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  • Russia: The Wild East

  • The Complete BBC Radio 4 Series
  • By: Martin Sixsmith
  • Narrated by: Martin Sixsmith
  • Length: 11 hrs and 18 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (234 ratings)
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Russia: The Wild East

By: Martin Sixsmith
Narrated by: Martin Sixsmith
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Summary

Power struggles have a constant presence in Martin Sixsmith's story of Russia. Collected here in 50 episodes, he chronicles the Mongol hordes invading in the 13th century, through the iron autocratic fists of successive tsars, to the fall of the Soviet Union and Russia's re-emergence as a superpower.

Ivan the Terrible, Catherine the Great, Peter the Great - all left their mark on a nation that pursued expansion to the East, West and South. Many tsars flirted with reform, but the gap between the rulers and the ruled widened until, in 1917, the doomed last tsar, Nicholas II, abdicated. After the whirlwind of the revolution, the Bolsheviks struggled to consolidate their victory. To rescue the economy and save the regime, Lenin made concessions to the people. But after his death, Stalin introduced forced collectivisation and industrialisation, condemning the Soviet people to conditions worse than those experienced under the tsars. Nikita Khrushchev reversed the worst excesses of Stalinism, and in 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev embarked on radical reforms of the communist system - unleashing unforeseen consequences that swept him from power and destroyed the USSR.

Martin Sixsmith brings his first-hand experience of reporting from Russia in the 1980s and 90s to his narrative, witnessing the critical moment when the Soviet Union lost its grip on power. He asks if the recurring patterns of Russian history can help us understand what has happened since 1991, when the promise of Western-style democracy aroused so many hopes for change. Eyewitness accounts, archive recordings and personal testimony enrich his narrative, as well as readings from Russian authors and historians such as Alexander Solzhenitsyn and Vasily Grossman, plus music by Stravinsky, Prokofiev and others.

©2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
  • Radio/TV Programme
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about Russia: The Wild East

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fantastic

this is a comprehensive personal history illustrated with clips of music, film soundtracks and bbc news reporting. it was originally on bbc radio 4 in 15 minute parts. each part on this version is introduced so that you know exactly where you are.

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Excellent Retrospective

Want to understand Putin? Needs some pre Putin background and a fascinating survey of centuries of Russian political history? This series offers 50 short but surprisingly comprehensive episodes that do all of this admirably. Highly recommended. Very entertaining.

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6 people found this helpful

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Like a quick reference and a roller coaster ride

Compelling. Take this ride before reading the usual, dryly presented, pedestrian, historical reference book alternatives.

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2 people found this helpful

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Excellent introduction

Excellent introduction to Russian history. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great performance all round. Thank you

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Great stuff

An unusual "audiobook", as it was made for radio. There won't be a lot of detail, but it's a highly entertaining production.

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A radio documentary of high quality

A fascinating deep dive into Russian history by the knowledgeable Martin Sixsmith, who provides an insight into the development of he nation and its people.

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An Essential Listen

A wonderful review of a 1000 years of Russian history and the Russian people and their national characteristics or phsyci. It provides a insightful narrative of the tension in the Russian phsyci between Asiatic autocracy and Western Liberal democracy - and how at many key moments in their history when major changes were possible they are drawn inextricably bk to the " stong autocractic " leader -even more topical in the light of the recent Russia invasion of Ukraine .
First class.

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Accurate and informed

Martin Sixsmith's book about Russian history is an insider's story. highly recommend to everyone one

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Putin sings Blueberry Hill!

Thanks Audible for passing on this gem of a history of Russia from Radio 4 . If you want to understand what's happening now (2022) listen in. Martin Sixsmith is a terrific guide to the history of Russia.

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Insightful Listen

A very interesting and insightful listen. Essential for learning more about Russia’s history. I would recommend it.

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