A History of Modern Russia: From Nicholas II to Vladimir Putin, Revised Edition (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

A fine book...It is a dizzying tale and Service tells it well; he has none of the ideological baggage that has so often bedeviled Western histories of Russia...A balanced, dispassionate and painstaking account.
--Brian Moynahan (Sunday Times )

A remarkable work...it demands to be read.
--Adam Zamoyski (Spectator )

Always well-informed and balanced in his judgments, clear and concise in his analysis...Service is extremely good on Soviet politics.
--Orlando Figes (Sunday Telegraph )

Product Description

Russia had an extraordinary twentieth century, undergoing upheaval and transformation. Updating his acclaimed History of Twentieth-Century Russia through 2002, Robert Service provides a panoramic perspective on a country whose Soviet past encompassed revolution, civil war, mass terror, and two world wars. He shows how seven decades of communist rule, which penetrated every aspect of Soviet life, continue to influence Russia today. This new edition also discusses continuing economic and social difficulties at the beginning of the twenty-first century, the military campaign in Chechnya, and Russia's reduced role on the world stage.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 659 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press; 2 edition (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067401801X
• ISBN-13: 978-0674018013
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #43,549 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written, well-researched overview of 20th century Soviet and Russian history, January 25, 2006

By	D. Jump (Pasadena, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First of all, it is important to note that I am not an expert in either Russian or 20th century history. Though I have spent a great deal of time reading about Russia and the Soviet Union over the last couple years, I would still consider myself a novice. Thus, this review is obviously written from the perspective of someone relatively new to the field.

Service's History of Modern Russia covers the entire 20th century, though it is relatively sparse post-1994. His handling of the material seems fair; he strives to cover material from a variety of viewpoints, showing both the positive and negative aspects of his subject matter. He covers Lenin, Stalin, WWII, and Khrushchev - along with all their policies, political maneuvers, and so on - in depth (at least as much as can be expected for 555 pages on 100 years!), and covers the Tsarist period, WWI, Brezhnev, and the early 1980s in the USSR in sufficient detail to easily follow the plot. The mild disparity in the treatment of various events and figures is not a flaw in his work; rather, his writing is directed to the more significant developments, of which there seem to be relatively few in the period of Brezhnev and the early 1980s (pre-Gorbachev); his ~40 pages on Brezhnev supply plenty of detail into the USSR from Khrushchev to the early `80s. In fact, I have found it difficult in general to find material on Brezhnev. For example, there are many biographies of Lenin, Stalin, and Khrushchev, but Amazon.com does not appear to carry even one on Brezhnev!

As a newcomer to the field of Russian history, culture, and language, I found Service's work to be readable, informative, and straightforward in its presentation, even when the narrative bogs down in groups of names doing this or that. His even treatment of the Soviet Union allowed me to see aspects of the USSR, Russia, and communism which I had not previously understood in a new light. I would have appreciated a short glossary for Soviet political positions and USSR governmental positions which simply defined the duties and responsibilities of various jobs (and perhaps their relative political or governmental clout, if such a thing were possible). It is not difficult to get bogged down in the myriad offices mentioned in the book.

I highly recommend this book as an introduction to the Soviet Union's beginnings, rise to power, and eventual decline and implosion. It covers a wealth of material in a short, readable space and is easily navigable. References are extensive, so further study could easily be pursued with Service as an overview and handy starting point.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good read, May 26, 2005

By	Seth J. Frantzman (Jerusalem, Israel) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Russia is the ultimate story, a story of grandeur of false hopes and shattered dreams. Churchill gave Russia that interesting title of the enigma inside the mystery inside the riddle. However this book does better by truly telling us the grand story of Russia, without the weakness of similar books on the subject. Many important subjects are covered, from the traditional tale of revolution, Stalin, stagnation, collapse.

Here the reader is treated to nuanced stories, such as Krushchevs suppression of the church which left only 7500 Churches ion Russia, whereas 12000 Mosques were left standing. Also evident is the population upheavals of the 1920s and 1930s. Equally important is a very good rendition of the complications of the Civil war and the creation of War communism. All the characters are given a fair portrait from Derzinsky, to Sverlov, to the obvious, such as Zinoviev and Stalin.

The successive chapters on the `mystery years' of Brezhnev is enlightening, to view a nation in stagnation. Although not as insightful as Volkoganov's expose on soviet leadership this book brings to light many tales and is a fascinating, easy digestion, that brings the reader up to date, with Vladimir Putin.

Seth J. Frantzman

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great read, December 26, 2006

By	An Historian (Houston) - See all my reviews

Overview of Russia during the 20th Century with stops at the Revolutions, Lenin, Stalin Gorbachev and Yeltsin. Provides a historical basis for event occurring today by allowing historians and political scientists to hypothesize about what is yet to come. Well written by one of the prominent Russian historians today.