Comrades: 1917-Russia in Revolution

by Brian Moynahan

From the moment a transvestite murdered the Mad Monk, Rasputin, to the seizure of power by the Bolsheviks and the subsequent drift to dictatorship, this narrative recreates the drama of the 1917 communist revolution in Russia

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Russia

356 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1991

About the author

Brian Moynahan was an English journalist, historian and biographer.

Reviews

[RYD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the accounts I've read of the Russian Revolution, this book has the best description of how society's total collapse with World War I propelled to power the Bolsheviks, a small and often otherwise insignificant party.

My one criticism would be that author Brian Moynahan may swing the pendulum too far to the other side by dismissing the Communist leadership -- including Lenin and Trotsky -- as incompetents who were shockingly lucky, if only because they were bloodthirsty.

From the book:

"Few things in 1917 were as curious, on the face of it, as the inability of other socialists to realize the fate the Bolsheviks had in store for them. Their reluctance to condemn the Leninists was partly a matter of gross ignorance. Few had read the works in which Lenin made clear that he saw terrorism and dictatorship as essential parts of revolution. His works had been banned before the revolution. After it, events moved too fast for people to have time to work through the back list of his works. All had had access to Pravda, however, from which it was obvious that he regarded socialist as much as capitalist rivals to be candidates for liquidation.

"What saved him -- and it was quite a stroke of luck -- were two strong and intermingled feelings. One was the ideal of solidarity, the other a conviction that the Bolsheviks should not be taken at face value.

"Public respect for revolutionaries had run deep in tsarist Russia. 'Few of the intelligent families of the Russian Empire are without one of two relatives who have undergone imprisonment for their views,' an American correspondent, Basset Digby, had observed before the war. 'For this reason, when the "politicals" have finished their sentences, they are treated kindly by others.' Though the Bolsheviks did not believe in solidarity created by shared persecution, other socialists were happy to extend its courtesies to them. The autocracy had exiled and executed. How could the revolution -- whose bloodless treatment of tsarist officials and the tsar himself remained one of its glories -- persecute its own?

"It was felt, too, that Bolshevik theory would never be put into practice. The totalitarian state -- ruthless, politicized and centralized, destructive of the slightest opposition -- was still taking shape in Lenin's mind. He was predicted world revolution, government without officials, societies without policemen, factories without foremen. To take him seriously was to admit to a belief in the millennium."

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very highly recommended for anyone interested in Russian history or just looking for a very engaging 20th century history read. The book provides a detailed explanation and chronology of both 1917 revolutions in Russia, while being eminently readable and painting a fascinating picture of the individual personalities of the key players. The book undertakes a thorough exploration of the fall of the Czar, the rise and fall of Alexander Kerensky, and how the Petrograd Soviet went from fringe group to the masters of Russia. Written by a reporter who covered the Soviet Union for years, it's written in a style designed to let the reader feel the flow of events like an unfolding news story. A great book that both kept me enthralled and taught me a lot about an era of history I had always wanted to understand.

[(˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) .ᐟ.ᐟ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solidly entertaining for a light read; lacking inline citations, I don't think it's designed to provide anything more rigorous. Often condescending in its treatment of women. There are definitely better books about the Revolution, but definitely also worse ones. Extra points for the Gorby mention on the back cover though #MYWIFE

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Focuses entirely on the day to day of 1917. Very interesting and gives a lot of great detail, but wouldn't recommend without having an understanding of events leading up to 1917 first.

[Mick Maye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly good read and instructive. Covers some less well known facts.

[John Fahey]

Highly informative. Lots of great reference.

[John Fahey]

Fascinating day by day description of the Russian Revolutions with many references from the many people who were eyewitnesses from all backgrounds.