Russian Revolution books!

[Chocobo]

Im looking for books that go into detail the Russian revolution, Soviet system, events, pre-revolution, post-revolution, and everything within that time period. Idealogical readings can be posted too, as long as they relate to that period, thanks!

[Rawthentic]

Trotsky's History of the Russian Revolution, Ten Days that Shook the World (which was banned and censored by Stalin), and the Bolshevik Revolution, 1917-26.

Thats what I would recommend.

[Chocobo]

Thanks! I have Ten Days that Shook the World en-route already :)

Any more recommendations anyone?

[RebelDog]

Originally posted by [email protected] 22, 2007 05:21 am
Thanks! I have Ten Days that Shook the World en-route already :)

Any more recommendations anyone?
En-route. Here it is for nothing:

http://www.marxists.org/archive/reed/1919/10days/10days/

Personally I've got a copy of 'Bolsheviks' by Adam B. Ulam. I've hardly started it, has anyone here read it, is it worth a read?

[Axel1917]

I have not had time to read them yet, but I have been told that Alan Woods's Bolshevism: The Road to Revolution is a good account of the history of the Bolshevik party.

Reading Lenin's actual works is also a pretty good way to get an understanding. I would recommend his Collected Works, published in the USSR by the Moscow Foreign Languages Publishing House/Progress Publishers. It is a 47 volume set, 1-45 being the works, 46-47 being indexes. Unforunately, they are out of print, and full sets can be hard to find. When you do find a full set, it tends to be very expensive.

[Severian]

The Bolshevik Revolution by E.H. Carr. Covers the period 1917-1923. 3 volumes.

Red Guards and Workers' Militia in the Russian Revolution by Rex A. Wade. It's a detailed, massively factual study of that specific aspect of the revolution - sheds some light on other aspects.

I second (or third) the recommendation of Reed's and Trotsky's books.

[bolshevik butcher]

Lessons of October- Trotsky
The history of the Russian Revolution- Trotsky (long but well worth reading if you have the time.)
-The history of the Russian Revolution to Brest Lovistork (much briefer)
-Ten Days that Shook the World
-The Bolsheviks in power

[ComradeRed]

I just picked up The Russian Revolution by Sheila Fitzpatrick and it seems so far very good.

[syndicat]

Israel Getzler, Kronstad 1917-21 provides very concrete details on the workings
of the Kronstadt soviet in 1917-18, as well as of the rebellion in 1921.

The following all have worthwhile info on what happened after Oct 1917:
Sam Farber, Before Stalinism
Peter Arshinov, A History of the Makhnovist Movement
Vladimir Brovkin, The Mensheviks After October
Jonathan Aves, Workers Against Lenin

[abbielives!]

My Disillusionment In Russia
By Emma Goldman:
http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archi...lusion/toc.html (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/goldman/disillusion/toc.html)

MY FURTHER DISILLUSIONMENT IN RUSSIA
http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archi...urther_toc.html (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/goldman/further/further_toc.html)


The Bolshevik Myth
Alexander Berkman
http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archi...myth/bmtoc.html (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/bright/berkman/bmyth/bmtoc.html)

The
Kronstadt Rebellion
By
Alexander Berkman
http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archi...t/berkkron.html (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/bright/berkman/kronstadt/berkkron.html)

The RUSSIAN TRAGEDY
by Alexander Berkman
http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archi...iantragedy.html (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/bright/berkman/russiantragedy.html)

[chimx]

Severian and ComradeRed mentioned some of the best books.

Sheila Fitzpatrick is a conservative author in the same vein as Richard Pipes, but she is extremely informed, relatively objective, and very concise--which is nice for beginners.

Carr is supposed to be great, and I would also recommend Rex Wade. He also has a briefer book on the Russia Revolution that what Severian mentioned which is a good start.

My favorite authors remain Rabinowitch and Ferro however. I appreciate their (often described revisionist) interpretations and analysis.

Lastly, I strongly urge you to avoid reading Reed and Trotsky until you have a firmer grasp on the historiography of the Russian Revolution. Reed is full of factual errors, and Trotsky has an obvious leftist bias. It is always better to be familiar with the territory before you tread on this kind of material so you can identify the problems with Reed and Trotsky.

Also, if you are interested in a fun read, I would recommend Harrison Salisburys history of the Russian Revolutions. It is definately old school history, kind of "great men of history" style, which places emphasis on Lenin and Nicholas II, and is semi-sympathetic to the SRs an Mensheviks. Similar to Trotsky's it is quite long though, so if you are looking for a quick intro, I recommend Fitzpatrick or Rabinowitch.