UKC

My daughter is doing history GCSE and in particular focusing on the Russian revvolution and the rise of Hitler to power. Can anyone recommend any books that bring these periods to life more than the normal text books. She's a good reader but they would have to be fairly light and not too long to have a chance of being read...

thanks

mike

In reply to jonnienomates: The classic contemporary account of the Russian Revolution is Ten Days that Shook the World by John Reed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Days_that_Shook_the_World . Vivid writing, but I fear that your daughter may find it rather on the heavy and long side.

In reply to jonnienomates:

Not a book but you should show Her "Hitler: The rise of evil.". This was a film starring Robert Carlyle as Hitler and focuses on the exact period of History that you seem to be after. Obviously its not going to be as comprehensive as a book but does provide a good base to start from and is a good film in its own right.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0346293/

In reply to jonnienomates:

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich - William Shirer. Should be more or less compulsory school reading. It's not short and it's not light (how can the story of Hitler be 'light' anyway?)

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Springtime for Hitler?

In reply to Lord Flasheart:

This was the one where the versatile Scottish actor put on an English accent in order to play Hitler, right? Nice one Rob.

In reply to jonnienomates: In terms of the Russian revolution, how about "Darkness at Noon" by Arthur Koestler? Quite short, almost novella-length, capable of being read at many levels - prison/interogation drama first, then as a tale of an idealistic revolution gone wrong, then as insight into a very dark period indeed.

Also about the Russian revolution, what about Bulgakov? "The White Guard" or especially "The Master and Margharita" are very easy to read and fun, but with definite overtones of chaos and mayhem.

In reply to jonnienomates: You could try her on the songs of Bertolt Brecht (set to music by Kurt Weil, among other composers). You'd need to find versions sung in English translation: singer Robyn Archer did a two-volume set in the 80s that may still be available. Your daughter would have to be able to see past the old fashioned operatic style, which might be hard for a youngster, but then they were my favourites as a kid (no, really!).

Brecht was a committed marxist writing at the time of the Weimar republic, who later fled Germany coz of the Nazis. So his songs cover both your big topics, indeed show the links between them in a more human way than any textbook. They perfectly capture the era, and for a single body of work give an almost unmatched insight into the political turmoil, the forces of right and left, and the effects on ordinary people.

OK, it's not 'light', but then the era really wasn't.

In reply to jonnienomates:

Doctor Zhivago

A History of Russian Thought

Lenin

In reply to jonnienomates: Koba The Dread - Martin Amis. Very readable and short - in terms of the revolution itself, it mostly deals with Stalin's ignominious role in the events and his relationship with Lenin, also deals with the aftermath: ie the civil war, collectivisation, famines and then purges. Makes a comparison with Hitler but it is not about Hitler's rise. "Brings the period to life", certainly. But be careful with the bias.

Orlando Figes - The People's Revolution is pretty definitive. Weighty.

Second Dr Zhivago because it is a magisterial novel.

In reply to dan bailey:


i.e. very little different to an ardent Nazi


No, they were appologias for a revolting tyranny. Brecht was not even one of Stalin's (or Lenin's) "useful idiots", since, as you correctly say, he was an enthusiastic Marxist propagandist.

In reply to Simon4: Have you actually listened to his songs? There's a minimum of polemic really, and plenty of humanity. But that probably went over your head..?

Would you shield yourself from all the literary/artistic output of people who's views you don't exactly share? That'd be a good way to gain insight into the past.

Where did I imply that being a committed marxist is better than being a nazi, in any case? I may happen to think that it is (note: marxist, not Stalinist. Know the difference?!), but I'm not sure you could justifiably read that into my original post.