Reading the 20th Century discussion

The theme for our Group Read December 2019 is....


The Russian Revolution

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian...

So you can nominate either fiction or non-fiction connected to the Russian Revolution

Over to you

A few thought starters


Popular Russian Revolution Books
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

Top 10 books about the Russian Revolution
https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...

The Best Books about The Russian Revolution
https://www.countryandtownhouse.co.uk...

Top Ten Books about The Russian Revolution
http://www.historiamag.com/top-ten-bo...

I’d recommend, in fiction:

The Beginning of Spring

Doctor Zhivago

The People's Act of Love

The White Guard is on my kindle waiting to be read so this could be the perfect opportunity.

The best non-fiction account, in my view, is A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924. It’s moving and compelling, but long.

Ooh! I immediately thought of Ten Days that Shook the World that I've long wanted to read; also The White Guard waiting patiently on my kindle.

But And Quiet Flows the Don is brilliant and takes a different perspective, from Cossacks - but may be difficult to get hold of.

And I'd love to re-read Doctor Zhivago with the group.

Decisions... will ponder at work... Another great topic!

Ha, Clare, our posts crossed!

Loving the enthusiasm. I've got a good feeling about this topic - and suspect we'll be spoilt for choice

I'm not going to nominate as I got to make the Moderators' Choice selection for this theme, which I am very excited about


#allwillberevealed

How many more Kindles have....


The White Guard (1925)

...patiently waiting?

And will it get nominated?



Sounds enticing

The blurb...

Although less famous than Mikhail Bulgakov's comic hit, The Master and Margarita, The White Guard is still an engrossing book, though completely different in tone. It is set in Kiev during the Russian revolution and tells the story of the Turbin family and the war's effect on the middle-classes (not workers).

The story was not seen as politically correct, and thereby contributed to Bulgakov's lifelong troubles with the Soviet authorities. It was, however, a well-loved book, and the novel was turned into a successful play at the time of its publication in 1967.

I have SO many books about this subject on my kindle. Am musing and will think about whether/what to nominate...

No White Guard but I do have 10 Days That Shook the World. Also a number by Helen Rappaport. Recently received Caught in the Revolution - haven't started it yet. Looks like it is told through eyewitness accounts.

I love Helen Rappaport, Jan. Caught in the Revolution: Petrograd, 1917 I am not nominating just yet, but some books I have enjoyed are:

Former People: The Last Days of the Russian Aristocracy
The Noise of Time
The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra
A Gentleman in Moscow

So who is thinking about a nomination?


Who is ready to nominate?

Too much choice, Nigeyb! OK, I will nominate:

The Noise of Time

It is fairly short, which is often useful in group reads, and one of the few fictional books I have read, set in this period (most have been non-fiction).

In May 1937 a man in his early thirties waits by the lift of a Leningrad apartment block. He waits all through the night, expecting to be taken away to the Big House. Any celebrity he has known in the previous decade is no use to him now. And few who are taken to the Big House ever return.

Great choice Susan - I've fancied that one for some time

So hard to choose...

I nominate The White Guard

.

Nigeyb has already provided the blurb. I love The Master and Margarita so it’d be great to read another Bulgakov as a group.

Thanks Clare


Clare wrote: "I love The Master and Margarita so it’d be great to read another Bulgakov as a group"

Me too - and yes another Bulgakov would be fab

I'll nominate And Quiet Flows the Don. I'd hesitated as it had been out of print but Penguin republished in 2017 and have a Kindle edition.

It follows the perspective of the Don Cossacks in the years before WW1, then into war, the Revolution, and the civil war which followed. Sholokov was awarded the Nobel prize in 1965. It has 4.05 stars on here from just under 10,000 ratings. I found it very powerful when I read it as a teenager.

GR blurb:
The epic novel of love, war and revolution from Mikhail Sholokhov, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.

An extraordinary Russian masterpiece, And Quiet Flows the Don follows the turbulent fortunes of the Cossack people through peace, war and revolution - among them the proud and rebellious Gregor Melekhov, who struggles to be with the woman he loves as his country is torn apart. Borne of Mikhail Sholokhov's own early life in the lands of the Cossacks by the river Don, it is a searing portrait of a nation swept up in conflict, with all the tragic choices it brings.

I'd also be happy to read White Guard so it's looking like a good month!

Sounds amazing RC - thanks so much. This is going to be a tough decision

Roman Clodia wrote: "I'll nominate And Quiet Flows the Don. I'd hesitated as it had been out of print but Penguin republished in 2017 and have a Kindle edition.

It follows the perspective of the Don Co..."

That has been on my lists for ages. It is one I would like to pick up. At Audible it is available narrated by Stefan Rudnicki. He is a good narrator usually.

Susan wrote: "Too much choice, Nigeyb! OK, I will nominate:

The Noise of Time

It is fairly short, which is often useful in group reads, and one of the few..."

This is about the Revolution?

Roman Clodia wrote: "I'll nominate And Quiet Flows the Don. I'd hesitated as it had been out of print but Penguin republished in 2017 and have a Kindle edition.

It follows the perspective of the Don Co..."

I note no Kindle available in the US. And I wonder if the UK Penguin edition is abridged. The page count is about half of the print editions.

What do you think Elizabeth? I've not read it.

Nigeyb wrote: "What do you think Elizabeth? I've not read it."

I haven't either. I went to investigate since it was a nomination. But the first thing I noticed is the most shelved edition at GR has 1408 pages and the next most shelved has 1268.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Nigeyb wrote: "What do you think Elizabeth? I've not read it."

I haven't either. I went to investigate since it was a nomination. But the first thing I noticed is the most shelved edition at GR ha..."

Thanks for pointing this out about And Quiet Flows the Don.

The Penguin Classics edition published in 2017 is 576 pages - is that available in the US?

It does sound good

Nigeyb wrote: "The Penguin Classics edition published in 2017 is 576 pages - is that available in the US?"

Yes, but not the Kindle. And now that you have me looking, our local college library (which is accessible for all residents) has a 1941 copy at 554 pages. Not abridged, the catalog says "Translation of the first part of the author's (transliterated: Tikhii Don)", so it is an incomplete edition. Emphasis mine. I'm guessing that is what the Penguin edition is also, given the page count.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Nigeyb wrote: "The Penguin Classics edition published in 2017 is 576 pages - is that available in the US?"

Yes, but not the Kindle. And now that you have me looking, our local college library (whi..."

The audio version is only 13 hours long so I am guessing it is not the whole book either. It is also said to be unabridged.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Nigeyb wrote: "The Penguin Classics edition published in 2017 is 576 pages - is that available in the US?"

Yes, but not the Kindle. And now that you have me looking, our local college library (whi..."

This might help clear things up: https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/pu... It looks as though And Quiet Flows the Don is the first part, with The Don Flows Home to the Sea, Vol 2 being the second.

The GR default description:

And Quiet Flows the Don or Quietly Flows the Don (Тихий Дон, lit. "The Quiet Don") is 4-volume epic novel by Russian writer Mikhail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov. The 1st three volumes were written from 1925 to '32 & published in the Soviet magazine October in 1928–32. The 4th volume was finished in 1940. The English translation of the 1st three volumes appeared under this title in 1934. (description continues)

I’ve just found another article saying the same, Chrissie, but can’t post links on my phone. It seems as if the volumes have been published as separate novels in translation - I’ve just looked at the Penguin in the library and I think it would be more than long enough for a group read.

Judy wrote: "I think it would be more than long enough for a group read."

It's definitely long enough for a group read at more than 500 pages. But would we all be reading the same material if we had different editions?

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Susan wrote: "Too much choice, Nigeyb! OK, I will nominate:

The Noise of Time

This is about the Revolution?

It is certainly about the aftermath of the Revolution and is based upon the life of Dmitri Shostakovich. I can nominate something else, if anyone thinks it is too outside of the theme?

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Judy wrote: "I think it would be more than long enough for a group read."

It's definitely long enough for a group read at more than 500 pages. But would we all be reading the same material if we h..."

We could state that it is the first volume that we will be discussing. If people want more additional threads could be set up.

Judy wrote: "I’ve just found another article saying the same, Chrissie, but can’t post links on my phone. It seems as if the volumes have been published as separate novels in translation - I’ve just looked at t..."

Thanks for the clarification. BTW, I have been told that the first and the second volumes are the best.

Glad we've cleared that up

If it wins we can always research it a bit more if anyone wants to, and post details about the different editions.

I won't nominate this, just mentioning it, as it is said to be a children's/young adult book, partly written in fairy tale form, so may not have wide appeal. But I am intrigued by Blood Red, Snow White by Marcus Sedgwick, which is about Swallows and Amazons author Arthur Ransome in Russia.


When writer Arthur Ransome leaves his unhappy marriage in England and moves to Russia to work as a journalist, he has little idea of the violent revolution about to erupt. Unwittingly, he finds himself at its center, tapped by the British to report back on the Bolsheviks even as he becomes dangerously, romantically entangled with Trotsky's personal secretary.

I'll nominate Caught in the Revolution: Petrograd, Russia, 1917 – A World on the Edge by Helen Rappaport.

My son loves Marcus Sedgwick, Judy. That was a good read, but is, most definitely, for the younger reader.

Jan C wrote: "I'll nominate Caught in the Revolution: Petrograd, Russia, 1917 – A World on the Edge by Helen Rappaport."

That I have read and liked.

Nominations so far....


SUSAN: The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes
CLARE: The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov
ROMAN CLODIA: And Quiet Flows the Don by Mikhail Sholokhov
JAN: Caught in the Revolution: Petrograd, Russia, 1917 – A World on the Edge by Helen Rappaport

Anyone else nominating?

Or thinking about it?

I'm happy with those nominations so won't add anything else. All the books I thought of were very long, and I'm not looking for another epic to read alongside Life and Fate!

Yes, Sholokov's work is in 4 volumes but And Quiet is fine to read as a stand alone and is not abridged.

I think the four are: And Quiet Flows the Don, The Don Flows Down to the Sea, Virgin Soil Upturned and Harvest on the Don.

Last call for nominations about The Russian Revolution



* Poll going up tomorrow *


Nominations....

SUSAN: The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes
CLARE: The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov
ROMAN CLODIA: And Quiet Flows the Don by Mikhail Sholokhov
JAN: Caught in the Revolution: Petrograd, Russia, 1917 – A World on the Edge by Helen Rappaport


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian...

Caught in the Revolution is in the current '2 for 1' sale on Audible - under History & Non-Fiction.

The poll is open.....


https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

Cast your vote

Poll watch....


The Noise of Time - 3 votes, 37.5%
The White Guard - 2 votes, 25.0%
And Quiet Flows the Don - 2 votes, 25.0%
Caught in the Revolution: Petrograd, Russia, 1917 – A World on the Edge - vote, 12.5%

Vote here.....
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

Nominations....
SUSAN: by Julian Barnes
CLARE: The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov
ROMAN CLODIA: And Quiet Flows the Don by Mikhail Sholokhov
JAN: Caught in the Revolution: Petrograd, Russia, 1917 – A World on the Edge by Helen Rappaport

These all sound good! I’m really hoping to participate in this group read since this is a subject I find fascinating. I had FB messaged my cousin in Russia for suggestions but just got them this morning, too late for the poll! 😀

That's a shame


What did your cousin suggest?