The Twilight of Imperial Russia

by Richard D. Charques

Recounts the personalities, events and movements which dominated the reign of Nicholas II in a penetrating and provocative analysis of the forces which led to the collapse of Russian tsarism.

Genres: History, Russia

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

Reviews

[Simone Pelizza · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of pre-revolutionary Russia, full of details on the political, social, and economic life of the period. Perhaps the author's judgment of Russian liberals is too harsh. They certainly made serious mistakes, especially during both revolutions of 1905 and 1917, but they also had to contend with a repressive, autocratic regime on the right and unreliable allies on the left. Therefore, it was very difficult to do things right in such conditions. Apart from this, however, Charques provides a balanced perspective on Russian politics during the reign of Nicholas II (1894-1917), exploring key issues such as agrarian reform and the debates about socialism and parliamentary democracy. His analyses of the Russo-Japanese War and the First World War are also quite effective, underlining the deep reasons behind Russia's defeat in both conflicts.
Overall, an enjoyable and well-crafted text, which may be outdated in some parts, but is still valid as a general introduction to the topic.

[Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book on the eve of the fall of imperial Russia, lots of detail into the political background and the colourful personalities involved in Russia's "Twilight", but ultimately written is a very hard to digest format that is more suited for academia than those who wish to understand how Tsarist Russia collapsed.

[Richard Seltzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deals with complicated historical situation clearly and simply.
I read it as part of my research for my upcoming novel The Bulatovich Saga: The Name of Man.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this gem at a used bookshop for $2.50, angry after not being able to find "The Future of Nostalgia" by Svetlana Boym. Definitely worth the price of admission.

Written in the scathing English of a pompous 1960s Oxford man, "The Twilight of Imperial Russia" is as entertaining as a book on this subject could possibly be. Worth reading not only for the laborious detail Charques uses to illustrate the fall of the Romanov monarchy but also as an examination of Cold War-era British thinking towards Russian history.