A review by Jonathan Pepperman, Head of History

An amazingly successful effort to cover such a complex period of history from so many angles. Figes sees the build up to the 1917 revolution from so many perspectives, yet pulls it all together in an enjoyable narrative that covers the lives of the peasantry, the revolutionaries as well as the ignorance of the ruling classes. A magnificent achievement, which has altered the way in which Russia is viewed by historians, and a must read for any aspiring Russian historian.