Robert Service – författare

In July 1917, when the Provisional Government issued a warrant for his arrest, Lenin fled from Petrograd; later that year, the October Revolution swept him to supreme power. In the short intervening period he spent in Finland, he wrote his impassioned, never-completed masterwork The State and Revolution. This powerfully argued book offers both the rationale for the new regime and a wealth of insights into Leninist politics. It was here that Lenin justified his personal interpretation of Marxism, savaged his opponents and set out his trenchant views on class conflict, the lessons of earlier revolutions, the dismantling of the bourgeois state and the replacement of capitalism by the dictatorship of the proletariat. As both historical document and political statement, its importance can hardly be exaggerated.Translated and edited with an introduction by Robert Service

Robert Service's The Penguin History of Modern Russia: From Tsarism to the Twenty-first Century provides a superb panorama of Russia in the modern age.Russia's recent past has encompassed revolution, civil war, mass terror and two world wars, and the country is still undergoing huge change.In his acclaimed history, now revised and updated with a new introduction and final chapter, Robert Service explores the complex, changing interaction between rulers and ruled from Tsar Nicholas II, through the Russian Revolutions of 1905 and 1917; from Lenin and Stalin through to Gorbachev, Yeltsin, Putin and beyond.This new edition also discusses Russia's unresolved economic and social difficulties and its determination to regain its leading role on the world stage and explains how, despite the recent years of de-communization, the seven decades of communist rule which penetrated every aspect of life still continue to influence Russia today.'Always well-informed and balanced in his judgements, clear and concise in his analysis ... Service is extremely good on Soviet politics' Orlando Figes, Sunday Telegraph'A fine book ... it is a dizzying tale and Service tells it well; he has none of the ideological baggage that has so often bedevilled Western histories of Russia' Brian Moynahan, Sunday TimesRobert Service is a Fellow of the British Academy and of St Antony's College, Oxford. He has written several books, including the highly acclaimed Lenin: A Biography, Russia: Experiment with a People, Stalin: A Biography and Comrades: A History of World Communism, as well as many other books on Russia's past and present. His most recent book, Trotsky, has been shortlisted for the Duff Cooper Prize.

'Lively and insightful' – The Times'Magnificent' – The Guardian'A masterly piece of scholarship, written like a political thriller' – The Irish Times‘Superb . . . A work of quite exceptional scholarship and narrative verve’ – Literary Review‘A must-read for those fascinated by the decline and fall of the USSR’ – Mark Galeotti'Immensely well-researched and compellingly written . . . grips the reader from page one' – Andrew RobertsFrom the acclaimed author of Kremlin Winter and Blood on the Snow, a dramatic and expertly researched account of an extraordinary moment in Russia’s recent history: the August Coup.In the summer of 1991, a group of eight plotters came together to overthrow Mikhail Gorbachëv, then the president of the USSR. These ruthless conspirators, who occupied positions of high office, declared a state of emergency to restore stability through authoritarian rule. The reality turned out to be a shambolic failure which hastened the fall of the USSR and a pivotal shift from communism to capitalism.Beginning with a minute-by-minute re-enactment of Gorbachëv’s capture in his holiday home in Crimea, Robert Service follows the plot from its inception to its humiliating collapse. The troubling side effects of Gorbachëv’s well-meant reforms in the Soviet Union – business fraud, government corruption, organized crime and interethnic conflict – increased exponentially, and a New Russia was born. Fathered by Boris Yeltsin, it brought lamentably less benefit to the Russian economy or its people than he had promised.Linking the years from the coup itself to today’s Russia under Vladimir Putin, The August Coup is a thoroughly compelling and original chronicle of a moment that changed Russian and global politics forever.

A masterful and forensic study of the last year of Nicholas II’s reign, from a world-leading scholar of Russian history.‘Outstanding . . . essential reading’ – Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Mail on SundayIn March 1917, Nicholas II, the last Tsar of All the Russias, abdicated and the dynasty that had ruled an empire for three hundred years was forced from power by revolution. Robert Service examines the last year of Nicholas's reign and the months between that momentous abdication and his death, with his family, in Ekaterinburg in July 1918.Drawing on the Tsar's own diaries and other hitherto unexamined contemporary records, Service reveals a man who was almost entirely out of his depth, perhaps even willfully so. A vivid portrait, The Last of the Tsars is simultaneously a compelling account of the social, economic and political foment in Russia in the aftermath of Alexander Kerensky's February Revolution, the Bolshevik seizure of power in October 1917 and the beginnings of Lenin's Soviet republic.Authoritative, engaging and meticulously researched, this is a superb work of historical biography.‘A timely and important book . . . he brings to it rare clarity and common sense. His book is a fast-paced account of the last sixteen months of the tsar’s life; brief, sharp, but laced with well-judged feeling for the dramas of the time’ – Catherine Merridale, The ObserverDiscover more fascinating Russian Revolution titles from Robert Service: Spies and Commissars and Blood on the Snow.

An acclaimed examination of the global history of communism, from one of the finest historians of modern Russia.‘One of the best-ever studies of the subject . . . a remarkable accomplishment.’ – The EconomistDecades after the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the USSR, Robert Service sets out to trace its origins, tracking its spread across the globe throughout the twentieth century. From the USSR to Yugoslavia, Cuba to Western Europe, he chronicles the history of communist theory, spotlighting major events and individuals, and discussing the ideas right at its very heart.From pre-Marxist thought to modern China, Service paints an authoritative portrait of communism and examines its place in the world in the twenty-first century. Unsettling, engaging and brilliantly argued, Comrades is a superb work of history and one that demands to be read.‘An outstanding book, written with grace and style.’ – Victor Sebestyen, The Daily Telegraph‘Bears all the hallmarks of a classic work of historical literature . . . the true international legacy of communism [is] analysed to magisterial effect in this exhilarating work.’ – Hwyel Williams, The New Statesman

The vigour, humour and rugged rhythms of Robert Service's ballads of Yukon have given them great appeal. This is a collection of 39 poems that relate to his years in North America, and include "Men of the High North", "The Ballad of the Northern Lights" and "Eldorado".

'Lively and insightful' – The Times'Magnificent' – The Guardian'A masterly piece of scholarship, written like a political thriller' – The Irish Times‘Superb’ – Literary Review‘A must-read’ – Mark Galeotti'Grips the reader from page one' – Andrew RobertsIn August 1991, eight ruthless conspirators attempted to seize control of the USSR. Instead, they destroyed it.From our finest historian of Soviet Russia, Professor Robert Service, comes a dramatic, minute-by-minute account of the August Coup, the extraordinary flashpoint that ushered in the end of the USSR and changed global politics forever.When the architects of the coup abducted Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachëv from his Crimean holiday home, they intended to restore strict authoritarian rule. Instead, their desperate plot devolved into a shambolic failure, accelerating the collapse of the Soviet Union and triggering a chaotic shift to capitalism.Masterfully linking this three-day crisis to present-day Russia, Service exposes how the fallout of the coup, and the corruption that followed under Boris Yeltsin, ultimately paved the way for the rise of Vladimir Putin. The result is this gripping, deeply researched chronicle of one of Russia’s most pivotal turning points.

In Blood on the Snow, Robert Service returns to the subject that has formed the backbone of his long and distinguished career: the Russian Revolution.'A terrific book about a terrifying subject by the best historian of Russia working today' – Michael Burleigh, author of The Third ReichFor Service, the great unanswered question is how to reconcile the two narratives that underpin the troubled events of 1917. One puts the blame squarely on Tsar Nicholas II and on Alexander Kerensky’s provisional government that deposed him. The other is the view from the bottom, that of the workers and peasants who wanted democratic socialism, not the Bolshevik dictatorship imposed by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin and his successors.Service's vivid and revisionist account spans the period from the outbreak of the First World War to Lenin’s death in 1924. He reveals that key seeds of the revolution were sown by the Tsar's decision to join the war against Germany in 1914. He shows with brutal clarity how those events played out, eventually leading to the establishment of the totalitarian Soviet regime, which would endure for the next seven decades.Nicholas II, Kerensky and Lenin are to the fore, but Service enriches his narrative by drawing on little-known diaries of those such as the Vologda peasant Alexander Zamaraev, the NCO Alexei Shtukaturov and the Moscow accounts clerk Nikita Okunev. Through the testimony of these ‘ordinary’ people, Service traces the tortuous path that Russia took through war, revolution and civil war, in his trademark engaging style.'This authoritative, detailed account shows how Lenin won control of Russia and caused untold misery . . . ' – The Times

This popular, concise and highly readable study discusses the key themes and debates about the Russian Revolution. Robert Service's lively analysis examines:- state and society under the Romanovs from 1900- The February and October Revolutions of 1917- The final years of the Romanov dynasty and the start of the Soviet order- Comparisons with political, social and economic trends elsewhere in the world- The extent to which the later development of the USSR was conditioned by the October RevolutionClear and incisive, the fourth edition has been thoroughly revised and updated in the light of the latest research and features a new scene-setting Introduction and maps. Service's text remains the essential starting point for anyone studying this tumultuous period in the history of Russia and the world in the twentieth century.

A comprehensive overview of twentieth-century Russian history that treats the years from 1917 to 2000 as a single period and analyses the peculiar mixture of political, economic and social ingredients that made up the Soviet compound. It takes the reader from the age of communist rule to the changes that occurred in 1991 and the more uncertain world of Yeltsin and Putin.

Robert Service's The Penguin History of Modern Russia: From Tsarism to the Twenty-first Century provides a superb panorama of Russia in the modern age.Russia's recent past has encompassed revolution, civil war, mass terror and two world wars, and the country is still undergoing huge change.In his acclaimed history, now revised and updated with a new introduction and final chapter, Robert Service explores the complex, changing interaction between rulers and ruled from Tsar Nicholas II, through the Russian Revolutions of 1905 and 1917; from Lenin and Stalin through to Gorbachev, Yeltsin, Putin and beyond.This new edition also discusses Russia's unresolved economic and social difficulties and its determination to regain its leading role on the world stage and explains how, despite the recent years of de-communization, the seven decades of communist rule which penetrated every aspect of life still continue to influence Russia today.'Always well-informed and balanced in his judgements, clear and concise in his analysis ... Service is extremely good on Soviet politics' Orlando Figes, Sunday Telegraph'A fine book ... it is a dizzying tale and Service tells it well; he has none of the ideological baggage that has so often bedevilled Western histories of Russia' Brian Moynahan, Sunday TimesRobert Service is a Fellow of the British Academy and of St Antony's College, Oxford. He has written several books, including the highly acclaimed Lenin: A Biography, Russia: Experiment with a People, Stalin: A Biography and Comrades: A History of World Communism, as well as many other books on Russia's past and present. His most recent book, Trotsky, has been shortlisted for the Duff Cooper Prize.

Robert Service, world-leading expert in Russian history, presents a fresh portrait of the early years of the Revolution.‘Fascinating . . . Service has a wonderful eye for the telling detail’ – Independent1917. The world is locked in an ideological battle.The Western powers are anxious to prevent Bolshevism spreading across Europe. Lenin and Trotsky are equally anxious that their Communist vision should do just that. But in the wake of the Revolution and Russia’s withdrawal from the First World War, there is a distinct lack of reliable information available to either side.Into this intelligence void step an extraordinary collection of journalists, spies – sometimes not mutually exclusive categorisations – and opportunists. In Moscow Britain’s Arthur Ransome, the American John Reed and Sidney Reilly –the ‘Ace of Spies’ – trade information and broker deals between Russia and the West; in Berlin, Paris and London, the likes of Maxim Litvinov, Adolf Ioffe and Kamenev try to infiltrate the political elite and influence foreign policy to the Bolshevik advantage. Spies and Commissars is a riveting account of the political wrangling in the immediate aftermath of the Revolution, brought to life through the stories of this ragtag group of individuals. With trademark narrative flair and impeccable research, Robert Service reveals one of the great untold tales of the twentieth century.‘The twenty-first century needs this kind of unflinchingly honest history’ – Simon Sebag Montefiore, Wall Street JournalDiscover more fascinating Russian Revolution titles from Robert Service: The Last of the Tsars and Blood on the Snow.

Winner of the Duff Cooper Prize, an acclaimed portrait of Leon Trotsky from one of the finest scholars of modern and Soviet era Russia.‘An outstanding, fascinating biography of this dazzling titan’ – Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Daily TelegraphTrotsky lived a brilliant life in extraordinary times. A pioneering radical politician, theorist, and icon of the Russian Revolution, he is commonly portrayed by his followers as a pure revolutionary soul and powerful intellect unjustly hounded into exile by Stalin and his henchmen.Robert Service draws upon a wealth of material from previously unexamined archives to craft a vivid biography of this colossal figure, challenging traditionally held views and assumptions. Spanning from Trotsky’s childhood as part of a Jewish farming family to the years of his banishment, Trotsky: A Biography simultaneously chronicles his role in some of the biggest moments in Russian history: the October Revolution, the establishment of the Red Army, the Civil War.A thoroughly engaging and balanced account, it moves beyond Trotsky’s public persona, painting a rich picture of a sparkling writer, ‘ladies’ man’, philosopher of everyday life and grand seigneur of his household. Robert Service’s research and profound understanding of Russian history combine in this masterful and compelling biography of the man and his legacy.‘Exemplary’ – Robert Harris, The Sunday TimesDiscover more acclaimed biographies from Robert Service: Stalin and Lenin.

A critically acclaimed portrait of Vladimir Lenin, from one of the finest scholars of modern and Soviet era Russia.'This book deserves a place among the best studies of one of the most fascinating figures in modern history' – Harold Shukman, The TimesA colossal figure whose influence on twentieth-century history cannot be underestimated, Lenin’s full story remains somewhat unknown. Drawing on previously unopened archives, Robert Service pieces together public and private lives, painting an authoritative portrait of this revolutionary leader.Seen through Lenin's career, Service chronicles major events in the history of the Soviet Union. From the October Revolution to the politics of inter-war Europe, Lenin: A Biography traverses the ideas of Marxism-Leninism, the one-party state, economic modernisation and dictatorship. Balanced and thoroughly researched, it is simultaneously a portrait of some of the greatest turning points in modern history. In discovering the origins of the USSR, Service casts light on the nature of the state and society which Lenin left behind and which have not entirely disappeared from the Russia of today.'Immensely scholarly but also vivid and readable. This is a splendid book, much the best that I have ever read about Lenin' – Dominic Lieven, Sunday Telegraph'He has managed skilfully to depict the surreal life of an obsessive, brilliant and stubborn individual' – The GuardianDiscover more acclaimed biographies from Robert Service: Stalin and Trotsky.

The acclaimed biography of Joseph Stalin from Robert Service, world-leading expert in modern and Soviet era Russia.'Outstanding . . . will be read for decades' – Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Stalin: The Court of the Red TsarSpanning from childhood to death, Service chronicles every element of Stalin’s life: his formative interactions in Georgia, his youthful revolutionary activism, his relationship with Lenin, with his family, and with his party members. Seen through Stalin’s career, Service recounts some of the greatest events in modern history: the Russian Revolution, World War Two and the early years of the Cold War.Thoroughly researched and balanced, this vivid biography moves beyond the often simplistic portrayals of Stalin as a dedicated bureaucrat or serial political killer, encompassing the multitude of political and personal factors that formed his character.Drawing on a wealth of unexplored material from previously unopened archives, Stalin: A Biography is a masterful, authoritative portrait of the Soviet Union’s longest serving leader.Discover more acclaimed biographies from Robert Service: Lenin and Trotsky.

An acclaimed examination of the global history of communism, from one of the finest historians of modern Russia.‘One of the best-ever studies of the subject . . . a remarkable accomplishment.’ – The EconomistDecades after the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the USSR, Robert Service sets out to trace its origins, tracking its spread across the globe throughout the twentieth century. From the USSR to Yugoslavia, Cuba to Western Europe, he chronicles the history of communist theory, spotlighting major events and individuals, and discussing the ideas right at its very heart.From pre-Marxist thought to modern China, Service paints an authoritative portrait of communism and examines its place in the world in the twenty-first century. Unsettling, engaging and brilliantly argued, Comrades is a superb work of history and one that demands to be read.‘An outstanding book, written with grace and style.’ – Victor Sebestyen, The Daily Telegraph‘Bears all the hallmarks of a classic work of historical literature . . . the true international legacy of communism [is] analysed to magisterial effect in this exhilarating work.’ – Hwyel Williams, The New Statesman

Robert Service, world-leading expert in Russian history, presents a fresh portrait of the early years of the Revolution.‘Fascinating . . . Service has a wonderful eye for the telling detail’ – Independent1917. The world is locked in an ideological battle.The Western powers are anxious to prevent Bolshevism spreading across Europe. Lenin and Trotsky are equally anxious that their Communist vision should do just that. But in the wake of the Revolution and Russia’s withdrawal from the First World War, there is a distinct lack of reliable information available to either side.Into this intelligence void step an extraordinary collection of journalists, spies – sometimes not mutually exclusive categorisations – and opportunists. In Moscow Britain’s Arthur Ransome, the American John Reed and Sidney Reilly –the ‘Ace of Spies’ – trade information and broker deals between Russia and the West; in Berlin, Paris and London, the likes of Maxim Litvinov, Adolf Ioffe and Kamenev try to infiltrate the political elite and influence foreign policy to the Bolshevik advantage.Spies and Commissars is a riveting account of the political wrangling in the immediate aftermath of the Revolution, brought to life through the stories of this ragtag group of individuals. With trademark narrative flair and impeccable research, Robert Service reveals one of the great untold tales of the twentieth century.‘The twenty-first century needs this kind of unflinchingly honest history’ – Simon Sebag Montefiore, Wall Street JournalDiscover more fascinating Russian Revolution titles from Robert Service: The Last of the Tsars and Blood on the Snow.

An acclaimed examination of the latter years of the Cold War, from one of the finest historians of modern Russia.‘Absorbingly written . . . this book is destined to become a classic of Cold War historical literature’ – International AffairsAfter decades of struggles between the USSR and the US over every aspect of security, economics and ideas, the Cold War had seemed like a permanent fixture in global politics. No Western or Soviet politician foresaw that the stand-off would end in their lifetimes, and even the 1985 election of Mikhail Gorbachëv did little to quell the fear of global nuclear Armageddon.But just four years later, the Berlin Wall was dismantled and perestroika spread throughout the former Soviet bloc. It was a sea change in world history, which resulted in the dissolution of the Soviet Union.Drawing on a wealth of pioneering archival research, The End of the Cold War is a gripping investigation into these final years. A story of American pressure and Soviet long-term decline and over-stretch, it pinpoints the astonishing relationships between President Ronald Reagan and Gorbachëv, Secretary of State George Shultz and the USSR's last Foreign Affairs Minister, Eduard Shevardnadze, who found a way to cooperate during times of extraordinary change around the world. A small, skillful group of statesmen, they were determined to end the Cold War on their watch, irreversibly transforming the global geopolitical landscape.In true Robert Service style – authoritative, compelling and meticulously researched – this is political history at its best.‘Our leading historian of the Soviet Union . . . magisterial’ – The Observer

The acclaimed biography of Joseph Stalin from Robert Service, world-leading expert in modern and Soviet era Russia.'Outstanding . . . will be read for decades' – Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Stalin: The Court of the Red TsarSpanning from childhood to death, Service chronicles every element of Stalin’s life: his formative interactions in Georgia, his youthful revolutionary activism, his relationship with Lenin, with his family, and with his party members. Seen through Stalin’s career, Service recounts some of the greatest events in modern history: the Russian Revolution, World War Two and the early years of the Cold War.Thoroughly researched and balanced, this vivid biography moves beyond the often simplistic portrayals of Stalin as a dedicated bureaucrat or serial political killer, encompassing the multitude of political and personal factors that formed his character.Drawing on a wealth of unexplored material from previously unopened archives, Stalin: A Biography is a masterful, authoritative portrait of the Soviet Union’s longest serving leader.Discover more acclaimed biographies from Robert Service: Lenin and Trotsky.

A critically acclaimed portrait of Vladimir Lenin, from one of the finest scholars of modern and Soviet era Russia.'This book deserves a place among the best studies of one of the most fascinating figures in modern history' – Harold Shukman, The TimesA colossal figure whose influence on twentieth-century history cannot be underestimated, Lenin’s full story remains somewhat unknown. Drawing on previously unopened archives, Robert Service pieces together public and private lives, painting an authoritative portrait of this revolutionary leader.Seen through Lenin's career, Service chronicles major events in the history of the Soviet Union. From the October Revolution to the politics of inter-war Europe, Lenin: A Biography traverses the ideas of Marxism-Leninism, the one-party state, economic modernisation and dictatorship. Balanced and thoroughly researched, it is simultaneously a portrait of some of the greatest turning points in modern history.In discovering the origins of the USSR, Service casts light on the nature of the state and society which Lenin left behind and which have not entirely disappeared from the Russia of today.'Immensely scholarly but also vivid and readable. This is a splendid book, much the best that I have ever read about Lenin' – Dominic Lieven, Sunday Telegraph'He has managed skilfully to depict the surreal life of an obsessive, brilliant and stubborn individual' – The GuardianDiscover more acclaimed biographies from Robert Service: Stalin and Trotsky.

Winner of the Duff Cooper Prize, an acclaimed portrait of Leon Trotsky from one of the finest scholars of modern and Soviet era Russia.‘An outstanding, fascinating biography of this dazzling titan’ – Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Daily TelegraphTrotsky lived a brilliant life in extraordinary times. A pioneering radical politician, theorist, and icon of the Russian Revolution, he is commonly portrayed by his followers as a pure revolutionary soul and powerful intellect unjustly hounded into exile by Stalin and his henchmen.Robert Service draws upon a wealth of material from previously unexamined archives to craft a vivid biography of this colossal figure, challenging traditionally held views and assumptions. Spanning from Trotsky’s childhood as part of a Jewish farming family to the years of his banishment, Trotsky: A Biography simultaneously chronicles his role in some of the biggest moments in Russian history: the October Revolution, the establishment of the Red Army, the Civil War.A thoroughly engaging and balanced account, it moves beyond Trotsky’s public persona, painting a rich picture of a sparkling writer, ‘ladies’ man’, philosopher of everyday life and grand seigneur of his household. Robert Service’s research and profound understanding of Russian history combine in this masterful and compelling biography of the man and his legacy.‘Exemplary’ – Robert Harris, The Sunday TimesDiscover more acclaimed biographies from Robert Service: Stalin and Lenin.

Lenin's politics still reverberate around the world even after the death of the USSR. His name elicits revulsion and reverence. Yet Lenin the man remains largely a mystery. This biography reveals Lenin in his full complexity as a revolutionary, political leader, thinker, and private person. 50 halftones. 3 maps.

In this second volume of his Lenin trilogy, Robert Service builds on the approach established in the first. He emphasises the extraordinary circumstances in Russia and the world enabling Lenin to come to power in 1917. He also details ways whereby Lenin led a turbulent Bolshevik party and adjusted its policies so as to gain authority in the soviets. Lenin the crafty and pragmatic politican as well as the utopian and merciless class warrior are portrayed.

The final volume of Robert Service's major trilogy on Lenin's political life takes the account from the Brest-Litovsk Treaty of 1918 to the Bolshevik leader's death in 1924. Attention is paid to the military, political and economic conditions as they changed; to the internal pressures of the party's politics; to ideological imperatives; and to one man's reaction to events and situations he had only imperfectly anticipated. The volume incorporates not only the post-1985 documentary revelations but also the results of the author's searches in the Moscow archives since 1991.

In this second volume of his Lenin trilogy, Robert Service builds on the approach established in the first. He emphasises the extraordinary circumstances in Russia and the world enabling Lenin to come to power in 1917. He also details ways whereby Lenin led a turbulent Bolshevik party and adjusted its policies so as to gain authority in the soviets. Lenin the crafty and pragmatic politican as well as the utopian and merciless class warrior are portrayed.

Russia has undergone immense changes in the 20th century. From tsarism to communism, from communism to the market economy. But to what extent does this market economy reproduce the capitalism that characterised Russia in the centuries before 1917? What are the prospects for a democratic, prosperous Russia? This volume examines the large problems of Russia's past. The linking theme is the balance of continuity and discontinuity in the history of the country across several centuries. The chapters cover a wide range of topics: politics, administration, economy, sociology and culture. They also consider the latest historical discussions in Russia and abroad. The work aims to put Russia into a fresh historical perspective and enable the reader to consider the weight of the past lying on attempts to fashion a different Russian future.