Russia cover art

Russia

Revolution and Civil War 1917-1921

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Russia

By: Antony Beevor
Narrated by: Rob Heaps
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About this listen

Between 1917 and 1921 a devastating struggle took place in Russia following the collapse of the Tsarist empire. Many regard this savage civil war as the most influential event of the modern era. An incompatible White alliance of moderate socialists and reactionary monarchists stood little chance against Trotsky's Red Army and Lenin's single-minded Communist dictatorship. Terror begat terror, which in turn led to even greater cruelty with man's inhumanity to man, woman and child. The struggle became a world war by proxy as Churchill deployed weaponry and troops from the British empire, while armed forces from the United States, France, Italy, Japan, Poland and Czechoslovakia played rival parts.

Using the most up to date scholarship and archival research, Antony Beevor, author of the acclaimed international bestseller Stalingrad, assembles the complete picture in a gripping narrative that conveys the conflict through the eyes of everyone from the worker on the streets of Petrograd to the cavalry officer on the battlefield and the woman doctor in an improvised hospital.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Antony Beevor (P)2022 Weidenfeld & Nicolson Military Russia War Imperialism Stalin Winston Churchill Civil War Red Army British Empire

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Critic reviews

"The book is a masterpiece." (The Spectator)

"A gripping narrative history of one of the most complex episodes in modern Russian history." (Sunday Times)

"Antony Beevor's Russia is a masterpiece of history." (Daily Telegraph)
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Well told and well narrated. In particular the story of the civil war is often underplayed and yet brought in many of the world powers who fought long after the November 1918 Armistice. Harrowing with relentless cruelty, but a valuable listen.

The Revolution, then the awful civil war

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This is a tremendous effort by Beevor to narrate a period of history that is both complex, at times heart breaking and always relentless.

The text is well organised and captures the international aspects of the conflict. It offers an unvarnished view of all sides superbly.

A compelling, energetic and enjoyable history

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You need a strong stomach for this - the depths of the inhumanity in the Russian Civil War are astounding. Mr Beevor doesn't hold back. It seems the only people who could possible outdo the Whites for callous brutality were their fellow countrymen, the Bolsheviks.

After reading this it is no wonder Russia is what it is.

Quite revealing about Churchill too, not in a good way for his legacy.

Brilliant but harrowing

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A very complex but detailed account of the Russian Revolution. When i think of all the brutal regimes through out history this one is by far the worst in my opinion. At times i found it very difficult to listen to.there were no good guys just genocide commited by all sides. But i enjoyed the audio and narration.👍😢

Russia

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During lockdown I read numerous books on Russia, Stalin and of course Putin. It was no surprise when he invaded (special manoeuvres my a*se) the Ukraine, the history is there, and Putin had a love of the Ukrania.

I listened to Antony at the Hay Festival 2022, his knowledge of Russia is astounding and totally captivating. I had to buy the book, alas I decided to listen to it instead as I was travelling – but it was handy to have the book as well for reference.

This is forensic beyond belief; I will confess to getting lost amongst all the army divisions and (to a degree) who was fighting who at times. But the brutality was not lost in this book, the descriptions were harrowing and shocking. Thanks to this and other similar books before this, my understanding of this period of history has improved – even if some of it is hard to believe. It is no wonder that Russia has gone backwards, they love an autocrat..!!

A brutal and forensic account

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A subject I went into with very little knowledge, very precise and educational, as an English speaker it’s a little difficult to follow all the names just by listening to it, would recommend having the book along side for a little clarity but that is all.

Informative and Well Written

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the whole book is a fascinating listen. learnt a lot from this listen that I hadn't realised had happened.

eye opening

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A fantastic work, brutally exposing the horrific violence triggered in 1917 that laid the foundations of decades of misery & suffering, the ramifications of which are still influencing the world today.

Stunning

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Through the excellent narration , Beevor has taken on a massive task to paint such a huge canvas. He has attempted to provide the detailed movements of all of the participants , not only the Red and White Russians, not only the Cossacks but the presence of the British American, French, the nascent Czechs, Poles, and surprisingly the Chinese. He has combined the details of the movements of all the participants with the memoirs and letters of those who witnessed the human earthquake. The narration was excellent. I would have needed a map to grasp the geographical enormity of the conflicts.

The Hidden World War between World Wars

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This is a difficult book to review. Very well written and narrated. However, I didn’t fully realise how bleak and depressing the subject matter was! A true vision of hell.

Excellently written description of hell

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