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.The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalin's Russia

by: Orlando Figes

September 04, 2008
A fascinating book about the interior lives of ordinary Russians during the Stalinist period. Based on hundreds of family archives and several thousand interviews with survivors, it tells us more about the Soviet system than any other book I know. Beautifully written, it is a rich and deeply moving history, universal in its themes, which leaves the reader awed, humbled, yet uplifted by the book's humanity. Figes takes us into 'whispered' lives, going again and again to specific people with names and families, to reveal the human suffering, the personal betrayals and moral compromises, the acts of love and kindness, and the sheer resilience that defined private lives in the Stalin period. The opportunity to hear these Russians speak of these ... Read More:
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Used Price: £5.96

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.A People's Tragedy: Russian Revolution, 1891-1924

by: Orlando Figes

July 31, 1997
An amazing book, i always wanted to know about the Russian revolution and its cause and effects, Mr Figes not only delivers but makes all the key people involved come alive, i really felt for the peasant farmer trying to reform the agriculture of his village for the greater good.
The title is the most accurate and precise i have known for a book.
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Used Price: £7.43

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.Natasha's Dance: A Cultural History of Russia

by: Orlando Figes

September 04, 2003
I have a "thing" for Russia and love to read books about it. This is one of the very best. I have lived in Russia for a year and have some command of the language and I find that Figes more than any other writer squares with how I feel about the place. Added to which his writing is highly readable and jam packed with info.
One little correction, his claim that the Russian word for peasant is unique in being cognate with Christian would seem a little inaccurate. The same occurs in a rare form of Greek spoken in a few villages in Southern Italy (Grecanico). Just a gap in my ignorance I can't resist showing off, I hope you'll forgive my intellectual vanity on that point.
But joking aside this is an incredible book, it defies comprehension how someone ... Read More:
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Used Price: £4.86

Average Rating:

.The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalin's Russia

by: Orlando Figes

October 04, 2007
In this book, Figes has diluted and refined his mastery of the art of weaving historical sources together. These family narratives which, without this book, would certainly have been lost, provide a compelling insight into the reality of Soviet Russia - the 'historical' backdrop of dates and movements takes a back seat to the gritty honesty of real people's testimony of what living through this era was actually like.
A fantastic read.
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Used Price: £9.00

Average Rating:

.Natasha's Dance: A Cultural History of Russia

by: Orlando Figes

2003-10
I have a "thing" for Russia and love to read books about it. This is one of the very best. I have lived in Russia for a year and have some command of the language and I find that Figes more than any other writer squares with how I feel about the place. Added to which his writing is highly readable and jam packed with info.
One little correction, his claim that the Russian word for peasant is unique in being cognate with Christian would seem a little inaccurate. The same occurs in a rare form of Greek spoken in a few villages in Southern Italy (Grecanico). Just a gap in my ignorance I can't resist showing off, I hope you'll forgive my intellectual vanity on that point.
But joking aside this is an incredible book, it defies comprehension how someone can keep all that information ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Natasha's Dance: A Cultural History of Russia

Used Price: £11.33

Average Rating:

.A People's Tragedy: Russian Revolution, 1891-1924

by: Orlando Figes

August 29, 1996
An amazing book, i always wanted to know about the Russian revolution and its cause and effects, Mr Figes not only delivers but makes all the key people involved come alive, i really felt for the peasant farmer trying to reform the agriculture of his village for the greater good.
The title is the most accurate and precise i have known for a book.
>>See More Reviews & Details on A People's Tragedy: Russian Revolution, 1891-1924

Used Price: £20.00

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.Peasant Russia, Civil War: The Volga Countryside in Revolution 1917-21: The Volga Countryside in Revolution, 1917-21

by: Orlando Figes

April 19, 2001
A very necessary book if you want to know the facts and figures for this tumultuous period. As usual, immaculately researched and written, by the great expert, Professor Orlando Figes, whose books are always full of remarkable insight into the subject.
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Used Price: £20.00

Average Rating:

.Natasha's Dance: A Cultural History of Russia

by: Orlando Figes

October 03, 2002
I have a "thing" for Russia and love to read books about it. This is one of the very best. I have lived in Russia for a year and have some command of the language and I find that Figes more than any other writer squares with how I feel about the place. Added to which his writing is highly readable and jam packed with info.
One little correction, his claim that the Russian word for peasant is unique in being cognate with Christian would seem a little inaccurate. The same occurs in a rare form of Greek spoken in a few villages in Southern Italy (Grecanico). Just a gap in my ignorance I can't resist showing off, I hope you'll forgive my intellectual vanity on that point.
But joking aside this is an incredible book, it defies comprehension how someone can keep all that information in their head ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Natasha's Dance: A Cultural History of Russia

Used Price: £12.09

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.A People's Tragedy: A History of the Russian Revolution

by: Orlando Figes, Professor Orlando Figes

1998-03
I have a "thing" for Russia and love to read books about it. This is one of the very best. I have lived in Russia for a year and have some command of the language and I find that Figes more than any other writer squares with how I feel about the place. Added to which his writing is highly readable and jam packed with info.
One little correction, his claim that the Russian word for peasant is unique in being cognate with Christian would seem a little inaccurate. The same occurs in a rare form of Greek spoken in a few villages in Southern Italy (Grecanico). Just a gap in my ignorance I can't resist showing off, I hope you'll forgive my intellectual vanity on that point.
But joking aside this is an incredible book, it defies comprehension how someone can keep all that information in their head ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on A People's Tragedy: A History of the Russian Revolution

Used Price: £9.06

Average Rating:

.A People's Tragedy: A History of the Russian Revolution

by: Orlando Figes

1997-03
I have a "thing" for Russia and love to read books about it. This is one of the very best. I have lived in Russia for a year and have some command of the language and I find that Figes more than any other writer squares with how I feel about the place. Added to which his writing is highly readable and jam packed with info.
One little correction, his claim that the Russian word for peasant is unique in being cognate with Christian would seem a little inaccurate. The same occurs in a rare form of Greek spoken in a few villages in Southern Italy (Grecanico). Just a gap in my ignorance I can't resist showing off, I hope you'll forgive my intellectual vanity on that point.
But joking aside this is an incredible book, it defies comprehension how someone can keep all that information in their head ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on A People's Tragedy: A History of the Russian Revolution

Used Price: £31.37