Norwich is always on the lookout for the small but revealing details. . . . All of this he recounts in a style that consistently entertains. --The New York Times Book Review In this magisterial adaptation of his epic three-volume history of Byzantium; John Julius Norwich chronicles the world's longest-lived Christian empire. Beginning with Constantine the Great; who in a.d. 330 made Christianity the religion of his realm and then transferred its capital to the city that would bear his name; Norwich follows the course of eleven centuries of Byzantine statecraft and warfare; politics and theology; manners and art.In the pages of A Short History of Byzantium we encounter mystics and philosophers; eunuchs and barbarians; and rulers of fantastic erudition; piety; and degeneracy. We enter the life of an empire that could create some of the world's most transcendent religious art and then destroy it in the convulsions of fanaticism. Stylishly written and overflowing with drama; pathos; and wit; here is a matchless account of a lost civilization and its magnificent cultural legacy."Strange and fascinating . . . filled with drollery and horror." --Boston Globe
#441384 in Books Richard Pipes 1996-11-26 1996-11-26Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 5.20 x 1.00 x 5.10l; 1.02 #File Name: 0679745440464 pagesA Concise History of the Russian Revolution
Review
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful. A very informative eye opener!By David FreydkinAfter reading "A Concise History of the Russian Revolution" by Richard Pipes; I learned a great deal about this vital historical event. It really opened my eyes to a number of factors about the Russian Revolution. Below is a summary.1) Although many believe that the revolution consisted of the Bolsheviks taking power in October 1917; this; per the author; is not accurate. Czar Nicholas II resigned in February 1917 and a provisional government "took over" as the ruling body of the Russian Empire. However; the provisional government was very divided among different factions and organizations as was Russia itself. The Bolsheviks took power via a coup in October 1917.2) Lenin was a very brutal and ruthless man and he did not tolerate any disagreement with his views. As head of the ruling Bolshevik party; he continually promoted Stalin; giving him influential posts. As a result; Lenin paved the way for Stalin's assent to power. After rising to power; Stalin continued many of Lenin's policies such as land collectivization; using grains to create revenue to industrialize Russia and letting the people starve; as well as totalitarian rule.3) Most inhabitants of the Russian Empire did not want the Bolsheviks to take over. What largely enabled them to rise to power in October of 1917 was indifference and inaction from most of the population. Similar factors enabled the rise to power of other rulers such as the National Socialist Party in Germany and the Ayatollahs in Iran.4) The land collectivization policies of the Bolsheviks led to famine in Russia in the early 1900s; another relatively unknown event. What saved approximately nine million Russian lives from starvation were the relief efforts sponsored by the US government under President Herbert Hoover; a man who; maybe unjustifiably; went down in history as a bad president who was partially blamed for the Great Depression.5) To conclude; Communism has failed on this planet because its policy oversimplifies humans and does take into account that humans don't behave like objects but are far less predictable. One cannot mold a nation or society to behave as one plans for it to do so. In addition; it violated in practice individual rights such as freedom of speech; freedom of the press; economic freedom; and freedom of religion that humans are; by nature; entitled to.This is certainly a book I recommend. A must read for anyone interested in the Russian Revolution.4 of 5 people found the following review helpful. A Concise Historyof the Russian RevolutionBy C. M MillsRichard Pipes is the eminent scholar of Russia who has taught for years at Harvard. Pipes has also worked in the Reagan administration as a Sovietology expert. Dr. Pipes has authored several volumes on Russia and the rise and fall of the Communist police state. "A Concise Hisory of the Russian Revolution is notable for:a. The book is a condensation of Pipes huge two volumes "The Russian Revolution" and "Russia under the Bolshevik Regime." Those two doorstop size books are often laborious and lengthy reading.b. The condensation of the two books hits the major episodes and thumbnail sketches the major personalities of the period in a readable and easy to understand style.c. This book would serve as an excellent resource and textbook for a course in the Russian Revolution taught in a university setting.d. The book is well illustrated with period photos. A few maps are also included. The Russian Revolution's leader was Lenin (1870-1924) a Bolshevist lawyer and professional revolutionary. He and the Bolsheviks were supported by Germany. Germany wished to end the war on the Eastern Front and neutralize their Russian enemy. The German plan was then to assault a major breakthrough against the Allies on the Western Front. The German plan failed.Russia regained most of the territory she had ceded to the Germans at the treaty of Brest-Litovsk.e. Red Terror; famine and Civil War would torture the Russian people. Tsar Nicholas II and his family were murdered. Vast famines and the seizure of peasant property was widespread. Over 80% of Russians were peasants. Pipes gives Western readers a grim look at the rise of a totalitarian government led by a cruel party. The Soviets outlawed laws. Frightening reading. An excellent resource!1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Informative overview for the low information citizen like meBy Robert GuzzardiThere is much that I have heard in general terms about the Communist Revolution in Russia in a most superficial way. This books give a lot of detailed insights that I found both fascinating and useful.
