The book provides new insight on lenin, trotsky, and other bolcheviks that mcmeekin was able to gather from russian archives that have now fully opened up. Unfortunately the book is less scholarly written than it ought to be. I really liked this account of the russian revolution. Sep 23, 2018 i am currently very focused on the ascent to power of communism in russia, not because it had anything to recommend it, but for the lessons it can teach us. Sean mcmeekin brings many gifts to the task, not the least of which is that he can describe crowd scenes with immediacy.
He is a specialist in european history of the early 20th century, especially regarding the origins of the first world war, and the role of russia and the ottoman empire. Jun 06, 2017 the russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin basic books. His main theme in the current book is russias fatal course of action in the first world war. Historian sean mcmeekin has written a very readable revisionist history of the russian revolution. The russian revolution by sean mcmeekin basic books. The russian revolution by sean mcmeekin, 9781781259030, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. A wellwritten and rewarding read on the russian revolutions lasting historical import. Jun 11, 2018 in an era when communism has been popularized among some factions of the american left, bard college professor and historian sean mcmeekin provides a timely reminder of communisms historic evils in his book the russian revolution. May 30, 2017 the definitive, singlevolume history of the russian revolution, from an awardwinning scholar in the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and introduced communism to the world. The russian revolution is a carefully researched, wellwritten assessment of the complex and confusing events that did so much to shape the last century. It involved the reds an alliance of bolsheviks, poles, russian army officers and. Great book on the russian revolution i am avid student of history who has particular interest in wwi and the russian revolution. Jul 10, 2017 the article is based on mcmeekins recently published book, the russian revolution.
The first major new history of the russian revolution in a decade combines cuttingedge scholarship and a fastpaced narrative to shed new light on a great turning point of the twentieth century. The facts are well known, but history is about making connections between these facts, and there could be and there are many histories of the russian revolution. Sean mcmeekin, professor of history at bard college, argues that the russian revolution s of 1917 are misunderstood in the west because we have been influenced by the many accounts such as ten days that shook the world by john reed that examine the upheaval using the concepts and the vocabulary of marxist sociology and economics. A new history recalibrates the villains of the russian. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Mcmeekins gripping account is particularly praiseworthy for its methodical articulation of the. Sean mcmeekin is professor of history at bard college, new york. Thus one could say the book is reactionary because it goes so far as to deny cause itswithin russian society for either the revolution that overthrew the tsar or the later soviet revolution. The definitive, singlevolume history of the russian revolution, from an awardwinning scholarin the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and introduced communism to the world.
Fortunately for historians of the revolution, he writes, the years since 1991 have seen an explosion of research into russias military performance in world war i from 1914 to 1917. In the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and. Sean mcmeekin provides a timely reminder of communisms historic evils in his book the russian revolution. His books include the highly successful the berlinbaghdad express penguin, the russian origins of the first world war and july 1914 icon. It had many turns and sean mcmeekin has given greater order to this momentous event. Heres why its taken a century for the world to see the russian revolution of 1917 clearly, as sean mcmeekin argues in his new book. On the afternoon of july 4, 1917, thousands of soldiers, sailors and workers converged on a former. Some observations about the russian revolution, and about sean mcmeekin s new revisionist. The russian revolution the definitive, singlevolume history of the russian revolution, from an awardwinning scholar in the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and introduced communism to the world. If readers are interested in a broad work covering the essential actors and historical events leading up to and following the russian revolution of 1917, this book is a good place to start. Some of those lessons are ones the author of this book, sean mcmeekin, wants to impartthe dangers of leftwing ideology, primarily. In the russian revolution, historian sean mcmeekin traces the origins and events of the russian revolution, which brought an end to romanov rule and ushered the bolsheviks into power. A new history recalibrates the villains of the russian revolution.
In the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and introduced communism to the world. Between 1917 and 1922, russia underwent a complete and irreversible transformation. Jun 02, 2017 the russian revolution by sean mcmeekin out of the blue. A new history sean mcmeekin written by charles i am currently very focused on the ascent to power of communism in russia, not because it had anything to recommend it, but for the lessons it can teach us. Wellwritten, with new details from archival research used for vivid descriptions of key events. A new history is a very detailed narrative of what can be regarded as one of the most influential events in the twentieth century that reflects on the political, social. Professor sean mcmeekin and the construction of a historical. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the russian revolution. The russian origins of the first world war on jstor. On the afternoon of july 4, 1917, thousands of soldiers, sailors and workers converged on a former royal. The opening of the some of the soviet archives has enabled researchers to get more insight into the events surrounding wwi and the russian revolution. A new history, by sean mcmeekin, is an interesting book chronicling the russian revolution from onset to about the 1920s, or the end of the civil war. Luckily, in the midst of all this, i assigned myself the utterly light reading of sean mcmeekin s blockbuster revisionist history, the russian revolution.
Nov 24, 2017 sean mcmeekin, professor of history at bard college, argues that the russian revolutions of 1917 are misunderstood in the west because we have been influenced by the many accounts such as ten days that shook the world by john reed that examine the upheaval using the concepts and the vocabulary of marxist sociology and economics. Russian revolution, sean mcmeekins new revisionist history. Besides the harassment, the bolsheviks lost the elections for constituent assembly, winning only 24 percent of the vote. This new history of the russian revolution was one of many books published to mark the 100th anniversary of the bolshevik revolution. In the russian revolution, historian sean mcmeekin traces th. The russian revolution ebook by sean mcmeekin 9780465094974. It can best be described as the type of book spains franco, chiles pinochet or america. Lastly, mcmeekin s book comes at the hundredyear anniversary of the russian revolution thus breathing new historical thought on the subject. The russian revolution became entangled with both a civil war in russia and the last months of the great war on the eastern front.
The russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin. Luckily, in the midst of all this, i assigned myself the utterly light reading of sean mcmeekins blockbuster revisionist history, the russian revolution. The russian revolution was the most successful criminal conspiracy in history. Russian revolution, sean mcmeekins new revisionist. I have never been a big fan of sean mcmeekin i have read a few of his books in print and also listened to july 1914 available through audible. Hence we learn more about the opposition to lenin rather than an inside out view. If readers are interested in a broad work covering the essential actors and historical events leading up to and following the russian revolution of 1917, this book is a. Of course, lenin springs to mind as the great leader of the revolution, but when he finally appeared, he had been out of the country for years. Mcmeekin is no ranke his book bears very unteutonic marks of haste and he is not impartial, either. Among the vast literature on the october revolution, sean mcmeekin s book the russian revolution. The last of the tsars and a new history robert service dearly wants to indict lenin for the murder of the tsar but has to admit there is no direct evidence, while.
The definitive, singlevolume history of the russian revolution, from an awardwinning scholar. Nonetheless, while a philosophical exploration of marxism and leninism would have been desirable in mcmeekin s book, on the whole, he constructs a strong history of the revolution with a compelling narrative, moral clarity, and an intriguing attention to the role of outside powers in russian. The takeover of an entire nation by a shameless huckster supported by a hostile foreign power. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of russian and german history, mcmeekin provides perhaps the clearest explanation yet of how and why the october revolution of 1917 was the realisation of an outofcontrol german plan to destabilise russia and knock her out of the first world war. Some observations about the russian revolution, and about sean mcmeekin s new revisionist history of it. The perspective of the book is to look at the revolution from. Mcmeekin has written a number of books covering this period. War, revolution, and the making of the modern middle east, 19081923, 2015, etc. The russian revolution a new history by sean mcmeekin basic books. The russian revolution by sean mcmeekin, 9780465039906, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
As indicated by their earlier mobilisations especially russias, in 1914 france and russia were far more eager to fight than was germany and far. Like this argument is not supported by the evidence. Sean mcmeekin born may 10, 1974, in idaho is an american historian. The book is an excellent complement to a more indepth study of the russian revolution, fidges a peoples tragedy for example. Mcmeekin represents the same bewildered view that many russian aristocrats had toward the revolution in 191its a view from the top and a view in isolation. The russian origins of the first world war book description. The first major new history of the russian revolution in a decade combines cuttingedge scholarship and a fastpaced narrative to shed new light. Mcmeekin is a reliable guide to a complex story and the book moves seamlessly and clearly across a vast landscape of. In a major reinterpretation, sean mcmeekin rejects the standard notion of the wars beginning as either a. Sean mcmeekin, professor of history at bard college, argues that the russian revolutions of 1917 are misunderstood in the west because we have been influenced by the many accounts such as ten days that shook the world by john reed that examine the upheaval using the concepts.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the russian revolution. The perspective of the book is to look at the revolution from outside in. Between the dawn of the 20th century and 1920, russia underwent a complete and irreversible transformation, the effects of which would reverberate. The russian revolution is an enormous subject, and to write a short and authoritative book on it is very difficult indeed. In the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events that ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and introduced communism to the world. The russian revolution audiobook, written by sean mcmeekin. For some years he taught at bilkent university, istanbul. It has been a long time since i read books by richard pipes and bruce lincoln covering the russian revolution and civil war.
In this brisk history, mcmeekin ottoman endgame, professor of history at bard college, reevaluates the 1917 russian revolution on its centennial. The definitive, singlevolume history of the russian revolution, from an awardwinning scholar in the russian revolution, acclaimed historian sean mcmeekin traces the events which ended romanov rule, ushered the bolsheviks into power, and introduced communism to the world. May 29, 2017 an excellent resource for the facts and key players in russian history from the start of wwi to the mid1920s. The russian revolution by sean mcmeekin, 9781781259023, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook.
Mcmeekin provides an eloquently told narrative on what happend to russias wealth after the revoluntionaries got in a position to thoroughly loot the country and deprive it and its population of its cultural heritage. Among the vast literature on the october revolution, sean mcmeekins book the russian revolution. I have previously read more than the average non russian person about russian history, but i am in no way an expert on the subject. Mcmeekin is a reliable guide to a complex story and the book moves seamlessly and clearly across a vast landscape of people and events. The russian revolution sean mcmeekin 9781781259030. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. This book by sean mcmeekin is the first one on the topic of the russian revolution which i have read. In the russian revolution sean mcmeekin argues that the bolshevik upheaval was largely a matter of chance. Hence we learn more about the opposition to lenin rather than an inside out view which would focus more on the bolshevik leadership. The russian revolution by sean mcmeekin out of the blue.