Beth

Loved the characters

Revisado: 12-03-24

Not Just for Kids -- a wonderful story -- even for adults . Interesting plot, with 3-dimensional character and plenty of subtle humor.

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Disappointing

Revisado: 05-12-24

The narrator rushes through the reading and inflicts multiple mispronunciations on the listener. Eye-requois?!?

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Exhaustively Researched and Well Written

Revisado: 11-19-23

This is an excellent and thorough analysis of the causes and course of the Russian
Revolution, or perhaps I should say revolutions. The book is exhaustively researched,
well written and cogently argued.
Figes starts with the background of Russian society, from the centuries of poverty and
isolation of the peasants to the blindness of the Romanovs both to the sufferings of the
Russian people and to the social and political developments of the West and of Japan.
The book traces the many decades of failed reform efforts, the inabilities of reformers to
connect with the peasants, the social isolation of the urban intelligentsia and the popular
frustration and anger resulting from the failed reforms and the intractability of the tsars,
the aristocracy and the church.
Figes shows how the mobilization and industrialization of WWI gave the socialists
access to organized groups of workers, soldiers and sailors, and how the losses,
privations and general hopelessness resulting from the war galvanized the frustration
and anger of the populace to bring down the tsar. Given the lack of any tradition of self-
government beyond the local peasant commune, however, there was no societal
commitment to a democratic government and thus no viable successor to the tsarist
state.
Most of the socialists were tied to doctrinaire Marxism and believed that a bourgeois
society had to be created before socialism could take hold. Their efforts to this end, in
the interim government, further alienated both workers and peasants. Figes shows how
the Bolsheviks were able to capitalize on popular frustration with the slow pace of the
liberals’ reforms, and the anger with continued involvement in WWI, to quash all the
reform efforts and seize power. He shows how the Bolsheviks then betrayed, and
subverted the work of, the local soviets, peasant communes, workers’ committees and
soldiers’ committees, all of which had helped to bring down the tsar, in order to
consolidate their power. Figes also illustrates Lenin’s megalomania and unwillingness
to tolerate any true collaboration, leading to a new autocracy, police state, terror, famine
and eventually Stalinism.
The book discusses how the new Bolshevik totalitarianism mirrored so many aspects of
the old autocracy, from its use of terror to the prevalence of privilege and corruption.
The main difference between the two regimes was that the new masters came from the
same social class as those they ruled. This made it easier for the workers and
peasants to sympathize with, or perhaps tolerate, the Bolsheviks in the civil war, rather
than the Whites.
The foreword to the latest edition discusses the lasting effects of the Revolution and
paints a depressing picture of Russia under Putin.

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completely implausible

Revisado: 05-30-23

C'mon, really? Ridiculous plot line. I stopped midway through when the story stopped making any sense.

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Won me over!

Revisado: 09-08-18

I was never a Newhart TV fan, but I found this series of conversations charming. It was also great to get the insider story from several of yesterday's and today's top comedians.

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Can't judge a book by its subtitle

Revisado: 03-14-16

I am a fan of neither science fiction nor horror, but thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'd call it a good yarn! Yes, there is a monster from parts unknown, but the story centers on how two regular guys (or blokes) deal with a crazy situation. So, if you don't like sci fi or horror, this may be the perfect audiobook for you!

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love and weather

Revisado: 10-30-15

This is an unusual love story about coping with life's most difficult challenges, a perspective we don't often see in fiction. It is handled with exceptional insight and grace here.

I also love how the landscape and the weather become powerful characters in this book.

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A Holiday Favorite

Revisado: 11-04-08

If you're like me, your holiday season isn't complete without seeing Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed do battle with Lionel Barrymore. This old radio braodcast is a condensed version of the movie, with all the same actors. It's a great way to enjoy this classic while dashing through the mall.

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esto le resultó útil a 8 personas