendous talent to the perpetuation of a great evil.
Today Lenin is dead, Stalin is dead. What is left over are broken down statues abandoned under the trees growing around them and the lessons acquired from a time of great turmoil and preserved as if in amber by the tremendous talent of Alexei Tolstoy and his compatriots. It is up to us, then, to learn from those lessons as we seek to build the worlds for our children and our children’s children. You can start by reading ‘Ordeal’.
August 19, 2019
Bleak Morning is the third novel in the trilogy of The Ordeal. The series covers the history of Russia spanning pre-WWI, WWI, the Russian Revolutions, and the resulting civil war both from a macro and micro perspective. I wondered to what extent the Russian Revolution was accelerated (and perhaps ever occurred at all) due to the events of WWI.
The macro viewpoint was difficult to follow as the novels were written for Russia, by a Russia, for Russian readers and about Russia. As a result, it was difficult for me (I had no previous knowledge of these events with which to track the story line as it transpired) to follow the geography, identification of key political figures, their complicated names, etc.
The micro viewpoint was the experience of our sisters in the story (Katya and Dasha - Ekatirina Dmitrevna and Darya Dmitrevna, respectively) and their husbands (Roshchin and Telegin - Vadim Petrocich and Ivan Ilyich). As an aside, I am not sure I have the names of the husbands correct. Names were really hard to follow for me. But I felt attached to the 4 protagonists throughout.
Notable thoughts from the third volume (Bleak Morning) were:
Whatever happens, we mean to go on living.
Anything, however intolerable, became bearable when one met a kindly glance, however fleeting.
An army doctor had told him that summer that there were many nervous cases in [the] army – a man could look perfectly healthy and gobble up gruel by the ton, and all the time his nerves could be like fiddle-strings. “Nerves!” growled Alexei. “We never heard about them in the old days!” [Interesting to consider this commentary as it relates to the much more (or perhaps not) prevalence of PTSD among the militaries of today.]
"Inspired by the ideals of Lenin, and by ideas alone ... [the people of Russia] believed themselves to be stronger than all of the rest of the world, believed that they could build up, on the ruins of their impoverished state, a just communist society in the near future."
"The Bolsheviks, who had seemed to be at their last gasp, had achieved the impossible, and brought off, despite typhus epidemics, famine and economic collapse, a triumphant counteroffensive, thereby frustrating world plans for the strangulation of Red Russia, the boundless country still such an enigma to the outside world, and astonishing everyone."
Telegin pleads with Dasha in the closing words of the novel: "When the war's over, I am going back to the works, I have a few ideas of my own ... Oh, Dasha, how I am longing to get back to work! If they [the Reds] provide a power base like that - there's nothing we won't be able to do ... the wealth we possess ... you have no idea! If we handle it properly we shall leave America far behind. We're ever so much richer."
I noted up front, Tolstoy wrote and published these novels under the "supervision" of the government and for Russian readers. His closing words clearly point out the "acceptability" of the story.
The macro viewpoint was difficult to follow as the novels were written for Russia, by a Russia, for Russian readers and about Russia. As a result, it was difficult for me (I had no previous knowledge of these events with which to track the story line as it transpired) to follow the geography, identification of key political figures, their complicated names, etc.
The micro viewpoint was the experience of our sisters in the story (Katya and Dasha - Ekatirina Dmitrevna and Darya Dmitrevna, respectively) and their husbands (Roshchin and Telegin - Vadim Petrocich and Ivan Ilyich). As an aside, I am not sure I have the names of the husbands correct. Names were really hard to follow for me. But I felt attached to the 4 protagonists throughout.
Notable thoughts from the third volume (Bleak Morning) were:
Whatever happens, we mean to go on living.
Anything, however intolerable, became bearable when one met a kindly glance, however fleeting.
An army doctor had told him that summer that there were many nervous cases in [the] army – a man could look perfectly healthy and gobble up gruel by the ton, and all the time his nerves could be like fiddle-strings. “Nerves!” growled Alexei. “We never heard about them in the old days!” [Interesting to consider this commentary as it relates to the much more (or perhaps not) prevalence of PTSD among the militaries of today.]
"Inspired by the ideals of Lenin, and by ideas alone ... [the people of Russia] believed themselves to be stronger than all of the rest of the world, believed that they could build up, on the ruins of their impoverished state, a just communist society in the near future."
"The Bolsheviks, who had seemed to be at their last gasp, had achieved the impossible, and brought off, despite typhus epidemics, famine and economic collapse, a triumphant counteroffensive, thereby frustrating world plans for the strangulation of Red Russia, the boundless country still such an enigma to the outside world, and astonishing everyone."
Telegin pleads with Dasha in the closing words of the novel: "When the war's over, I am going back to the works, I have a few ideas of my own ... Oh, Dasha, how I am longing to get back to work! If they [the Reds] provide a power base like that - there's nothing we won't be able to do ... the wealth we possess ... you have no idea! If we handle it properly we shall leave America far behind. We're ever so much richer."
I noted up front, Tolstoy wrote and published these novels under the "supervision" of the government and for Russian readers. His closing words clearly point out the "acceptability" of the story.
February 17, 2025
The Road to Calvary|Ordeal. Book 3: Bleak Morning by Aleksey Tolstoy
This one was good.
The third volume is where Tolstoy fully switched to the communist propaganda. It depends on the reader whether it's good news or not. In my case, I didn't mind.
The third volume is also where the storyline finally became stable. The first book focused on the lives of the main characters, putting the history aside. The second one flipped the switch and poured an ocean of historical data, with the main characters mostly existing in the background. The third book shows an equal amount of both, as in bringing the two major plot-lines (historical and fictional) together.
Despite that, I found the local story slightly bleak. It had its charm and concluded the major storylines neatly, but I wish there was more to touch the strings of my soul. Besides, some storylines of the lesser importance were left without an ending, which is a shame.
Still, the book was good. I don't regret spending my time on the entire trilogy. It was a fun ride that provided me with lots of info on the Civil War. Just like the author with his views on the Reds, I changed my initial opinion from meh to good, which is definitely a good thing.
This one was good.
The third volume is where Tolstoy fully switched to the communist propaganda. It depends on the reader whether it's good news or not. In my case, I didn't mind.
The third volume is also where the storyline finally became stable. The first book focused on the lives of the main characters, putting the history aside. The second one flipped the switch and poured an ocean of historical data, with the main characters mostly existing in the background. The third book shows an equal amount of both, as in bringing the two major plot-lines (historical and fictional) together.
Despite that, I found the local story slightly bleak. It had its charm and concluded the major storylines neatly, but I wish there was more to touch the strings of my soul. Besides, some storylines of the lesser importance were left without an ending, which is a shame.
Still, the book was good. I don't regret spending my time on the entire trilogy. It was a fun ride that provided me with lots of info on the Civil War. Just like the author with his views on the Reds, I changed my initial opinion from meh to good, which is definitely a good thing.
June 11, 2018
Заключительная часть трилогии, в которой Леша окончательно забросил Дашу с Катей и занялся пропагандой коммунизма. Самая невнятная из часть из серии, чем-то напоминает Разбойников, поставленных Дашей, где сюжет отредактирован красноармейцами с целью удовлетворять рамкам революционной справедливости. Мир романа окончательно разделился на черное и белое, белые - уже не браться, отцы и сыновья, а враги и гады, все мало мальски приличные люди перешли на сторону красной армии и под непрекращающимся "ураганным огнем" водворяют власть советов и массовую электрификацию.
Приобретя взрослое, уверенное мировоззрение, Леша вместе с тем потерял ясность взора и в заключительной части романа опустился до штамповки коммунистических лозунгов, пополам с такими же штампованными батальными сценами. Среди всего этого красного мрака если и мелькал лучик света, то очень очень редко. При всех попытках Леши молодить своих героев, чувствовалось, что они состарились, продались и внутренне умерли вместе с автором.
March 1, 2020
Продолжать писать про события Гражданской войны Алексей Толстой посчитал обязательным. Прошло более десяти лет с работы над «Восемнадцатым годом», совсем недавно закончено повествование «Хлеб» (про оборону Царицына). Но, разве всё сказано о Царицыне? Толстой посчитал необходимым расширить личное понимание происходивших тогда событий. Теперь уже практически не осталось необходимости рассказывать в духе беллетристики. Отнюдь, Толстой брался сообщать историю, вроде того варианта её подачи, каким отметился Николай Карамзин при создании первых томов «Истории государства Российского», то есть давая информацию по происходившим процессам, постоянно сбиваясь на беллетристическую форму подачи материала.
(c) Trounin
(c) Trounin
December 9, 2023
همچون دو جلد قبلی، اسن کتاب هم بسیار فوقالعاده و زیبا بود.
پر بود از هیجان، جدایی، درس، عشق و درد.
یکی از نکات بارز کتاباین بود که دربارۀ نحوه وقوع انقلاب و اینکه چگونه سرخها قدرت را به دست گرفتند صحبت میکند و اینکه بعد انقلاب اوضاع .
چگونه شد در کتاب ذکر نشده و همین امیر باعث شده که ما بنگریم که گاه انقلابها چگونه به وجود میآیند و در این بین چه حادثهها که رخ نمیدهد.
زیبایی این کتاب در این بود که نه صرفا داستان یک عدۀ خاصی بود و نه فقط داستان جنگ بلکه هر دو مورد با نهایت دقت در کنار هم قرار داشتند و این باعث میشود که کتاب جذابتر باشد.
ترجمۀ کتاب هم بسیار عالی و روان و به گونهای بود که اصلا متوجه این امر نمیشدی که اصل کتاب به زبان دیگریست.
پر بود از هیجان، جدایی، درس، عشق و درد.
یکی از نکات بارز کتاباین بود که دربارۀ نحوه وقوع انقلاب و اینکه چگونه سرخها قدرت را به دست گرفتند صحبت میکند و اینکه بعد انقلاب اوضاع .
چگونه شد در کتاب ذکر نشده و همین امیر باعث شده که ما بنگریم که گاه انقلابها چگونه به وجود میآیند و در این بین چه حادثهها که رخ نمیدهد.
زیبایی این کتاب در این بود که نه صرفا داستان یک عدۀ خاصی بود و نه فقط داستان جنگ بلکه هر دو مورد با نهایت دقت در کنار هم قرار داشتند و این باعث میشود که کتاب جذابتر باشد.
ترجمۀ کتاب هم بسیار عالی و روان و به گونهای بود که اصلا متوجه این امر نمیشدی که اصل کتاب به زبان دیگریست.
May 20, 2020
The first volume is an engaging story that is as much about the characters as the historical setting. Over the course of the next two volumes, the characters become more and more one-dimensional, cartoonish, and unimportant. The focus instead shifts to a wearisome, one-sided history lesson told by a blowhard idiot.
It feels like the trilogy was written by two different people: the first half by a proper novelist, and the last half by a ridiculous pundit.
It feels like the trilogy was written by two different people: the first half by a proper novelist, and the last half by a ridiculous pundit.
September 15, 2022
úi chà chà quyền 3 phiêu lưu quá, vợ chồng Vadim tìm nhau như thể tìm chim, cứ như mèo đuổi chuột vậy. Còn vợ chồng Teleghin thì ngọt như mía. Hòa chung không khí chiến thắng, phấn khởi nên cho 5 sao cho oách
October 21, 2022
god knows what torture it is to finish it idk high-key boring (my working theory is that my inner russian knows too much about this event i was like 'yeah no can i just read how it ended up for them')
December 30, 2022
Третиот дел од грандиозното дело на Алексеј Толстој „Одење по маките“.
Еден од недадминатите советски класици.
Завршница за приказната за сестрите кои ќе се затекнат во исориските превирања во периодот пред Првата светска војна па до победата на „црвените“.
Еден од недадминатите советски класици.
Завршница за приказната за сестрите кои ќе се затекнат во исориските превирања во периодот пред Првата светска војна па до победата на „црвените“.
November 23, 2016
To be able to read behind the lines around the end, about the poor energy resources in factories, end of exploitation of people and need of agriculture reform.
September 22, 2018
see my review under part 1
January 16, 2021
"وهكذا تلتقي بإنسان، وتمر به ساهياً، بينما هو أمامك مملكة من خرائب داخنهً."
July 9, 2022
مرهقة و متعبة و لكن تستحق القراءة
January 5, 2025
Сага. Эпопея. Магнум опус Алексея Толстого. Отзыв будет один, на всю трилогию. Хотя книжки конечно разные и написаны в разное время:
- Сёстры (1918-1922)
- 18-й год (1927-1928)
- Хмурое утро (1940-1941)
“Сёстры” самые душевные, самые продуманные, самые выстраданные. Очевидно и сама тема близка Толстому и характеры прописаны с натуры. Декаданс, разложение, изнывание от всеимения и вседозволенности. Всю книгу главные герои “бесятся с жиру”, как сказала бы моя бабушка.
”18-й год” напоминает похмелье, расплату за разнузданное веселье предыдущих лет. Видно как в героях происходят слом и переоценка многих ценностей на фоне гражданской войны и очевидного пиздеца происходящего кругом.
”Хмурое утро” самое слабое. По любым критериям. Там больше всего экшена и меньше всего мысли. Больше всего пропаганды и почти нет противоречивости и неоднозначности предыдущих томов.
Но так или иначе трилогия отличная. Я, читая её, много раз погружался в википедию, уточнить, узнать более глубоко. Множество исторических событий и персонажей, гражданская война показана со всех сторон. Тут и тебе и Телегин у красных, но сомневается; Рощин истово ненавидящий большевиков и далее разочаровавшийся в белом движении; Катерина делящая быт с “махновцами”; Даша тусящая с анархистами и ходящая на митинги в которых принимает участие Ленин.
- Сёстры (1918-1922)
- 18-й год (1927-1928)
- Хмурое утро (1940-1941)
“Сёстры” самые душевные, самые продуманные, самые выстраданные. Очевидно и сама тема близка Толстому и характеры прописаны с натуры. Декаданс, разложение, изнывание от всеимения и вседозволенности. Всю книгу главные герои “бесятся с жиру”, как сказала бы моя бабушка.
”Люди выдумывают себе пороки и извращения, лишь бы не прослыть пресными.”
”Я хочу пожирать жизнь, а вы меня потчуете сахарной водицей для страдающих половым бессилием…”
“Читать, но что? И охоты нет. Просто сидеть, думать - себе дороже станет. Вот, в самом деле, как жить иногда неуютно.”
”18-й год” напоминает похмелье, расплату за разнузданное веселье предыдущих лет. Видно как в героях происходят слом и переоценка многих ценностей на фоне гражданской войны и очевидного пиздеца происходящего кругом.
”Из одной беды да в другую- вот как живём. И довели мужика до волчьего состояния: одно остается-горло грызть”
”В какую правду верили его однополчане? В какую правду верил он сам? В великую трагическую историю России? Но это была истина, а не правда. Правда - в движении, в жизни, - не в перелистанных страницах пыльного фолианта, а в том, что течёт в грядущее”
”Хмурое утро” самое слабое. По любым критериям. Там больше всего экшена и меньше всего мысли. Больше всего пропаганды и почти нет противоречивости и неоднозначности предыдущих томов.
”Если человеку для счастья нужна непременно теплая постелька, да тихая лампа, да за спиной ещё полка с книгами, - такой не узнает счастья. Для такого оно всегда - завтра, а в один злосчастный день нет ни завтра, ни постельки. Для такого - вечное увы…”
”Философствование есть праздношатание мыслей”
”Россией рожден человек… Человек, потребовал права людям стать людьми. Это не мечта, это - идея, она на конце наших штыков, она осуществима…”
Но так или иначе трилогия отличная. Я, читая её, много раз погружался в википедию, уточнить, узнать более глубоко. Множество исторических событий и персонажей, гражданская война показана со всех сторон. Тут и тебе и Телегин у красных, но сомневается; Рощин истово ненавидящий большевиков и далее разочаровавшийся в белом движении; Катерина делящая быт с “махновцами”; Даша тусящая с анархистами и ходящая на митинги в которых принимает участие Ленин.
June 16, 2009
His language is just amazing. The phrases and analogies he uses are rare, old worldly, brilliant and beautiful. What a great analysis of post-revolution world, it's breathtaking.
It's not for nothing he's one of the classics
It's not for nothing he's one of the classics
March 14, 2014
Exhausting.
Read
November 4, 2017good novel
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews