Politics, Murder, and Love in Stalin's Kremlin: The Story of Nikolai Bukharin and Anna Larina

by Paul R. Gregory

Drawing from Hoover Institution archival documents, Paul Gregory sheds light on how the world's first socialist state went terribly wrong and why it was likely to veer off course through the tragic story of Stalin's most prominent  Pravda editor Nikolai Bukharin and his wife, Anna Larina.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

196 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an accessible, concise manner, Dr. Gregory details the relationship between Bukharin and Stalin, and its deterioration from the late 1920s until Bukharin’s eventual execution in 1938. What makes this book so accessible is the fact that the story is incredibly personal, with Dr. Gregory using actual correspondence, which allows the cast of characters to tell their own story. To make the story even more personal, the book details the effects that these trials had on Bukharin’s young wife, Anna Larina, who would end up spending 20 years in prison because she refused to denounce her husband. The only shortcoming of the book is that it is short (under 200 pages) and there are times that I wished there was a little more detail or a bit more explanation about certain events. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though, as the book is able to maintain a tight focus because it doesn’t ramble on as some academics tend to do.

I enjoyed this book so much that I couldn’t put it down. Dr. Gregory masterfully exposes the lengths to which Stalin went to obtain his vise-like grip on power. Because of its length and Dr. Gregory’s writing style, Politics, Murder, and Love in Stalin’s Kremlin is accessible to everyone and removes the statistic label from the Great Purge. This is a masterful work that sheds light on how the world’s first socialist state went terribly wrong.

[Guinevere Nell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The primary reason for the low rating for a Paul Gregory book -- someone who I admire and enjoy, respect and generally trust -- is the short length, the relatively light (if not superficial) level of the biographical story. Some will appreciate this I'm sure, but for me it left me craving more, and not really in a good way. He could have delved deeper - I am certain, because the information is out there - Anna wrote a massive autobiography herself.

Perhaps it was my fault - I should have checked the page count before purchase, but I was so excited by the title and author combination, I just bought it without checking, and was very disappointed, despite still of course enjoying it. Just beware of this, otherwise enjoy.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is exceptionally dry--historical (rather than analysis of current issues, which is the type I tend to read) non-fiction, and not at all literary. I learned a lot about Stalin and his rise to power, but I didn't find Bukharin or Larina as compelling as I think was intended, plus I found their relationship somewhat skeevy.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the title promises a more personal look at Bukharin and his family, the book proves to be essentially a blow by blow recounting of the way Nikolai Ivanovich, who genuinely believed in the revolution, was cast about on the waves of Stalin's ever-changing policy (which aimed at using the revolution for his own gain). Frankly I learned more about Bukharin the man from a passing mention in Stalin's Daughter than I did from this book. I did learn a bit about Anna Larina, primarily because I knew absolutely nothing about her at all before this, but even she feels more like a sketch than a real person. When and why they decided to marry is left out - indeed, it never even mentions his divorce from Esfir' (though it calls her his ex-wife). Anna does come across, in the end, as a strong and admirable woman, who refused to disassociate herself from her disgraced (and executed) husband despite the high personal cost she paid; I was happy to learn that she lived long enough to see him 'rehabilitated'.

The book benefits from having been written in the post-Soviet period, when historians have access to records that show how Bukharin's testimony was edited by Stalin and thus present a clearer picture of what he said in his defence. The final chapter offers a brief but helpful analysis of who Stalin and Bukharin were as men and why Bukharin's mentally and morally healthier personality, in the situation that developed after Lenin's death, probably led directly to his death.

[Mark Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author claims the fake news NYT's was duped. I guess you have to be an expert to 'believe x number of impossible things before breakfast.'

[Luka · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a surface level, dramatization focused on the relationship between bukharin & larina w/in the political tornado of the late 20s &&& there is nothing wrong w that. we need more dramatizations and casual retelling of soviet history. & gregory very concisely does this w/out losing nuance necessary for the story. i recommend this book to hot girls. very much like napoleon & josephine as the french empire collapsed.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book put a face on the Great Terror. Stalin is quoted as saying, "The death of one man is a tragedy, the death of millions is a statistic." Gregory's store of the relationship between Stalin and Bukharin besides being well researched and effectively told, makes the tragedy of the death of millions very understandable.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small but useful addition to the literature on Bukharin that offers new light on his wife. I talked to the author once who offered this nice explanation of Stalin’s rise to power: on his way up, “He all look ways seemed like the most reasonable person on the room.”