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4harrisons 's review for:
Lenin on the Train
by Catherine Merridale
A wonderful short and popular reading of the story of 1917, centred around Lenin's journey across Europe to return to Russia from Switzerland so that he could participate in the revolution. Merridale's work is well sourced and heavy on small details which bring the story alive, if perhaps a little light on historical context. If you know the basics then that won't be a problem, although I can imagine it causing some confusion for someone coming to the subject cold.
Having given us an introduction on the February revolution before Lenin's journey, and a little afterwards covering Lenin's activity after arriving, it does feel a little odd that Merridale doesn't then carry the story forward to at least the basics of the October revolution and Lenin's seizure of power. As such it feels almost like it stops in "mid air".
Merridale does cover some of the subsequent stories of the main protaganists, and it is this that helps her draw out the horror of the subsequent communist regime with the fate under Stalin of those who accompanied Lenin on his journey.
A corking read, something to get the general reader interested in the more detailed history of the revolution and very appropriate to the 100th anniversary.
Having given us an introduction on the February revolution before Lenin's journey, and a little afterwards covering Lenin's activity after arriving, it does feel a little odd that Merridale doesn't then carry the story forward to at least the basics of the October revolution and Lenin's seizure of power. As such it feels almost like it stops in "mid air".
Merridale does cover some of the subsequent stories of the main protaganists, and it is this that helps her draw out the horror of the subsequent communist regime with the fate under Stalin of those who accompanied Lenin on his journey.
A corking read, something to get the general reader interested in the more detailed history of the revolution and very appropriate to the 100th anniversary.