Reading the 20th Century discussion

I've set up a separate thread for Joseph Stalin as I was asking about biographical recommendations over on our The Noise of Time discussion thread.

So let's keep more general Stalin discussion over here.

Nigeyb wrote: "Has anyone read a biography of Stalin that they found especially compelling and readable? If so, please post back."

I have found a couple of titles - one recent and one old - which sound very readable...

Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiore

This thrilling biography of Stalin and his entourage during the terrifying decades of his supreme power transforms our understanding of Stalin as Soviet dictator, Marxist leader and Russian tsar.

Based on groundbreaking research, Simon Sebag Montefiore reveals in captivating detail the fear and betrayal, privilege and debauchery, family life and murderous cruelty of this secret world. Written with extraordinary narrative verve, this magnificent feat of scholarly research has become a classic of modern history writing. Showing how Stalin's triumphs and crimes were the product of his fanatical Marxism and his gifted but flawed character, this is an intimate portrait of a man as complicated and human as he was brutal and chilling.

and

The Great Terror: Stalin's Purge of the Thirties by Robert Conquest

Robert Conquest's The Great Terror is the book that revealed the horrors of Stalin's regime to the West. This definitive f iftieth anniversary edition features a new foreword by Anne Applebaum.

One of the most important books ever written about the Soviet Union, The Great Terror revealed to the West for the first time the true extent and nature Stalin’s purges in the 1930s, in which around a million people were tortured and executed or sent to labour camps on political grounds. Its publication caused a widespread reassessment of Communism itself.

This definitive fiftieth anniversary edition gathers together the wealth of material added by the author in the decades following its first publication and features a new foreword by leading historian Anne Applebaum, explaining the continued relevance of this momentous period of history and of this classic account.

Has anyone read either of these?

I haven't read either of those or this one:

Stalin: A Biography by Robert Service
The author had access to archives, so it contains new material.

It has some decent reviews:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/200...
https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/13/bo...
https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-...

Thanks Val - that one does indeed look great too


I'm certainly going to read one of them. I might see what's in my library.

Well at least I'm consistent. I was just wondering about buying the kindle edition of....


Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiore

...and discovered I already owned it.

I bought it for 99 pence in October 2017, doubtless as a result of one of Susan's deal of the day postings

On the same day I also bought....

Walls Come Tumbling Down: The Music and Politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone and Red Wedge

...and....

Detroit 67: The Year That Changed Soul

Which now all rings quite a loud bell

Thanks Susan

Just got to read it, and indeed them.

Detroit 67 is brilliant - I think you'd love it, Nigeyb.

I have meant to read a biography of Stalin forever. Let me know which you decide to read, when you get to it.

Thanks Susan.


I might read more than one, however I am going to prioritise Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar as I already own it.

Are you interested in a buddy read? Perhaps May 2020?

It's chunky, perhaps not surprisingly, coming in at a hefty 752 pages.

Nigeyb wrote: "Thanks Susan.


I might read more than one, however I am going to prioritise Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar as I already own it.

Are you interested in a buddy read? Perhaps May 20..."

The book is also on my kindle and a buddy read would push it up the list. I’ve also got Young Stalin waiting.

Thanks Clare. If you're in then I say let's do it. It sounds as though Susan might be interested too.

I haven't read a biography of Stalin, either. I haven't got on with Sebag Montefiore in the past but my library has the Robert Service Stalin - it might be interesting to compare different versions of his life if I read that at the same time?

That's a wonderful suggestions Roman Clodia


I think we all enjoy a bit of the old compare and contrast

Ooh, yes, count me in. Probably the only way I will get to it, if I read it in the group :)

Young Stalin was listed at £5 odd, with Sean Barrett narrating the audible version. I have been tempted, and will try to listen to that before , which I also picked up on kindle. More to look forward to in 2020.

Hurrah.


I'll set up a May 2020 buddy read for Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar, or the Stalin biography of your choice

See you then

So, I am really looking forward to our buddy read and wondering whether to read the companion biography first, Young Stalin
Any thoughts anyone?

If you have the time Susan then that would really add some depth to our discussions. I have not read any other books devoted entirely to Stalin so would appreciate some more informed commentary when we have our discussion.

I think I probably will get to it, maybe later in the month. It would be good to know some background, I agree. I literally know next to nothing about him personally.

He popped up a bit in October: The Story of the Russian Revolution, but very much a bit part player

Yes, I have read books where he figures strongly, but I know nothing of his background, really.

I have started Young Stalin in preparation for our group read of Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar

I have had some moments, when I have read double biographies of famous figures, when, at the end, I have just thought, goodness they were dull! I felt that way about Hitler and also when I read the Elvis biography. Both great books, but the subject - I just thought, well, hmmm. Not a very interesting person, even if what happened to them was.

I am delighted to report that Stalin was VERY interesting indeed. I am about a third way through the first book and he is absolutely fascinating. He was intelligent, devious, well-read, he, surprisingly, trained for the priesthood, and loved organising bank robberies. He also came to London, which I never knew. All looks promising for our later group read.

Thanks Susan - that all sounds very promising

In readiness for our May 2020 buddy read, I've started reading....


Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiore

Given that it is so lengthy and, I imagine, challenging I thought I'd better get going sooner rather than later.

It's started very well but still very early days.

I have nearly finished Young Stalin
Currently in 1914 and Stalin is, again, exiled to Siberia. I have loved this first book and feel it has been really useful, given my lack of knowledge about the subject, before moving on to Court of the Red Tsar.

Apparently there's a bit of overlap between Young Stalin and Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar however as the one I am reading is rattling through his younger days I suspect it will just serve as a recap for you Susan. He certainly was quite the character in those days, and I was intrigued to learn how all the revolutionaries were constantly having affairs with each other.

He certainly was a character! I am fascinated so far and I am sure the second book is every big as good as the first.

Drat, I was going to skip this but you're both making it sound so tempting...

I will give you a taster of his personality, RC. In 1913, he was exiled to Siberia until 1917. This is from a letter to Lenin, in which he writes about the Duma agents - "There's no one to give them a beating, the devil knows! Surely they won't remain unpunished? Cheer us up and inform us there'll soon be an organ to give them a right good punching straight in their gobs!"

How can you resist?!

In case that is not enough, when asked for his greatest pleasure in life, he replied:

"My greatest pleasure is to choose one's victim, prepare one's plans minutely, slake an implacable vengeance, and then go to bed. There's nothing sweeter in the world."

And this is pre-Revolution...

Haha, you know me too well - I'm going to *have* to read it now!

Hurrah! :)

You think Stalin's bad - Beria has just arrived on the scene and Simon Sebag Montefiore suggests he was worse. The mere fact I am so familiar with his name, despite only know the bare bones of who he was, suggests his infamy lives on

Oh, I have heard of Beria too. I have Stalin in his infancy at the moment, but Lenin approves his straight talking and the bank robberies help fill the coffers. Trotsky writes that his blood ran cold when he first met him and there is, obviously, no love lost there.

Starting Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar with the night that Nadia committed suicide is a clever way for Simon Sebag Montefiore to open the story.

This was clearly a pivotal moment in Stalin's life.

We then go back to Stalin's youth and work chronologically through his life.

I'm still in the early sections of the book but I was struck by how impressed Stalin was by Hitler's ruthlessness when he heard about the night of the long knives.

I’m on to the first of the infamous show trials. This is a fascinating book.

Sounds fascinating, I wish I'd grabbed this when it was on offer. I've downloaded the Robert Service Stalin: A Biography from the library but it may be too restrained and academic.

Here's hoping the Service is a goodie too. Got to say the Montefiore is a page turner

I have finished Young Stalin now and loved it. Looking forward to volume 2...

I've abandoned the Service Stalin: as I feared, it's probably great for Stalin scholars and experts as it rehearses every rumour and story ever told about every moment of his life... After wading through a chapter on all the variations of revolutionary groups in turn of the century Russia, most of which have nothing to do with Stalin himself, I've ditched it :( Will just have to wait for Red Tsar to come up on offer again.

It's on Audible, if you have any spare credits. I think I was lucky enough to pick it up on kindle for 99p a while back though.

I splashed out an Audible credit on it. I also bought it for 99 pence on Kindle so have to look at too. As I'm already working my way through the 700 page behemoth that is Berlin Finale (which is v good) I needed to make this one an audiobook.

The Great Purge is truly horrendous. I had no idea of the scale of it until reading this book.

I shall finish my biography of Katherine Howard and then start the Stalin biography. I finished Young Stalin while waiting in a queue for the bank this morning. A woman in front of me commented, 'everyone is bored and restless but you.' I assured her that readers are never bored :)

Talking of Russia, there is a new biography of Putin Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then Turned On the West which has had good reviews. I've never read anything about him - has anyone read it, or have it on their reading radar?

I must say, also, that I am very impressed by Simon Sebag Montefiore. I would like to read some other books by him - The Romanovs: 1613-1918 and Catherine the Great & Potemkin: the imperial love affair

That's a good idea, I haven't used this month's credit yet. I'd sort of forgotten about it as I usually listen on the commute. I'm really keen now after hearing Nigeyb's snippets.

Readers are certainly never bored!

I started reading one of his novels, Sashenka, and found it so cheesy and badly written that it put me off. But I've checked the Kindle sample of Red Tsar and it's just the page-turning approach I want.

I find Catherine the Great fascinating.

Never. I always remember my kindle - especially at the current time, when you can't do anything in a hurry!

Roman Clodia wrote: "That's a good idea, I haven't used this month's credit yet. I'd sort of forgotten about it as I usually listen on the commute. I'm really keen now after hearing Nigeyb's snippets."

I notice there are two versions on Audible - one is a 10 hour abridged version or, the one I am enjoying, is the 27 hour full version.

Yes, full 27 hours for me too. You're right, it's a page turner, exactly what I wanted. I soon realised that though I have a sense of Russian history, I know nothing about Stalin the man - didn't know about his arm (Service says he was run over by a cart/carriage), didn't know about his wife's suicide. What a personality! The charm and charisma, the paranoia, the acute intelligence, and yet the ruthlessness.