Russia through the eyes of Vladimir Putin

This book presents a panorama of Russian society on the eve of the revolution and narrates the story of how these social forces were violently erased. Figes argues that the failure of democracy in 1917 was deeply rooted in Russian culture and social history, and that the revolution contained the seeds of its own degeneration into violence and dictatorship. The book includes miniature histories of individuals, tracing their fortunes as they saw their hopes die and their world crash into ruins. It also covers the broader context of war, civil war, famine, and the eventual rise of a one-party state under the shadow of Stalin[1][3][4].

The Whisperers is a comprehensive account of everyday private life in the Soviet Union during the Stalin era. The book delves into how Soviet people lived, thought, and felt under the oppressive regime, using extensive interviews, letters, diaries, and other personal archives. It examines the moral maze of Soviet society, where minor actions could lead to severe consequences, and how the system influenced family relationships, communication, and personal values. Figes also explores the role of informers and the pervasive atmosphere of fear and surveillance that characterized life under Stalin[1][3][5].