United Kingdom
“Beevor, best known for his formidable book Stalingrad, commands authority
because his research is comprehensive and his conclusions free of political
agenda. He is a skilled writer, but his prose is is not what makes his books
special. Rather, it is the confidence that his authority conveys – one senses that
he knows his subject as well as anyone. He allows his evidence to speak for
itself. . . This is an unmerciful book, agonising, yet always irresistible.” Gerard DeGroot, The Times “A masterpiece of history and a harrowing lesson for today. . . Antony Beevor’s
grimly magnificent new book. . . is a hugely complex story and Beevor tells it
supremely well. The book is ground-breaking in its use of original evidence
from many archives.” Noel Malcolm in The Daily Telegraph *****
“What makes the new book so readable is its structure. . . Beevor’s short
chapters break up the action to ensure they are digestible while also pointing a
clear path through the dark fog of this brutal war. . . This combination of clarity
with vividness is Beevor’s defining strength as a historian.” Misha Glenny in The Sunday Times
“The book is a masterpiece’” Sara Wheeler in The Spectator “Antony Beevor’s Russia – Revolution and Civil War makes compelling use of witness testimony including from Russian archives. . . As an account of internecine rivalry the book has panoramic sweep.” Catriona Kelly in the Financial Times “A mass of chilling contemporary testimony in a new history of the 1917-21 Russian experience, written by British historian Antony Beevor, is winning plaudits around the world.” Max Hastings on Bloomberg.com “Beevor weaves his way through the enormous complexities of these years with intelligence, wit, and a talent for describing individuals and events. As one might expect he is in his element when describing battles, campaigns, and the down-to-earth realities of war. He conveys well the appalling savagery, casual violence and suffering brought on by the Civil War.” Dominic Lieven in The Times Literary Supplement “Beevor is a fine historian – diligent, conscientious and knowledgeable, with a long list of excellent books behind him. This volume is well researched and full of telling detail.” Peter Hitchens in The Mail on Sunday “A wonderfully lucid writer who marshals the extensive material with great verve and understanding. . . Beevor has captured the tragedy in mesmerising detail.” Andrew Anthony in The Observer “The narrative brio, magpie eye for telling facts and confident handling of a
vastly complex cast of characters and stories that made his previous books
modern classics are fully in evidence. . . A glorious read – pacy, engaging and
filled with moving personal testimony. Just as in Stalingrad, Beevor brings a
grand historical epic to urgent, teeming life.” Owen Matthews in The Oldie Book Choices for Summer Reading
“The civil war which engulfed Russia from 1917 to 1921 was one of the most
colossally damaging of all conflicts, yet most people know little about it.
This grimly magnificent book explains why – it is a mind-bogglingly
complex story, but Beevor tells it extremely well, demolishing myths on all
sides.” NM in Telegraph Spain
“Ahora leo con una especie de obstinación sombría Rusia: Revolución y guerra
civil, 1917-1921, el último libro de Antony Beevor, y me doy cuenta de que
sabía en realidad mucho menos de lo que imaginaba, en parte por simple falta
de información, pero sobre todo porque la dimensión del horror que se abatió
sobre el país en esos años es tan exorbitante que no hay una imaginación que
pueda abarcarlo, ni razón que pueda comprenderlo.” Antonio Muñoz Molina in Babelia El País “Antony Beevor dinamita los mitos más extendidos de la Revolución rusa. . . El
maestro de ensayistas lo ha vuelto a hacer.” Manuel Villatoro in ABC France
“Il y a bien une méthode Beevor. Et c’est peu dire qu’elle fait merveille pour démêler l’echeveau extraordinairement touffu des événements qui marquèrent au fer la Russie de 1917 à 1921. . . C’est peut-être à décrire dans sa violence sans merci et dans sa complexité de lignes de front, militaires et politiques, l’affrontement de toute les forces de la Russie que le livre d’Antony Beevor excelle veritablement.” Geoffroy Caillet in Le Figaro “Lire Antony Beevor, c’est d’être plongé à la fois dans la boue du Donbas et dans les glaces de Siberie avec les combattants des deux côtés. . . une magistrale sythèse.” Marc Semo in Le Monde Books of the Year
“My book of the year has to be Antony Beevor’s magisterial Russia: Revolution and civil war, 1917-1921 which brings into harrowing focus four chaotic years in a theatre of conflict stretching from Poland to the Pacific. Often the study of this period centres on politics and ideology, but Beevor depicts the raw reality of its warfare with the skill of a military historian, buttressed by new material from Russian archives. Enfolded into the grander narrative is the experience of its humbler participants and victims, until the confusion and brutality of this time, leaving 10 million dead, attain a vivid and terrible force. It is a great achievement.” Colin Thubron in The Times Literary Supplement
“Antony Beevor’s extraordinary book strips the romance from a revolution too often idealised. . . It’s unmerciful, agonising yet irresistible.” G deGroot, The Times Book of the Year
“Antony Beevor’s Russia: Revolution and civil war, 1917-1921 is an extraordinary book, hugely impressive for its in-depth research, narrative drive and deft analysis of politics and warfare. As this grimmest of civil wars draws to a close, one ends up richly informed but stunned by the scale of human suffering, and contemplating the possibilities of many might-have-beens.” Noel Malcolm in the Times Literary Supplement
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