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The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalin's Russia

The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalin's Russia

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From the award-winning author of A People's Tragedy and Natasha's Dance, a landmark account of what private life was like for Russians in the worst years of Soviet repression. There have been many accounts of the public aspects of Stalin's dictatorship: the arrests and trials, the enslavement and killing in the gulags. No previous book, however, has explored the regime's effect on people's personal lives, what one historian called "the Stalinism that entered into all of us." Now, drawing on a huge collection of newly discovered documents, The Whisperers reveals for the first time the inner world of ordinary Soviet citizens as they struggled to survive amidst the mistrust, fear, compromises, and betrayals that pervaded their existence. Moving from the Revolution of 1917 to the death of Stalin and beyond, Orlando Figes re-creates the moral maze in which Russians found themselves, where one wrong turn could destroy a family, or perversely, end up saving it. He brings us inside cramped communal apartments, where minor squabbles could lead to fatal denunciations; he examines the Communist faithful, who often rationalized even their own arrest as a case of mistaken identity; and he casts a humanizing light on informers, demonstrating how, in a repressive system, anyone could easily become a collaborator. A vast panoramic portrait of a society in which everyone spoke in whispers--whether to protect their families and friends, or to inform upon them--The Whisperers is a gripping account of lives lived in impossible times.

Details of Book

ISBN13: 9780805074611
ISBN10: 0805074619
Language: English
Publication Year: 2007
Format: Hardcover

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A note on book covers: while we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

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  • One Line Summary

    Explores private lives under Stalin’s oppressive regime.

  • Who is this book for?

    This book offers a gripping, intimate look at how ordinary Russians navigated the chilling atmosphere of Stalinist repression. Orlando Figes masterfully uncovers personal stories and moral dilemmas that reveal the human side of history often overlooked. If you're interested in understanding the silent struggles behind public history, this book could profoundly resonate with you.

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