Robert Service Ordre des livres (chronologique)

The great historian of twentieth- and twenty-first-century Russia returns with an enthralling revisionist history of the Russian Revolution.

In March 1917, Nicholas II, the last Tsar of All the Russias, abdicated and the dynasty that had ruled an empire for three hundred years was forced from power by revolution. Now, on the hundredth anniversary of that revolution, Robert Service, the eminent historian of Russia, examines Nicholas's reign in the year before his abdication and the months between that momentous date and his death, with his family, in Ekaterinburg in July 1918. The story has been told many times, but Service's profound understanding of the period and his forensic examination of hitherto untapped sources, including the Tsar's diaries and recorded conversations, shed remarkable new light on his reign, also revealing the kind of ruler Nicholas believed himself to have been, contrary to the disastrous reality. The Last of the Tsars is a masterful study of a man who was almost entirely out of his depth, perhaps even willfully so. It is also a compelling account of the social, economic and political foment in Russia in the aftermath of Alexander Kerensky's February Revolution, the Bolshevik seizure of power in October 1917 and the beginnings of Lenin's Soviet republic.

A riveting account of how the Cold War came to an end by one of our leading historians.

"In the immediate aftermath of the Revolution, the Western powers were anxious to prevent the spread of Bolshevism across Europe. Lenin and Trotsky were equally anxious that the Communist vision they were busy introducing in Russia should do just that. But neither side knew anything about the other. The revolution and Russia's withdrawal from the First World War had ensured a diplomatic exodus from Moscow and the usual routes to vital information had been closed off. Into this void stepped an extraordinary collection of opportunists, journalists and spies -- sometimes indeed journalists who were spies and vice versa: in Moscow Britain's Arthur Ransome, the American John Reed and Sidney Reilly -- 'Ace of Spies' -- all traded information and brokered deals between Russia and the West; in Berlin, Paris and London, the likes of Maxim Litvinov, Adolf Ioffe and Kamenev tried to infiltrate the political elite and influence foreign policy to the Bolsheviks' advantage. Robert Service, acclaimed historian and one of our finest commentators on matters Soviet, turns his meticulous eye to this ragtag group of people and, with narrative flair and impeccable research, reveals one of the great untold stories of the twentieth century. --Amazon.com.

He led the Military Revolutionary Committee that overthrew Russiaâ€s provisional government in 1917 and was widely regarded as the Revolution's finest orator, yet Trotsky died in exile, assassinated by Soviet agents. In a revelatory study that revised the Bolshevik leaderâ€s reputation, Service traces the life of a man who ‘moved like a bright comet across the political skyâ€.

Od zhroucení komunismu ve východní Evropě a SSSR uplynula téměř dvě desetiletí. Robert Service, jeden z předních odborníků na moderní ruské dějiny a profesor na Oxfordské univerzitě, si vytyčuje úkol prozkoumat historii komunismu ve světě. Čerpá z četných zdrojů, mimo jiné i z nově zpřístupněných dokumentů, a nabízí jak lidský pohled na tuto problematiku, tak i globální analýzu. Český čtenář už zná jeho podrobný životopis Lenina. Ve své velice rozsáhlé, avšak čtivé monografii, Service portrétuje i další inspirátory, tvůrce i příznivce komunistického hnutí od Marxe přes Maa až ke Castrovi a dalším moderním diktátorům. Přestože se kniha se soustředí v první řadě na Rusko, pojednává i o dějinách a vývoji komunistických hnutí v dalších zemích a všude hledá a nachází společné rysy komunistických režimů: diktaturu, potlačení osobních svobod, pronásledování církve, všepronikající moc státu, justiční zločiny – neslavné následky snahy o celosvětovou revoluci, jež měla vést k odstranění tříd a nastolení sociální spravedlnosti. Historik dochází k nepříjemným závěrům, jež jsou i důležitým varováním pro jednadvacáté století: komunismus ve své původní formě je sice mrtvý nebo skomírá, avšak chudoba a bezpráví, jež umožnily jeho vzestup, jsou dosud nebezpečně živé a umožňují extremistické využití. Už proto si toto znepokojivé, přesvědčivě napsané a brilantními argumenty podložené vynikající historické dílo, zaslouží čtenářskou pozornost.

Po pádu komunismu se Rusko stalo zemí skutečných protikladů – pohádkového bohatství a bídy, neobyčejné moci i totální beznaděje. Jen malý počet Rusů těžil z nového kapitalismu 90.let. Politické násilí a ekonomická korupce otřásaly Moskvou, zatímco v Čečensku zuřila nelítostná válka. Ale navzdory tomu všemu byl ve společnosti zřetelný pokrok. Rusové přemýšleli, mluvili a konali mnohem svobodněji než za komunismu. Stát již nebyl součástí jejich soukromí a v zemi se započalo s mnoha reformami. Robert Service ve svém přelomovém díle vykresluje formování soudobého ruského státu od jeho ambiciózních počátků v roce 1991. Kniha se zabývá nejen machinacemi v Kremlu, vysokou politikou a ekonomikou. Její součástí je i pohled na školství, armádu, média, církev a hlavně na „skutečného“ Rusa, obyčejného člověka žijícího často v provinciálním městečku, na jeho všední život a práci.

Reveals the complex story of the Soviet dictator, from his dysfunctional childhood in Soviet Georgia, through his education and early political activism, to his tyrannical control over the Soviet Union and the legacy of his reign.

Russia's recent past has encompassed revolution, civil war, mass terror and two world wars, and the country is still undergoing huge change. In his acclaimed history, now updated to 2009, Robert Service provides a superb panoramic viewpoint on Russia, exploring the complex, changing interaction between rulers and ruled from Nicholas II, Lenin and Stalin through to Gorbachev, Yeltsin, Putin and beyond. This new edition also discusses Russia�s unresolved economic and social difficulties and its determination to regain its leading role on the world stage and explains how, despite the recent years of de-communization, the seven decades of communist rule which penetrated every aspect of life still continue to influence Russia today.

The collection showcases beloved ballads by Robert Service, celebrated for capturing the spirit of the North. Illustrated with vibrant art by Marilen Van Nimwegen, it includes iconic works like "The Cremation of Sam McGee," reflecting Service's deep connection to the region during his time in Whitehorse. Known for his prolific writing into his eighties, Service's creative process was inspired by simple walks, leading to the spontaneous creation of poetry.

Lenin's politics continue to resonate globally, even after the USSR's dissolution. His name evokes both revulsion and reverence, yet the man himself remains enigmatic. This biography presents Lenin in his full complexity as a revolutionary, political leader, thinker, and private individual. Born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov in 1870 to a schools inspector and a doctor's daughter, he emerged as a pivotal figure in the Soviet revolution and one of the most influential politicians of the twentieth century. Robert Service draws on newly discovered sources to explore the social, cultural, and political catalysts behind Lenin's rise to global prominence. The narrative spans the tumultuous period from the collapse of tsarism to the establishment of a communist one-party state, examining themes of dictatorship, the Marxist revolutionary dream, civil war, and interwar European politics. Despite the hardships he imposed, Lenin was mourned upon his death in 1924. Service portrays him as both a political giant and a relatable human being, emphasizing the role of his supportive family and cultural background. The biography delves into his education, upbringing, and early struggles, illustrating the emergence of a rebel whose commitment to destruction overshadowed his purported devotion to the proletariat. It reveals how his intellectual pursuits and inner turmoil fueled his transformation from a young Marxist activist to the founder of the commu

In this omnibus volume is included the verse of Robert Service from the beginning of his remarkable career up to 1940.

"THE LOCKET" From out her shabby rain-coat pocket The little Jew girl in the train Produced a dinted silver locket With pasted in it portraits twain. "These are my parents, sir" she said; "Or were, for now I fear they're dead. "I know to Belsen they were sent; I never heard of them again. So many were like that - they went, Our woeful quest was all in vain. I was in London with a friend, Or I, too, would have shared their end. "They could have got away, I'm told, And joined me here in Marylebne, But Grannie was so sick and old, They could not leave her there alone. When they were seized she cried and cried: Thank God! 'Twas in her bed she died. "How did they die? I cannot bear To think of that - it crazes me. My mother was so sweet, so fair; My father handsome as you see . . . I'm sure no daughter ever had More lovely parents . . . Yes, it's sad. "But for their loss I shall not grieve; I'll hug the hope they still survive; Oh, I must make myself believe Somehow, somewhere they're still alive. . . . "Well, that's my only souvenir, A locket stained with many a tear."