Ten Days that Shook the World (Value Edition)

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Ten Days that Shook the World (Value Edition)

3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 · rating details · 1,128 ratings · 86 reviews

The basis for the Academy Award�winning 1981 film Reds, Reed's classic eyewitness account captures the opening days of the Russian Revolution. His passionately involved narrative describes the fall of the provisional government, the assault on the Winter Palace, Lenin's seizure of power, and other tumultuous events. "Brilliant and entertaining." — The New York Times Book R...more

Paperback, 400 pages

Published September 8th 2006 by Dover Publications (first published 1919)

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Feb 22, 2012 Ty rated it 3 of 5 stars

I just finished this one, after meaning to check it out since college.

Sometimes you know a book is great even if you yourself have a hard time reading it. That was the case for me in the very well written and detailed personal account of the October Revolution in Russia, as experienced by American reporter and Communist sympathizer, Jack Reed.

The excellent movie Reds is based in large part on the accounts in this book. (Warren Beauty producing, directing, writing, and starring as the author, Re...more I just finished this one, after meaning to check it out since college.

Sometimes you know a book is great even if you yourself have a hard time reading it. That was the case for me in the very well written and detailed personal account of the October Revolution in Russia, as experienced by American reporter and Communist sympathizer, Jack Reed.

The excellent movie Reds is based in large part on the accounts in this book. (Warren Beauty producing, directing, writing, and starring as the author, Reed.) I love that film, and assumed I would love the book. I certainly admire the book, and can see why a movie was made of it; Reed's descriptions of moods, sights, sounds and smells, his overall description of environment is immpeccable. The reader feels as if they are right there with Reed as he surveys the war front, walks dark streets, and experiences the unspecified yet palpable unrest that was so pervasive in all parts of Russia during that historical time. I loved these parts of the book.

But the book is just as much, if not more, Reed's account of the literally scores of factions, political parties, armies, navies, congresses, and commititees. Man alive, were there committees in revolutionary Russia! Hundreds! Everywhere! Even in the Army. There was even a Commitee of Commitees, and a Union of Unions.

So horribly complex were the struggles of these inummerable political/governmental groups that one could very easily get lost trying to remember who was who, and who was against what, etc. There is a brief description at the front of the book for each of the parties, but flipping back and forth grew tedious, so I gave up. A reference card as one reads is required for most people not well versed already in Russian history of the early 20th century. While I am sure Reed breaks it down better than most, the chunks are still hard for a novice to swallow sometimes.

He is also a victim of his meticulous collecting, whole pages sometimes being dedicated to verbatim accounts of speeches and articles and pamphlets set out all over Russia. Makes one's head spin.

Yet even then, I admired the passion with which he wrote those part of the accounts. Not exactly as moving or intriguing as the mood pieces spread throughout the pages, Reed certainly leaves no stone unturned. Unfortunatley, one has to be a geologist to keep some of them straight.

I will, in all liklihood, read the book again one day, when more of it has time to process. For though Reed himself confessed that he failed to be 100% objective, his first hand account of one of the most important social shifts in world history is invaluable to historians. And his prose, (and even some poetry) is a very rich feast for any wordsmith, such as myself.

A book to be admired and remembered, even when confusing. Not for everyone, and sometimes, not for me. But when it did hit with me, I was quite glad to have finally, after about eight years, picked it up and read it. (less)

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Sep 18, 2009 Jimmy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: european-history

Due to the various political parties that John Reed speaks of in his impassioned account of the Russian Revolution, it becomes somewhat difficult to follow the flow of events and their importance. An understanding of the struggle at hand in this tumultuous period really only requires the knowledge of two warring factions; the "Reds" (Bolsheviks), and the "Whites" (anti-Bolsheviks). Basically the absolute monarchy of Tsar Nicholas II had come to an end due to severe social and political unrest on...more Due to the various political parties that John Reed speaks of in his impassioned account of the Russian Revolution, it becomes somewhat difficult to follow the flow of events and their importance. An understanding of the struggle at hand in this tumultuous period really only requires the knowledge of two warring factions; the "Reds" (Bolsheviks), and the "Whites" (anti-Bolsheviks). Basically the absolute monarchy of Tsar Nicholas II had come to an end due to severe social and political unrest on the behalf of a starving, angry country. In its place a Provisional Government was formed. This was intended to be temporary of course, until a new one arose. Long before all of this, Vladimir Lenin had been writing of a working-class revolution, one spearheaded by the privileged Russian intellectuals (basically radical Marxists) who would organize it. And the Provisional Government wasn't exactly any more sympathetic to the poor lower classes; it was in support of Russia's continued participation in World War I, and would not grant them the land that much of Lenin and Trotsky's Bolshevik ideology argued that they were entitled to.

John Reed, a Portland born American journalist covered most of the chaotic events of the October Revolution, including the attack on the Winter Palace, where the counter-revolutionary Whites where defeated by the Bolsheviks. After which, Kerensky leader of the Whites, fled to Pskov. As journalism, Reed's account of the events of the Revolution weren't exactly objective. Of course, Reed had unabashed Socialist sympathies. He was opposed to the war, and very much excited about what this struggle meant, not just for Russia, but for the world. There are parts throughout the book in which he expresses the excitement about how the Russian Revolution would affect other countries, and would eventually bring about an international workers' revolution inspired by the ideology of Lenin's radical Marxism.

Exactly what went wrong after all of this is another story, left open for endless debate. An extreme example of socialism in the vein of Lenin's Bolshevik ideology probably wasn't the most reasonable alternative to capitalism or absolute monarchy, but at the time of the Tsar's very necessary abdication, it could've been construed as an almost transcendent change. Unfortunately, a party that ran on such extreme ideology was bound to enforce draconian laws as severe and unreasonable as that of the Tsarist Monarchy or the Provisional Government. Introduce a boorish thinker such as Stalin into the mix some decades later, and you have an ideological nightmare.

Reed's book is an incredible phenomenon though. Here was a man who was front and center for all of it. One who had actually stood and listened to the speeches of Lenin and Trotsky. He writes prose that, as frantic as it occasionally sounds, seems to leap off of the page. There is an incredible attention to detail, for what must have been an overwhelming experience to take in. Ten Days that Shook the World will forever remain a classic due to its exuberance and charm; it's a testament to its authors' bold dedication to spreading the news of one of Western Europe's most pivotal events.(less)

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May 04, 2013 Ahmed Kurdish added it · review of another edition

يعتبر كتاب عشرة ايام هزت العالم ، من اروع واصدق ما كتب عن الثورة الروسية عام 1917. ومؤلفة جون ريد وهو صحفى شيوعى اميركى، قد تعرض لكثير من المخاطر وهو يتنقل بين الثوار وجنود الجيش الاحمر ووبين العمال و الفلاحين البلاشفة ..لرصد اهم واصعب المواقف السياسية والشخصية والانسانية التى تتكامل مع بعضها لترسم لنا ادق تفاصيل الثورة الروسية بكل سلاسة ويسر فى اسلوب روائى وادبى شيق للغاية حتى ان القارىء العادى والذى لا يعرف مسبقا من هم البلاشفة ، او ماهى ثورة اكتوبر او ثورة فبراير ؟ والعديد من اسامى الاحزاب ال...more يعتبر كتاب عشرة ايام هزت العالم ، من اروع واصدق ما كتب عن الثورة الروسية عام 1917. ومؤلفة جون ريد وهو صحفى شيوعى اميركى، قد تعرض لكثير من المخاطر وهو يتنقل بين الثوار وجنود الجيش الاحمر ووبين العمال و الفلاحين البلاشفة ..لرصد اهم واصعب المواقف السياسية والشخصية والانسانية التى تتكامل مع بعضها لترسم لنا ادق تفاصيل الثورة الروسية بكل سلاسة ويسر فى اسلوب روائى وادبى شيق للغاية حتى ان القارىء العادى والذى لا يعرف مسبقا من هم البلاشفة ، او ماهى ثورة اكتوبر او ثورة فبراير ؟ والعديد من اسامى الاحزاب السياسية والمدن الروسية ..سيكون لدية صورة واضحة تماما عن اكتوبر وتضحيات الشعب الروسى فى سبيل اسقاط القيصرية فى فبراير ثم حكومة الرأسماليين المؤقتة فى اكتوبر واعلان نجاح اول ثورة اشتراكية فى العالم . وان كان جون ريد قد عانى الامرين فى سبيل اعداد هذا الكتاب متحملا دوى الرصاص والانفجارات من حولة ....فقد عانى ما هو اشد من ذلك فى وطنة (امريكا) عندما اراد ان ينشرة ..فحتى ذلك الوقت لم يكن ينشر فى اميركا واوروبا الا احقر الاكاذيب والادعائات البرجوازية لتشوية الثورة الروسية حتى لا يلفتوا نظر عمال وفلاحين بلادهم لبطولة اخوانهم فى روسيا وكيف استطاعوا انتزاع السلطة من ايدى مستغليهم ، وتعرضت المخطوطة الاصلية لست محاولات سرقة على ايدى قطاع طرق لاتلافها ، ولكن رغم كافة المصاعب والعراقيل . فقد اصدر الكتاب فى اميركا عام 1919. واصبح المؤلف الاول فى الادب العالمى الذى قص على الانسانية جمعاء، حقيقة الثورة الاشتراكية المنتصرة فى روسيا ، هذة الثورة التى دشنت بداية عصر جديد فى تاريخ الانسانية ....عصر الثورة البروليتارية .....
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Mar 09, 2013 Richard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Starry-eyed account of the unfolding October Revolution as it happened.

I must admit some of the endless public meetings and interminable political speeches by worthy enlightened workers would have bored the crap out of me (had I been there). However, it's good to have a sense of it through eyes of another who experienced it, even if it is through extremely rose-tinted spectacles.

It was an amazing time and this is a great American-English perspective, as close and veritable, if sugar-coated, as...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Lizzie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, memoirs, read-in-2012, russia, revolutions

I gave this a go after the Arabist noted that no one had yet to write the 'Ten Days that Shook the World' of the Arab Spring: http://www.arabist.net/blog/2012/8/28... I'm not sorry I read the book, byzantine, unfocused, and sentimental though it was.

Reed was clearly immersed in the history of all the players as the October Revolution came to a head- he jumps in midstream and gleefully recounts the intrigues of Bolsheviki, Mensheviki, Mensheviki Internationalists, Cadets, Left Socialist Revolutio...more I gave this a go after the Arabist noted that no one had yet to write the 'Ten Days that Shook the World' of the Arab Spring: http://www.arabist.net/blog/2012/8/28... I'm not sorry I read the book, byzantine, unfocused, and sentimental though it was.

Reed was clearly immersed in the history of all the players as the October Revolution came to a head- he jumps in midstream and gleefully recounts the intrigues of Bolsheviki, Mensheviki, Mensheviki Internationalists, Cadets, Left Socialist Revolutionaries, provisional governments, all kinds of ad hoc worker, soldier, and peasant organizations, and enough committees to bring the cows home. And Reed often captures the stunning anticlimax of an underdog victory- wandering through the Winter Palace after the Red Guards take the building, for example, where the primary issues seem to be confusion and a brave effort to keep people from stuffing their pockets with souvenirs. Reed's at his best capturing snippets of key players dashing to and from the next battle and in his relentless cataloguing of the tsunami of posters, notices, circulars, articles, pamphlets, and marginalia of the revolutionary and counter-revolutionary forces.

That said, Reed is of course an unreliable narrator hugely invested in the Bolshevik narrative. He is prone to sudden, maudlin, and often condescending bouts of sentimentality. For example, while describing the burial of Bolshevik-affiliated dead at the Kremlin Reed takes a moment laden with potential pathos and kills it with the memorable line, "The poor love each other so!" Reed goes to endless lengths to describe the rough, simple, uneducated, dirty, smelly, and ect. nature of his proletarian protagonists; despite this he never really conveys what passions, convictions, and other forces motivated ordinary people to participate in one way or another in this second revolution. Reed may be ideologically committed to rule of the proletariat but he's certainly first and foremost an elite in the vanguard- he writes about working people as though they were a noble but alien race.

The best lines, of course, go to a forceful, contemptuous, devastating Lenin- try these remarks on a movement within his own party to reestablish freedom of the press: "To tolerate the bourgeois newspapers would mean to cease being a Socialist. When one makes a Revolution, one cannot mark time; one must always go forward- or go back. He who now talks about the 'freedom of the Press' goes backward, and halts our headlong course toward Socialism...It is impossible to separate the question of the freedom of the Press from the other questions of the class struggle. We have promised to close these newspapers, and we shall do it. The immense majority of the people is with us!"

There certainly are interesting historical paralells to draw, some founded and others less so. But Reed does a good job of showing how categorically easy it is to outflank moderates, and how the threat of a coup from the right lends leverage to those seeking an equally drastic turn to the left. Amidst the chaos, confusion, and misery of this revolution, the most ideological and committed parties were best positioned to sieze power in a winner-takes-all strategy. The failures of republican-minded Russian revolutionaries to carry the day are left to another book's analysis.(less)

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Sep 10, 2012 Nicholas Lee is currently reading it

A friend of mine moved into a new apartment where a history professor from Harvard sublet the place to him. The professor left behind his effects - a dagger, a cursed walking stick, a large collection of vintage films (each one legally purchased), several love letters from several lady-friends, and several bookshelves, all furnished with books - in English, German, and Russian. The books subject matter concerns Eurasian history, revolution, and culture. Having been the second person to stumble o...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Maduck831 rated it 5 of 5 stars

[Philip Price of the Manchester Guardian] “About the middle of December 1917, a group of Socialist Revolutionary leaders paid a private visit to Sir George Buchanan, the British Ambassador, and implored him not to mention the fact that they had been there because they were considered too far Right.’ / ‘And to think,’ said Sir George, ‘one year ago my Government instructed me not to receive Milyukov, because he was so dangerously Left!’ (37) ‘Comrades,’ he (soldier) cried, and there was real angu...more [Philip Price of the Manchester Guardian] “About the middle of December 1917, a group of Socialist Revolutionary leaders paid a private visit to Sir George Buchanan, the British Ambassador, and implored him not to mention the fact that they had been there because they were considered too far Right.’ / ‘And to think,’ said Sir George, ‘one year ago my Government instructed me not to receive Milyukov, because he was so dangerously Left!’ (37) ‘Comrades,’ he (soldier) cried, and there was real anguish in his drawn face and despairing gestures. ‘The people at the top are always calling upon us to sacrifice more, sacrifice more, while those who have everything are left unmolested.” (45) “The cause of the People is in strong hands. The conspirators will be crushed. / No hesitation or doubts! Firmness, steadfastness, discipline, determination! / Long live the Revolution!” – The Military Revolutionary Committee (83) “But we hope that revolution will soon break out in all the belligerent countries; that is why we address ourselves to the workers of France, England, and Germany… / ‘The revolution of 6 and 7 November,’ he ended, ‘has opened the era of the Social Revolution…The labour movement, in the name of peace and Socialism, shall win, and fulfil its destiny…” (132) “I haven’t the slightest doubt that Soviet troops and Cossacks mingled in the places where these ceremonies were performed.” (176) “There was no battle. But Karensky made a fatal blunder. At seven in the morning he sent word to the Second Tsarskoye Selo Rifles to lay down their arms. The soldiers replied that they would remain neutral, but would not disarm. Kerensky gave them ten minutes in which to obey.” (181) “People in revolt have a way of defying military precedent.” (200) “It flashed upon me suddenly; they were going to shoot me!” (213) “But about midnight they began to clump up the stairs, in groups of ten or twenty – big, rough men, in coarse clothes, fresh from the battle-line, where they had fought like devils for a week, seeing their comrades fall all about them.” (226) “The only reason for Bolshevik success lay in their accomplishing the vast and simple desires of the most profound strata of the people, calling them to the work of tearing down and destroying the old, and afterwards, in the smoke of falling ruins, cooperating with them to erect the framework of the new…” (254) “Followed him Lenin, listened to now with the absorbing intensity. ‘At this moment we are not only trying to solve the land question, but the question of Social Revolution – not only here in Russia, but all over the world.” (263) “…that it will take all revolutionary measures to hasten the passing of the power into the hands of the working class in other countries, and that it will assure in this manner the lasting accomplishment of a just peace and the victory of socialism.” (271) (less)

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Jul 09, 2011 Petter Nordal rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is an amazing book. If it were fiction i would categorize it as trashy pulp adventure suspense: From the very beginning we know the Bolsheviki are going to pull it off, but on every page there is something to stop them, something to save the country or ruin everyone or cause civil war or avoid civil war. What makes it gut wrenching is that it's a first hand account of actual events which lead a country of 150 million hoping for reform and democratic socialism into a totaliatarial state. Wha...more

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May 01, 2008 Sara Kearns rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: politics, history, read-again

another one i have to re-read, and am super-excited to do so. it blew me away the first time, and i expect it will again. 'highly recommended. and i'd also recommend the film made about the book's author and his wife, "reds," with diane keaton, warren beatty, and jack nicholson. it's one of my favorites.

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Apr 21, 2008 Raegan Butcher rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: pinkos, commies and other idealists

The original pinko journalist gives his account of the Bolshevik revolution, that glorious day after which all Russians settled down to 70 yrs of draconian misrule and murderous folly.What fun eh?

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Apr 30, 2013 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2013

"10 Days That Shook The World" is the story of how the Bolsheviks took power in Russia in 1917. It clearly illustrates the confusion that existed in Russia at the time, confusion created by the vacuum of power when the Tsar was ousted. So many political parties sprung up like weeds, all of them socialist in nature; each of them vying for the number one position.

You can't read this book without developing a great sympathy for the Russian people during this era. Look how we Americans get when our...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Joe rated it 2 of 5 stars

Reed actually lived through the Russian Revolution of 1917 in St. Petersburg so he knows what he's talking about. However, he was a member of the American Communist Party and this leads to a very biased view of events. He favors the Bolshevik; the book borders on propaganda as opposed to objective journalism. This being said, it is still a more nuanced view than official Soviet Party history. The reader gets a good sense of the chaos and uncertainty surrounding the events of November 1917: starv...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Claire added it · review of another edition

A vivid read, which captures the confused and confusing nature of a country in the grip of a revolution that was to change the world. However, this is very clearly a one-sided account of events - Reed wears his Bolshevik sympathies on his sleeve and makes little effort to distinguish between the countless fracturing opposition factions, which leaves the reader somewhat bemused at times. I also found his style of writing somewhat irritating, and unless the reader has some knowledge of Russia befo...more

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Mar 07, 2011 Brian Leach rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The description above says the author provided a dispassionate observation of the Bolshevik revolution. That couldn't be farther from the truth. Author Reed was the most famous American socialist of his time and he very lovingly describes the actions of the Bolsheviks and their leaders. Lenin and Trotsky are regularly praised and positioned as messianic figures for the working class.

Those facts notwithstanding the book is a good historical account of what happened during that fateful time that w...more

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Sep 06, 2011 Shaune added it

I picked this off the shelf at my parents' house, namely because I wanted something to help me pass the time at work (it's the slower season here at my job). The book covers the Russian Revolution during the early 20th Century. I have zero knowlege of Russian history, so I figured why not pick this book up and learn something. Honestly though, it's a pretty dry read, like a textbook. I thought it was pretty dense and boring. I don't remember much from it. On a positive note, the book is written...more

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Aug 15, 2012 David Niose rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you enjoy Russian History, particularly accounts of the revolutions of 1917, this first-hand narration from an American who was on the scene is a must read. Jo
Jack Reed was the character featured in Warren Beatty's classic film "Reds," and this book brings to life the excitement of the revolutionary era. It has more detail than some readers will want, but it is still readable even for one who is not very familiar with the subject. Still, those who have some knowledge of the parties and events...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Moamen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Though this book was clearly not neutral in its orientation and the political views of John Reed which really questions the "authenticity" of some of the minor details in this book ,I should say that this book is a great historical and human account of some great events that changed the world for days to come . The narration style of John Reed was great and really thrilling ... also hats down for his beautiful ability to simplify and give a clear picture of the political and social situation of...more

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Aug 15, 2010 Dale rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, nonfiction, politics

John Reed, a young socialist from Portland, Oregon, went to Russia in 1917 as a journalist to report on the unfolding revolution. Russia was in great turmoil, with widespread opposition to the war, a struggling economy, and shortages of basic necessities. The government was barely in control of the situation, and political influence was fractured among many political parties ranging from the far-right to the communist left. Reed was a revolutionist, and so supported the position of the bolshevik...more John Reed, a young socialist from Portland, Oregon, went to Russia in 1917 as a journalist to report on the unfolding revolution. Russia was in great turmoil, with widespread opposition to the war, a struggling economy, and shortages of basic necessities. The government was barely in control of the situation, and political influence was fractured among many political parties ranging from the far-right to the communist left. Reed was a revolutionist, and so supported the position of the bolsheviks: aggressively push for an alternative government composed of people's committees, and strip the existing government of all power.

So this book is the story, seen from within the power struggles in Petrograd, of the collapse of the Russian government and the rise to power of the bolsheviks. This was not a coup, as right-wing historians would have us believe, but a mass uprising, with widespread support from Russian soldiers and sailors (and fierce opposition from their officers), labor unions, and (with many exceptions) peasants. The political aims were withdrawal from the war, redistribution of land, and worker control of the factories. Though the bolsheviks probably never achieved majority support for their party, it seems clear enough that their political aims were by far the majority position.

The book only covers the early days, up to the assumption of power by the soviets, but already it was clear that this would not be a peaceful transition of power. The opposition by foreign capitalists and by Russian landholders would see to that. For the next five years the new Soviet Union would fight a civil war in which the anti-socialist forces were aided by foreign governments, leading to the further erosion of the economy, and, of course, great loss of life. It is hard to see how a democratic socialist state could have arisen out of those conditions: the old oligarchy still had plenty of economic and political clout and would never relinquish control without a fight. In the end, of course, the government that came out of those struggles was socialist in name only. It is tempting to blame that course of events on Stalin, but I think the seeds were sown by the existential struggle of the civil war.(less)

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Jul 29, 2012 Ali-nasrat rated it 2 of 5 stars

في هذا الكتاب يقدم جون ريد نظرته لأحداث الثورة البلشفية التي صادف وجوده في روسيا وقت اندلاعها عام 1917 . ينجح ريد في نقل حالة التخبط السياسي و الاجتماعي قبيل و خلال الثورة فيقدم من خلال محاوراته و تجاربه الشخصية نماذج لكل الاطراف الفاعلة في الازمة بدأً من العمال و الفلاحون و الجنود و وصولاً لاراء جماعات سياسية كالبلاشفة و الاشتراكيين الثوريين بجناحيهم بل و حتي انصار حكومة كيرينسكي . الكتاب يؤرخ لفترة محددة من عمر الثورة الروسية الكبري و هي قبيل استيلاءالبلاشفة علي الحكم و هروب كيرينسكي بعشرة اي...more

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Jul 23, 2008 The Narrator rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to The Narrator by: John Reed, via letter

Dear Reader, I found this banal account to be rather lacking of a certain... dramatic flair necessary for any recording of historical import. Had I written this, certainly fierce battles would have been waged, tearful farewell letters would have been written while looking morosely out the window, great speeches would have been delivered to empty halls of the Winter Palace, the guillotine would have played a prominent, if not central role, and so forth. Instead, we learn that a few telegraph post...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Brian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: russian-history-russia

Ten Days that Shook the world is an eyewitness account to the opening salvo of the Russian Revolutions. While I found Timothy White’s account of the Chinese revolution to be more riveting this book still provides a factual basis for what occurred during those early and chaotic days of the Russian revolution. This is not a day by day account and there are some that accuse read of being paid by the Soviets for what he wrote. Overall it is chaotically organized and all over the map while trying to...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Marcello La rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's an amazing first-hand report of one of the most important event in the history of last century, very detailed and actually shocking, wonderfully written, it's a surprisingly pleasant read for an essay.
The point of view is, of course, that of an enthusiast of the first wave, but his report looks pretty reliable.
It's definitely a good starting point to understand a very important part of 20th century events.

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Dec 05, 2010 James Debruicker rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is an adorable book. John Reed was SUCH an avid Communist, and he was SO happy to write this book to present the true story of what actually happened. However, it winds up being some day-zero Communist propaganda. The footnotes are pretty hilarious. There's a lot of Reed writing up some heroic Bolshevik action, then a little "*" at the end, followed by "* This did not actually happen."

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Mar 08, 2009 John rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

John Reed, the author, was shortsighted. He was frequently wrong. And his enthusiasm seems especially misplaced when you consider that, ahem, he sure as shootin' would have disappeared in a purge sooner or later if he hadn't died of typhus in 1920. But "Ten Days" is riveting, even today, fairly dripping with an energy that is not rooted in the acronym-festooned story it tells.

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Jan 31, 2009 Julia Pheifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read this during my WWI phase. At first I was completely unimpressed and then I realized that I was reading it out of context. At the time, his style was probably cutting edge. Writing as he thought it/saw it, not in a scholarly way. After that, it was quite good. I think the world needs an annotated edition because he doesn't explain a lot (it's journalism, not history).

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Aug 02, 2011 Nicolas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

D'un premier abord compliqué, vu le nombre de tendances politiques et de personnes différentes, la suite du livre se révèle plus captivante. L'auteur nous fait vivre les premières semaines après la Révolution d'Octobre en Russie. Son témoignage est éclairant et clarifie cette période de l'Histoire même si, par moment, le parti pris est évident. Dans tous les cas, un livre indispensable aux férus d'Histoire russe!

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Feb 16, 2009 Gerald rated it 3 of 5 stars

A good book. what comes across clearly is the chaos that came to Russia during that time and how easily the communists could have mirrored, through their determination to bring the change, earlier governments in the use of force.

Read with a clear mind, as the factions are numerous and sometimes fleeting. However the complexity that John Reed tries to portray does not undermine the visceral feel of the change.

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Oct 28, 2008 Moira rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I ploughed my way dutifully through this and I have to say that it probably isn't the best starter book for a Russian revolution neophyte. John Reed wrote with the immediacy of a man who was there, obsessively noting down EVERYTHING. He captured the chaos - and the endless meetings - that typified the October 'revolution' but unfortunately, from this distance, the end result is one of confusion. The glossary he so helpfully provided to assist you in finding your way through the maze of different...more

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Feb 28, 2013 David rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who thinks the Russian Revolution was a bad thing

Shelves: socialist-politics

This book shows how f***ing exciting it was for people who weren't kings or rich bosses to actually take control of their own destiny. The Russian Revolution, most people don't realize, was nearly bloodless and practically the most democratic event in all of world history.

"But what about Stalin and the gulags and all that?" Stalin was a brutal dictator, but saying that Lenin led to Stalin is like saying Jesus led to the Spanish Inquisition or to the Oklahoma City bombing (McVeigh was a Christian...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Stefano rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: storia, e-book, lingua-originale

Very interesting report from a left wing journalist, directly from the scenes.
Appealing the newspapers articles, the discussions, the passion.
But many seeds of what would happen in the following years are visible.

It is needed to complement and integrate with other books, from the same author, and from different points of view.

Interessantissimo reportage da parte di un giornalista di "sinistra", direttamente dai luoghi dove si sono svolti i fatti.
Interessante notare la quantità di giornali, i pro...more

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About John Reed

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

John Silas Reed, often referred to by his nickname, Jack, was an American journalist, poet & communist activist, remembered for his 1st-hand account of the Bolshevik Revolution, Ten Days that Shook the World. He was the 1st husband of the writer & feminist Louise Bryant.

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The Education of John Reed; Selected Writings

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