What do you think?
Rate this book
The Dark Side of the Earth: Russia's Short-Lived Victory over Totalitarianism
From “one of Russia’s smartest and best-sourced young journalists” (The New York Times) comes a gripping and urgent exploration of why the Soviet Union’s collapse was incomplete and the Cold War was never over—revealing the resurgence of imperialism in Russia and its current implications for the war in Ukraine.
Russian-born journalist Mikhail Zygar was ten years old when the Soviet Union collapsed. Now, after nearly ten years of research, he offers a timely and compelling new approach on Russian history—one that rewrites everything we thought we knew about the fall of the Soviet Union—and argues that its ending is yet to come. Starting with the historic launch of the first human into space in April 1961, Zygar unravels a dramatic story of resistance, resilience, and resurgence that led to the Soviet Union’s dissolution—and the echoes of its legacy today.
Zygar conducted several hundred exclusive interviews with key figures, including Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, first presidents of the independent post-Soviet republics, the last first secretaries of these republics, and leaders of independence movements within them, as well as Western politicians and diplomats who were witnesses to and participants in those events. He dives into the struggles and triumphs of figures like Andrei Sakharov, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and Vladimir Vysotsky, whose defiance of totalitarianism is both inspiring and deeply relevant. Zygar explains how the “victory” over the Soviet Empire may have been short-lived, as today’s Russian regime maintains its imperial ambitions.
A must-read for anyone looking to understand the origins of modern Russian fascism, The Dark Side of the Earth explores how imperial and nationalist ideas developed during the Soviet era and eventually gave rise to the current Putinist ideology. Zygar’s work is uniquely powerful—fueled by his personal ties to the Soviet era, access to historical archives, and interviews that crack open hidden truths, including several with individuals who had never before spoken on the record.
More than a history lesson, The Dark Side of the Earth is a call to action and a testament to the enduring fight for truth and freedom. Zygar urges us to confront the narratives we’ve accepted and rethink how we face oppression today. Bold, brilliant, and deeply human, this is a story that demands to be heard.
Russian-born journalist Mikhail Zygar was ten years old when the Soviet Union collapsed. Now, after nearly ten years of research, he offers a timely and compelling new approach on Russian history—one that rewrites everything we thought we knew about the fall of the Soviet Union—and argues that its ending is yet to come. Starting with the historic launch of the first human into space in April 1961, Zygar unravels a dramatic story of resistance, resilience, and resurgence that led to the Soviet Union’s dissolution—and the echoes of its legacy today.
Zygar conducted several hundred exclusive interviews with key figures, including Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, first presidents of the independent post-Soviet republics, the last first secretaries of these republics, and leaders of independence movements within them, as well as Western politicians and diplomats who were witnesses to and participants in those events. He dives into the struggles and triumphs of figures like Andrei Sakharov, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and Vladimir Vysotsky, whose defiance of totalitarianism is both inspiring and deeply relevant. Zygar explains how the “victory” over the Soviet Empire may have been short-lived, as today’s Russian regime maintains its imperial ambitions.
A must-read for anyone looking to understand the origins of modern Russian fascism, The Dark Side of the Earth explores how imperial and nationalist ideas developed during the Soviet era and eventually gave rise to the current Putinist ideology. Zygar’s work is uniquely powerful—fueled by his personal ties to the Soviet era, access to historical archives, and interviews that crack open hidden truths, including several with individuals who had never before spoken on the record.
More than a history lesson, The Dark Side of the Earth is a call to action and a testament to the enduring fight for truth and freedom. Zygar urges us to confront the narratives we’ve accepted and rethink how we face oppression today. Bold, brilliant, and deeply human, this is a story that demands to be heard.
560 pages, Hardcover
Published November 11, 2025
61 people are currently reading
644 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 9, 2025
Excellent. A history of the Soviet Union, focused on the fall of Stalinism. I learned SO much about the nuances and psychology of Soviet politics, and the reemergence of the Russia psyche.
Always startlingly to learn how much of “history” comes down to personalities in a room.
Other things I loved:
- the attention played to the Soviet Union and Soviet people’s conception of themselves, versus the world’s conception of the Soviet Union, both the good and the bad, and the things one considered important, and the other considered frivolous.
- stories about how the “big” events affected common people’s lives, and how those common people’s sometimes had an effect on the course of history.
Always startlingly to learn how much of “history” comes down to personalities in a room.
Other things I loved:
- the attention played to the Soviet Union and Soviet people’s conception of themselves, versus the world’s conception of the Soviet Union, both the good and the bad, and the things one considered important, and the other considered frivolous.
- stories about how the “big” events affected common people’s lives, and how those common people’s sometimes had an effect on the course of history.
January 1, 2026
This is an excellent and captivating chronicle of the collapse of the USSR, expertly woven together by avoiding the common pitfalls of history through the lens of ‘Great Men’, instead drawing on extensive interviews to take the reader on a journey through the personal battles and other events that provide an excellent context to the period being explored.
The pace of the book is superb and there is a refreshing focus on not just events in Moscow, but across the former USSR and worldwide, adding much needed points of comparison, such as the protests on Tiananmen square, cultural milestones in the US, and the events marking the collapse of the USSR in other countries like the Baltic states, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
This book is a masterpiece and a must read for anyone interested in understanding the collapse of the USSR and its effects on Russia and the rest of the world as well.
The pace of the book is superb and there is a refreshing focus on not just events in Moscow, but across the former USSR and worldwide, adding much needed points of comparison, such as the protests on Tiananmen square, cultural milestones in the US, and the events marking the collapse of the USSR in other countries like the Baltic states, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
This book is a masterpiece and a must read for anyone interested in understanding the collapse of the USSR and its effects on Russia and the rest of the world as well.
January 28, 2026
My whole time reading this is that Gorbachev is either naive or an idiot
January 2, 2026
This book reads something like a long magazine article in that it recounts events without much analysis--that might sound like criticism, but it is a very readable book that I found fascinating because I was always a political junkie and closely followed the events that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. But there was so much that I couldn't have known and much that I forgot. Here are people and the events as they unfolded, in chronological order. It also seems less like a tome than a long article because the author throws in lots of little details that really aren't part of the main narrative but interest the author, such as where the 21 year old future Meliana Trump was when the Balkan wars of the 1990's broke out. There are quite a few details like that.
I also found some of the discussion of Ukraine fascinating, such as that President George H. W. Bush gave a speech arguing that Ukraine should not try to leave the Soviet Union. It appears that Bush was trying to prop up Gorbachev, who was on weak footing at home. And the Soviet Union unraveled, Yeltsin and Gorbachev and everyone in or near power was aghast at the idea that Ukraine could sever its ties to Russia, specifically stating that Crimea was only part of Ukraine because the Soviets so declared in 1954.
I also found some of the discussion of Ukraine fascinating, such as that President George H. W. Bush gave a speech arguing that Ukraine should not try to leave the Soviet Union. It appears that Bush was trying to prop up Gorbachev, who was on weak footing at home. And the Soviet Union unraveled, Yeltsin and Gorbachev and everyone in or near power was aghast at the idea that Ukraine could sever its ties to Russia, specifically stating that Crimea was only part of Ukraine because the Soviets so declared in 1954.
January 2, 2026
A masterful, definitive documentation of Russia's transition from the collapse of the Soviet Union to the rise of modern totalitarianism. It’s a long journey, but every page is essential for understanding the world today.
● What Worked:
Incredible Research: Zygar’s use of hundreds of interviews with key players (from Gorbachev to local activists) makes the history feel alive and personal rather than just academic.
● The Human Element: I loved how the book focuses on "people over politics"—showing how individual choices, heroes, and villains shaped the fate of a nation.
The "Countdown" Narrative: Starting with Yuri Gagarin in 1961 and tracing the slow decay of Soviet belief was a brilliant way to frame the story.
● What Didn't Work:
The Depiction of the Soviet Era: While the history is vital, the bleakness and the way the Soviet Union was portrayed throughout the book was a difficult, sometimes frustrating part of the read, even if historically accurate.
● Final Thoughts:
This is easily one of the best books of 2025. If you want to understand how a short-lived victory over totalitarianism turned into the Russia we see today, this is a must-read. It’s a long book, but worth every second.
● What Worked:
Incredible Research: Zygar’s use of hundreds of interviews with key players (from Gorbachev to local activists) makes the history feel alive and personal rather than just academic.
● The Human Element: I loved how the book focuses on "people over politics"—showing how individual choices, heroes, and villains shaped the fate of a nation.
The "Countdown" Narrative: Starting with Yuri Gagarin in 1961 and tracing the slow decay of Soviet belief was a brilliant way to frame the story.
● What Didn't Work:
The Depiction of the Soviet Era: While the history is vital, the bleakness and the way the Soviet Union was portrayed throughout the book was a difficult, sometimes frustrating part of the read, even if historically accurate.
● Final Thoughts:
This is easily one of the best books of 2025. If you want to understand how a short-lived victory over totalitarianism turned into the Russia we see today, this is a must-read. It’s a long book, but worth every second.
January 16, 2026
This book wasn't at all what I expected. In its cover blurb, it claims to "explore how imperial and nationalist ideas developed during the Soviet era and eventually gave rise to the current Putinist ideology." In my opinion, it misses that goal by about a mile. It starts a slow and meandering path in 1961 and ends in 1991 with the rise of Yeltsin and the fall of Gorbachev. Putin is only one of hundreds of characters that appear in the book, and he only appears very occasionally. Also, the book is written in hundreds of 1 to 2-page snippets that don't flow or connect together very well, which makes for a very choppy and hard to follow reading experience. Maybe as a journalist the author thinks this is an effective way to write, but for a history book of this length, it definitely doesn't work. To me, this author takes what should have been a fascinating story, and squeezes all of the life out of it, until it's absolutely as dry as dust. I honestly could not wait to finish reading this book. I would not recommend this book to anyone, as I don't think it delivers on what it promises in its title. There is absolutely a great story waiting here for a much better writer to tackle it.
January 22, 2026
Not a bad book overall, and it’s quite engaging thanks to the short, journalistic style.
Still, across the full length it’s hard to track a clear central idea because the narrative feels fragmented. The choice of protagonists also comes across as one-sided; if it’s presented as an investigation, it should make a stronger effort to represent all perspectives.
Still, across the full length it’s hard to track a clear central idea because the narrative feels fragmented. The choice of protagonists also comes across as one-sided; if it’s presented as an investigation, it should make a stronger effort to represent all perspectives.
December 17, 2025
Автор очень любезно дал почитать перед публикацией и я ответил ему восторженным отзывом; а меня сложно привести в восторг. Мощный сторителлинг, увлекательные истории, многого не знал, что знал — классно рассказано и связано вместе. Лайк.
(Читал на русском).
(Читал на русском).
January 13, 2026
This book is a wonderful look at the decline of the Soviet Union through the years through interviews with people who experienced it in all of it's nuance. Not just the politicians, but the ones living it daily and seeing there it cracked. From musicians to actors, and even the names you expect like Putin. You see how the break up of the Soviet Union, and exactly how it did, is why how we got to where we are now. Not just the countries on the map, but the men in power and the corruption that reigns. There are many books that look into the fall of the Soviet Union, but none of them really give you a look into the lives of those who lived it quite like this so I would recommend it along side a purely political reading as well.
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for this free advanced copy for my review.
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for this free advanced copy for my review.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews