Semën Kanatchikov; born in a central Russian village in 1879; was one of the thousands of peasants who made the transition from traditional village life to the life of an urban factory worker in Moscow and St. Petersburg in the last years of the nineteenth century. Unlike the others; however; he recorded his personal and political experiences (up to the even of the 1905 Revolution) in an autobiography. First published in the Soviet Union in the 1920s; this memoir gives us the richest and most thoughtful firsthand account we have of life among the urban lower classes in Imperial Russia.We follow this shy but determined peasant youth's painful metamorphosis into a self-educated; skilled patternmaker; his politicization in the factories and workers' circles of Moscow and St. Petersburg; and his close but troubled relations with members of the liberal and radical intelligentsia.Kanatchikov was an exceptionally sensitive and honest observer; and we learn much from his memoirs about the day-to-day life of villagers and urban workers; including such personal matters as religious beliefs; family tensions; and male-female relationships. We also learn about conditions in the Russian prisons; exile life in the Russian Far North; and the Bolshevik-Menshevik split as seen from the workers' point of view.
#1425573 in Books Moxley Sorrell 1999-10-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x .74 x 5.25l; .75 #File Name: 0803292678304 pagesAt the Right Hand of Longstreet Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. An old soldier of Dixie remembersBy Mr. Joe“For my part; when the time comes to cross the river like the others; I shall be found asking at the gates above; ‘Where is the Army of Northern Virginia? For there I make my camp.’†‒ the last lines of AT THE RIGHT HAND OF LONGSTREETGilbert Moxley Sorrel was; for almost the entirety of his service (July 1861 – April 1865) with Confederate land forces during the Civil War; the right-hand aide to James Longstreet for almost the entire period (June 1861 – April 1865) during which the latter commanded brigade; division; then corps in what evolved into the Army of Northern Virginia. It was only in October 1864 that Sorrel was promoted to Brigadier General and given command of a brigade.It wasn’t until shortly before his death in 1901 that Sorrel wrote AT THE RIGHT HAND OF LONGSTREET: RECOLLECTIONS OF A CONFEDERATE STAFF OFFICER. He admits up front that his recollections are just that; he kept no war time diary. Thus; the reader shouldn’t expect his narrative to include a detailed or accurate account of any battle. Rather; the book is a chatty collection of memories regarding army life – while under fire or not – and the personalities of the various field commanders with whom he came into contact. AT THE RIGHT HAND OF LONGSTREET is eminently readable but superficial. Any hardship or stress experienced by Sorrel during the war; while not ignored; is pretty much minimized in the telling.Moxley admires Longstreet’s abilities; especially his coolness under fire; and is ever grateful for the opportunity he was given to serve as his adjutant-general. His greatest admiration; however; is reserved for army commander Robert E. Lee. Indeed; his high regard for Lee is simply the worship that most; if not all; of the men of the Army of Northern Virginia felt.Since Sorrel fought for the Confederate States of America and was a product of his times ‒ he even used the “N†word once (OMG!) ‒ AT THE RIGHT HAND OF LONGSTREET should not be read by any political correctness advocate who would otherwise vilify the extraordinarily able military leaders of the Confederacy and lobby to tear down the statues erected in their memory. Such men were; after all; Americans in uniform who only sought to serve their home states honorably and win. Their misfortune was to have lost; and their accomplishments are now depreciated by lesser men (and women). The generals of the North that engineered the South’s defeat would have objected to these actions strenuously.“A statue of Robert E. Lee astride his trusty steed Traveller could soon be evicted from a Charlottesville; Virginia; park named in his honor after the city’s council voted to remove the Confederate general.‘The measure; which passed Monday; gives city officials two months to recommend how to move the equestrian monument; which has been there since 1924.’†‒ The Washington Times; 2-9-17"The city of New Orleans announced that it will take down a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee Friday" ‒ Fox News U.S.; 5-19-175 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Sorrel The SuperbBy jdljd1977An honest and objective memoir by the best staff officer in The Army of Northern Virginia serving under the greatest corp commander of the American Civil War4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. MoxleyBy Judy Crossthe Souths most piloried and mis understood general he is just now becoming understood and he was always loved by his men gen Sorrel was close and could write about Gen Longstreet firsthand if you are a student you will enjoy this book
