

#7147
Mentioned in 4 episodes
Secondhand Time
The Last of the Soviets
Book • 2013
In 'Secondhand Time', Svetlana Alexievich brings together dozens of voices to create a mosaic of testimonies about the decline of the USSR.
The book charts the period from 1991 to 2012, covering the Yeltsin and Putin decades, and explores the collective trauma and nostalgia of people who found themselves in a world suddenly alien to them.
It delves into themes of suffering, sacrifice, and the enduring legacy of the Soviet era, presenting a human-centered perspective on historical events without analysis or personal commentary.
The book charts the period from 1991 to 2012, covering the Yeltsin and Putin decades, and explores the collective trauma and nostalgia of people who found themselves in a world suddenly alien to them.
It delves into themes of suffering, sacrifice, and the enduring legacy of the Soviet era, presenting a human-centered perspective on historical events without analysis or personal commentary.
Mentioned by











Mentioned in 4 episodes
Mentioned by 

as one of the best books about Russians experiencing the transition from communism to capitalism.


Tracy Alloway

161 snips
Vladislav Zubok on What the Cold War Actually Was
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as an example of a writer who excels at capturing the essence of long conversations.

Amitava Kumar

35 snips
Ep 408: Amitava Kumar Finds His Gulmohar Tree
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as an example in the book from Don Alexievich about Soviet nostalgia.


Seva Gunitsky

11 snips
Whither Strong? Exploring Conceptions of Russian Power
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as a collection of testimonies from ordinary Russians about their experiences with the fall of the Soviet Union.

Rod Dreher

11 snips
Interview: Rod Dreher – Live Not by Lies
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while discussing the perspectives of Russians on Gorbachev and the post-Soviet era.

Martin Di Caro

Back in the USSR
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as a currently-reading book, describing it as a 'timeless' and 'fresh' read despite its historical subject matter.

Nora Lange

Nora Lange, "Us Fools" (Two Dollar Radio, 2024)
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as an example of journalism that uses oral history to excavate censored pasts.

Bruce Shapiro

If it bleeds it leads – Bruce Shapiro on documenting the violence of modern life
Mentioned by 

as an incredible book about the collapse of the Soviet Union and how ordinary people experienced it.


Rod Dreher

s07e63 | How Liberals AND Conservatives Fail Young Men, with Rod Dreher & Dave Greene