Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
dark
informative
medium-paced
book tour for this was asked laughably awful questions including 'is communism bad' but always turned them around and made eloquent + informative answers. well written and well researched. excels discussing what the world new when and why aid was not forthcoming/refused
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Even more relevant today
Fascinating and terrifying history that explains so much of Russia’s actions today.
This is very hard to read because the descriptions of genocidal famine are awful.
This book combined with Samantha Power’s book are required reading on genocide.
Fascinating and terrifying history that explains so much of Russia’s actions today.
This is very hard to read because the descriptions of genocidal famine are awful.
This book combined with Samantha Power’s book are required reading on genocide.
Brilliant and in depth take on Ukrainian history during the Soviet Era
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Grew a bit tired after reading several Russian books. This one is more historical and thus failed to keep me interested.
challenging
informative
medium-paced
challenging
informative
sad
slow-paced
challenging
informative
sad
slow-paced
"The archival record backs up the testimony of the survivors. Neither crop failure nor bad weather caused the famine in Ukraine. Although the chaos of collectivization helped create the conditions that led to famine, the high numbers of deaths in Ukraine between 1932 and 1934, and especially the spike in the spring of 1933, were not caused directly by collectivization either. Starvation was the result, rather, of the forcible removal of food from people’s homes; the roadblocks that prevented peasants from seeking work or food; the harsh rules of the blacklists imposed on farms and villages; the restrictions on barter and trade; and the vicious propaganda campaign designed to persuade Ukrainians to watch, unmoved, as their neighbours died of hunger."
This is an intense book that took some time to get through. People always say they can't imagine how people sat by while atrocities occurred. This book shows exactly how such things can happen through propaganda, isolationism and fear. The book also illustrates that there are deep wounds still left open in the collective memory of Ukrainians, this knowledge helped me better understand the current crisis.
It also shows just how complicated history is. Applebaum writes that when the Germans first entered the country, Ukrainians were naive and hopeful. Girls even presented troops with flowers. Can you imagine? So eager they were to escape Stalin's terror and then found themselves in the midst of another.
Estimates range that anywhere between 3-10 million people died during Stalin's famine known as "Holodomor". Ukrainian culture and language was meticulously eviscerated as well during this time and even before all of this, the land has a long history of occupation and conflict. And yet amazingly, Ukraine still exists on the map and continues its fight for independence. Ще не вмерла України і слава, і воля (The glory and freedom of Ukraine has not yet perished)
This is an intense book that took some time to get through. People always say they can't imagine how people sat by while atrocities occurred. This book shows exactly how such things can happen through propaganda, isolationism and fear. The book also illustrates that there are deep wounds still left open in the collective memory of Ukrainians, this knowledge helped me better understand the current crisis.
It also shows just how complicated history is. Applebaum writes that when the Germans first entered the country, Ukrainians were naive and hopeful. Girls even presented troops with flowers. Can you imagine? So eager they were to escape Stalin's terror and then found themselves in the midst of another.
Estimates range that anywhere between 3-10 million people died during Stalin's famine known as "Holodomor". Ukrainian culture and language was meticulously eviscerated as well during this time and even before all of this, the land has a long history of occupation and conflict. And yet amazingly, Ukraine still exists on the map and continues its fight for independence. Ще не вмерла України і слава, і воля (The glory and freedom of Ukraine has not yet perished)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War
challenging
informative
slow-paced