Russia: A 1000-Year Chronicle of the Wild East by Martin Sixsmith

Jun 06, 2012 Nicola rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, library, non-fiction

There’s a lot to like about this book, but its wonky structure kind of killed it for me.

Martin Sixsmith is an excellent writer and the book’s first half is indeed a whistle-stop ride through 1,000 years of Russia’s crazy history. Sixsmith’s thesis – that democracy following the fall of Soviet Russia was never destined to take root, because autocracy is too central to Russia’s cultural lifeblood – is an interesting one and he ably elucidates it using historical fact.

However, halfway through, whe...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

There's nothing like a good chronological history to make you realize how much you know out of order.

I was pleased to realize that I actually knew a fair amount of Russian history through reading about tangentially connected topics, from lives of the saints (including St Cyril) to a biography of Voltaire (including his correspondence with Catherine the Great) to a history of the Franco-Prussian War. Fiction, too--Horatio Hornblower, War and Peace, and Tom Clancy have all given me strange little...more There's nothing like a good chronological history to make you realize how much you know out of order.

I was pleased to realize that I actually knew a fair amount of Russian history through reading about tangentially connected topics, from lives of the saints (including St Cyril) to a biography of Voltaire (including his correspondence with Catherine the Great) to a history of the Franco-Prussian War. Fiction, too--Horatio Hornblower, War and Peace, and Tom Clancy have all given me strange little windows. To have the whole thing laid out end-to-end, in order, makes everything suddenly make so much more sense. Among other things, I've perpetually confused events from the lives of Nicholas I, Alexander II, Alexander III, and Nicholas II (the last four tsars). When you can actually see, oh, this one was assassinated, which made that one halt the reforms, things start to make more sense.

It becomes particularly compelling (and a bit embarrassing) as the narrative approaches the present day. When I got to events that happened during my childhood that I remember but did not understand, I was fascinated. When I got to events in the last ten or so years, I think I was more embarrassed than anything else. In many cases, I remember reading articles about them, but I realize now that I had no idea why the events were happening or what they meant. I knew more about Alexander II's blundering emancipation of the serfs than I did about the fundamental causes of the Chechen War.

Overall, Sixsmith's theme is that the Russian people have repeatedly approached the idea of an open, democratic society, and every single time have turned around and re-chosen autocracy. It's increasingly tragic, as again and again Russia is plunged back into repression and then marvels at how they remain a backwater despite being absolutely enormous and possessing abundant resources. Somehow, the common people always end up in some form of slavery, without enough to eat.

Sixsmith does a good job of staying focused on Russian history, but occasionally providing touchstones of what was going on elsewhere in the world at the time so you can keep oriented. He was a BBC correspondent in Russia for years, so he often interjects bits of descriptions of current day Russia or small anecdotes from his own career to illustrate points. It's dangerous--it could easily become overly self-absorbed or annoying--but overall, he manages this deftly, giving just enough humanize the history without becoming distracting.

My one objection is that far more of the book is focused on the last century, with more coverage given to each successive decade, it seems. So there's almost nothing at all about the Crimean War, but we get nearly a full chapter of a blow-by-blow account of the attempted coup against Gorbachev. It's somewhat understandable, given the author's focus, and if a reader's goal is to understand modern Russia, it's a sensible approach. I'll admit, though, that I was just as if not more interested in Catherine's rule as I was in Brezhnev's. I would have preferred a more even pacing.

I now have such a compulsion to go back and re-read Tom Clancy's books, now understanding what the heck was going on.(less)

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Mar 07, 2013 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've tried to read other Russian history books, and never managed to make it through. Because history is composed of facts, figures, names and dates to such a great extent, they were often dry and I felt I was merely wading through them, never really engaged.

Martin Sixsmith's journalistic voice changed that. Not only was his book infomative, it was was easy to read. As a someone who had lived in Russia for a good amount of time, he could compare present with past, particularly in the instances...more I've tried to read other Russian history books, and never managed to make it through. Because history is composed of facts, figures, names and dates to such a great extent, they were often dry and I felt I was merely wading through them, never really engaged.

Martin Sixsmith's journalistic voice changed that. Not only was his book infomative, it was was easy to read. As a someone who had lived in Russia for a good amount of time, he could compare present with past, particularly in the instances of place. Being taken to a moment in history through the present day made it relevent, still.

As well researched and written as it is, the timeline provided is essential. Oftentimes there are gigantic leaps in time within chapters. I sincerely thought, for a second, that the events of 1917 had been omitted because the first chapter of Part 3: Rise of Revolution (which I was so sure was going to be about this time) started with dates "1987 and 1997." Clearly, 1917 isn't erased by Sixsmith, it's too pivotal a time to be left out, but he does move around history frequently--and not by mere months or years, but by decades--and referencing the timeline to what's occurring in the text really helps in keeping it all straight.

While many complain of the brevity of Parts 1 and 2, early Russian history, I really didn't mind this too much. Because Russia is such an old country, there is simply too much history to take into consideration, but Sixsmith adequately gives readers the major points in as painless a way as possible. After this, the Parts and chapters begin to get longer, thus more in depth into actions, reactions and motives.

Martin Sixsmith's Russia: A 1000-Year Chronicle is certainly written for the modern reader looking to understand the current state of Russia. His information is backed with personal experience and a little bit of intrigue, provided by government officials, that will keep pages turning. Most readers in 2012-2013 aren't really interested in ancient history of any nation, but rather the major influences on it at present--though knowing something of Russia's ancient history is crucial. (less)

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Jul 12, 2012 Isis rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Afficionados of global politics

Shelves: medieval-age-1000-to-1400ce-factual, revolution-age-1650-to-1837ce-factu, renaissance-age-1400-to-1650ce-fact, modern-age-1914-to-present-factual, industrial-age-1837-to-1914ce-factu

Martin Sixsmith’s vast experience as a BBC correspondent in Moscow stand him in good stead for this insightful overview of the formation of modern Russia. Why do I say modern Russia when the book purportedly examines over 1000 years of Russian history? Well, others reviewers are correct when they identify pacing issues. Sixsmith spends the first third of the book discussing the history of Russia from its misty Dark Ages origins to the rise of the 1917 revolution, and the other two thirds of the...more
Martin Sixsmith’s vast experience as a BBC correspondent in Moscow stand him in good stead for this insightful overview of the formation of modern Russia. Why do I say modern Russia when the book purportedly examines over 1000 years of Russian history? Well, others reviewers are correct when they identify pacing issues. Sixsmith spends the first third of the book discussing the history of Russia from its misty Dark Ages origins to the rise of the 1917 revolution, and the other two thirds of the book examine twentieth and twenty-first century Russia up to present day.

As you can imagine, this feels strangely unbalanced, with some 900 years of history crammed into the first third, that section of the book felt like a real overview, skimming over events and omitting an awful lot. Meanwhile, when you hit the latter two thirds of the book, by comparison the pace slows down to a crawl as Sixsmith examines the past 100 years in what feels like minute detail compared to the rush of events in the first third. And yet neither section is completely satisfying. Personally I felt frustrated at the lack of greater exploration of the first 900 years, whilst it is obvious that the latter section of the book, though more detailed by far in comparison, is not the kind of in depth study that real aficionados of modern Russian history crave.

I have to admit that even though the prose is smooth and Sixsmith references well for a popular history, I tried to slog through the modern history section without success, giving up on this book around halfway through when the chronology hits World War Two and skimming to the end. It wasn't a difficult read, but I really had little interest in the subject matter of the second section of the book, and I’d gleaned all I could from the earlier section about Russia’s earlier history. Sixsmith’s experience as a correspondent has made him rather prone to focus on the twentieth and twenty-first centuries in Russia, I suspect mainly because the past 100 years are the formation of modern Russia and this has a direct bearing on international relations and global politics – which, as a BBC correspondent, is just what Sixsmith would have been focused and reporting on in Moscow. This is less a book for historians, and more a book for those interested in modern Russia and Russian politics.

The book is somewhat grim reading at times, especially once you get into the twentieth century. I’m not saying this is Sixsmith’s fault, and indeed I definitely think that what Sixsmith does in the book is important, laying out the terrible facts that, at the time, were frequently suppressed by the Soviet regime and didn’t enter Western knowledge until much later. I firmly believe this is very important exposure that Sixsmith provides. However, it is still pretty grim reading chapter after chapter of oppressive brutalities. You couldn’t call this book a positive, uplifting, or optimistic read.

Sixsmith picks up on some interesting historical trends, including the persistent return of the Russians to an autocracy, throughout their history, through the perception of the need to remain strong and coherent in such a vast state which has the potential to fragment or intruded upon from outside. However, it’s not all doom and gloom – though Sixsmith identifies as a major trend in Russian history the return to autocracy, there always seem to be elements of liberals striving for a freer Russia.

7 out of 10. Well-written, though oddly paced and not as in depth as avid modern historians would want – nor more ancient historians like myself. A popular history that will probably appeal to those interested in international politics – just not my personal cup of tea.

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Aug 23, 2012 David Bales rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Outstanding, impressive monumental chronicle of Russian history, from the princes of medieval Rus to the presidency of Vladimir Putin. Well edited and gripping, especially from the years of Nicholas II to the end of the Breznehv era, with heavy emphasis on the Russian Revolution and the crimes of Stalin and Lenin. After reading this it's hard to understand how anyone ever survived living in Russia beyond the age of one. A truly great book, the best of the year that I've read, by British journali...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Martha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: high-school

I'm collecting one or two history books per country / empire to fill in the large gaps in my knowledge. This book is fabulous for linking the late middle ages to the Mongols to current events. Each chapter outlines the major players and forces, great for setting up the context in further study.

It highlights the major themes of why Russia's "soul" is quite different from other European empires: 500 years of Mongol rule, the lack of a native Renaissance, serfdom, etc.

Mercifully, the major horror...more

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May 31, 2012 Lauren Albert rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history-european

Don't expect to learn much about early Russian history reading this. Despite the "1000-year" in the title, the book is almost totally comprised of post 17th-century history. In a book of over 500 pages, Peter the Great has died by pg 85.

Anyway, it is a very good and readable history by a journalist. He returns again and again to the tendency of Russia to itself return again and again to autocracy--whether its monarchical, communist, or other form. I'd like to see if there is a more optimistic h...more

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May 29, 2012 Joe Harris added it

An informative survey that hits the highlights of Russian history from the establishment of Kievan Rus that marked the beginnings of Russia as a nation to the sinister reign of Vladimir Putin. If you know nothing of Russian history, this is a good place to start.

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Apr 28, 2013 Eddy Allen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arts-and-historical

Combining in-depth research with his personal experiences as the BBC Moscow correspondent for almost twenty years, Sixsmith tells Russia's full and fascinating story, from its foundation in the last years of the tenth century to the first years of the twenty-first, skillfully tracing the conundrums of modern Russia to their roots in its troubled past. Covering politics, music, literature and art, he explores the myths Russians have created from their history.

Marking the twentieth anniversary of...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Vicki rated it 5 of 5 stars

An incredibly epic adventure of a book which I listened to in the car. 10CDs of murder, war, intrigue and horror.

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Aug 15, 2012 Ana Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent concise history. Having knowledge of russian history is helpful when reading Russia literature.

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Jun 23, 2012 linnea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very engaging, but the pacing was strange. In a thousand year history, almost half the book is spent on the years between 1900 and 1960. I would have liked more early history and more modern history.

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Dec 16, 2012 Ajitabh Pandey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, non-fiction, european-history, russian-history

An amazing warehouse of information related to Russia. It was very interesting to read how Russia came into existence and what happened in its 1000 year of history.

I was always wondering what happened to Gorbachev's reforms and why it lead to collapse of USSR and now I know why. I still remember images from the television news Gorbachev handing over the briefcase containing nuclear controls to Boris Yeltsin and now I know exactly what sequence of events lead to this state.

This book is highly rec...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Nick Moran rated it 2 of 5 stars

Sixsmith is a journalist and not an historian, and this fact becomes apparent as readers advance through this book. That is, Sixsmith's grasp of the collapse of the USSR and its transformation into the quasi-democratic Russia of today is apparent, but Sixsmith's take on pre-Imperial Russia through WWII is loose, vague, and relies too heavily on fictional sources (novels, poems, songs). Also, the idea of covering 1,000 years of history in ~500 pages is a big silly.

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May 03, 2013 Whitney rated it 4 of 5 stars

By turns fascinating, at moments inspiring, mostly heartbreaking. All of it well-documented...and did I mention heart-breaking? (And I don't mean heart-breaking in the way of "The Notebook" -- I mean heartbreaking with a strong dose of horror mixed in.)

It was well worth reading but I had to read it in bite-size pieces or be overwhelmed by the painful, difficult parts -- of which there were obviously many.

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Nov 20, 2012 Paul rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2012

A huge tome covering 1000 years of Russian history, and the book of the Radio 4 series.

The first 180 odd pages cover the first 900 years up to the revolution, and then the remainder is from the 1917 revolution. It is a comprehensive history and written in a eminently readable way.

Well worth a read for anyone interested in Russian, and its influence on Europe and the wider world.

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Aug 19, 2012 Bob rated it 3 of 5 stars

The book provides a good overview of Russian History, actually 1,000 years of it. It is very insightful and well written, it slows down in a few places but overall it kept my interest. If you are looking for details about Lenin or Stalin you'll have to buy books dealing with them, but for an overview which can be hard to achieve it is well done. If you like history you will enjoy.

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Nov 30, 2012 Elaine Selfridge marked it as to-read

Shelves: shelved-for-later

This is taking forever to read mainly because there is is so much information. However, to call it "1,000" years of information is misleading. So much has been lost between the Rus and the beginning of christianity via the orthodox church and the Bolsheviks.

But still I read on... In between lighter reading.

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May 18, 2013 Sarah Mackey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Bit thin on the medieval era of Russian history but horribly fascinating about early 20th century famines, wars and the breakdown of Russian society to create the Communist regime. The Gorbachev era is well written. Overall a good survey of Russian history.

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May 03, 2013 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

Although it provides only a hasty overview, this book is a fast, interesting read for those who want to acquaint themselves with Russian history.

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Mar 27, 2013 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

I find Russia fascinating and I feel that this book had a good mix of russian history from how Russia came to be to more modern politics.

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May 18, 2013 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

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May 15, 2013 Dmitri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

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