Our server costs ~$56 per month to run. Please consider donating or becoming a Patron to help keep the site running. Help us gain new members by following us on Twitter and liking our page on Facebook!
Current time: July 24, 2025, 3:39 am

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Read any good books lately? Rate them here
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here
Currently on the last chapter (not counting the conclusion) of A People's Tragedy by Orlando Figes. I've read a lot of works about the Nazis and a lot of Russian novels, but this is the first book on Russian history I've read in a long time. It's a rather thorough take on the Russian Revolution, going from the Famine of 1891 that marked the first stirrings of revolution in Russia to Lenin's death. And what's really striking me is the way Figes portrays a group of people overthrowing a tyrannical system and a Tsar who had no bloody idea what he was doing, but, once it was completed, completely failed at creating a better system, partly because of incompetence, partly because the situation itself was so complicated (there were points, well after the Bolsheviks took power, where the common people thought the Communists and Bolsheviks were actually different groups), and partly because the revolutionaries themselves failed/neglected/refused (it varied between revolutionaries) to take the steps to ensure they could actually achieve their goals and not just take the places of their oppressors.

Orlando Figes Wrote:The peasants and the workers were used to seeing power based on social domination and coercion rather than on the exercise of law. They saw the revolution mainly as a chance to gain autonomy and turn the tables on their former masters rather than as a chance to reconstruct the power system on universal legal principles. Retribution, not a constitution: that was the people's first priority

Or, as William S. Burroughs once said: "It is a familiar pattern: the oppressed love the oppressors and cannot wait to follow their example."

The similarities between what Trump is doing and the Nazi Germany are blindingly obvious, but those who oppose him should make sure they learn from what Russia had to go through a century ago if they expect to end up any better.
Comparing the Universal Oneness of All Life to Yo Mama since 2010.

[Image: harmlesskitchen.png]

I was born with the gift of laughter and a sense the world is mad.
Reply



Messages In This Thread
Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - March 21, 2015 at 10:42 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Joods - March 26, 2015 at 1:18 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Joods - March 26, 2015 at 11:32 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by c172 - March 27, 2015 at 5:41 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Pizza - April 10, 2015 at 5:25 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Aroura - April 29, 2015 at 12:00 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Athene - August 9, 2015 at 11:16 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Athene - August 10, 2015 at 12:23 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Athene - August 10, 2015 at 12:30 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Athene - August 10, 2015 at 12:47 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Silver - August 10, 2015 at 12:53 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Athene - August 10, 2015 at 5:45 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Athene - August 10, 2015 at 1:35 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Sejanus - August 26, 2015 at 10:24 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by c172 - August 29, 2015 at 9:13 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by MTL - August 30, 2015 at 6:32 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by MTL - September 2, 2015 at 11:55 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by MTL - September 2, 2015 at 5:37 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by MTL - September 2, 2015 at 9:16 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by MTL - September 3, 2015 at 12:19 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - September 1, 2015 at 10:31 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - September 3, 2015 at 11:17 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - September 9, 2015 at 10:09 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - September 10, 2015 at 8:16 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Justtristo - September 3, 2015 at 10:29 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - September 11, 2015 at 10:38 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Spooky - September 4, 2015 at 3:09 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - September 23, 2015 at 9:44 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Reforged - October 15, 2015 at 7:01 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Crossless1 - November 17, 2015 at 12:58 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - November 28, 2015 at 12:00 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Joods - January 14, 2016 at 12:38 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by vorlon13 - February 11, 2016 at 10:41 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Minimalist - February 24, 2016 at 11:40 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Whateverist - February 24, 2016 at 12:18 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by pocaracas - February 29, 2016 at 8:12 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by bennyboy - February 29, 2016 at 9:09 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - February 29, 2016 at 11:26 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Alex K - April 22, 2016 at 10:28 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Aroura - August 15, 2016 at 12:45 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Rev. Rye - August 14, 2016 at 11:52 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by ErikB - August 23, 2016 at 11:11 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by c172 - August 29, 2016 at 9:02 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by joseph_ - August 29, 2016 at 10:47 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - September 6, 2016 at 10:19 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - September 29, 2016 at 6:42 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Shell B - November 5, 2016 at 3:17 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Joods - November 5, 2016 at 4:04 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Joods - November 5, 2016 at 9:03 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Aegon - December 1, 2016 at 11:12 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Shell B - December 2, 2016 at 10:27 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Joods - November 5, 2016 at 11:26 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Shell B - December 2, 2016 at 10:33 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Shell B - December 2, 2016 at 10:44 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Thal - December 11, 2016 at 1:03 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Aegon - December 11, 2016 at 11:11 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Thal - December 11, 2016 at 4:07 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Aroura - December 11, 2016 at 1:28 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - December 17, 2016 at 11:30 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Aroura - December 17, 2016 at 11:45 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by vorlon13 - December 11, 2016 at 11:23 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Shell B - December 18, 2016 at 10:40 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by TaraJo - December 29, 2016 at 10:11 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by vorlon13 - December 29, 2016 at 11:49 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - December 30, 2016 at 11:32 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Minimalist - December 30, 2016 at 11:34 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by vorlon13 - January 17, 2017 at 11:53 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Silver - February 3, 2017 at 10:52 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - February 23, 2017 at 10:55 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Joods - February 23, 2017 at 11:04 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by PETE_ROSE - February 23, 2017 at 11:47 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Rev. Rye - February 24, 2017 at 12:35 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Aegon - April 27, 2017 at 5:33 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Joods - September 8, 2017 at 11:48 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Athene - September 9, 2017 at 12:15 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by No_God - November 15, 2017 at 7:47 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by John V - November 16, 2017 at 3:01 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by John V - November 16, 2017 at 3:12 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Shell B - February 13, 2018 at 7:10 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by shadow - February 12, 2018 at 6:06 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Silver - February 12, 2018 at 3:34 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Silver - February 13, 2018 at 6:32 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Amarok - February 13, 2018 at 8:18 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Silver - February 14, 2018 at 11:36 am
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Rev. Rye - February 13, 2018 at 10:57 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Silver - February 14, 2018 at 4:09 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by pocaracas - February 14, 2018 at 6:29 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Shell B - February 20, 2018 at 3:36 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Grandizer - February 20, 2018 at 5:41 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Silver - February 20, 2018 at 6:01 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - February 20, 2018 at 11:33 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by Ravenshire - September 18, 2018 at 11:22 pm
RE: Read any good books lately? Rate them here - by EgoDeath - October 13, 2019 at 9:30 pm

Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Finish them......... fatality. Brian37 5 1569 May 18, 2022 at 8:26 pm
Last Post: BrianSoddingBoru4
  Star Trek - seen them all? onlinebiker 22 3173 February 6, 2020 at 5:36 am
Last Post: BrianSoddingBoru4
  Read any good magazine articles lately ?? vorlon13 4 1027 May 21, 2017 at 10:20 pm
Last Post: The Valkyrie
  SNL has been killing it lately Aegon 19 3153 February 19, 2017 at 12:35 am
Last Post: scoobysnack
  Post the songs you hate here. Yes, right here! brewer 265 40718 September 20, 2016 at 2:14 pm
Last Post: account_inactive
  Bill Maher Real Time - Republicunt Books Minimalist 0 1108 January 17, 2015 at 1:16 am
Last Post: Minimalist
  Read any good books lately? Ravenshire 26 6985 August 6, 2014 at 6:41 pm
Last Post: Mudhammam
  Celebs read mean tweets. Jacob(smooth) 1 1323 February 12, 2014 at 6:38 pm
Last Post: Jackalope
  Rate my band paulpablo 4 2276 October 26, 2013 at 4:15 pm
Last Post: Fruity
  Lee Strobel books Forsaken 2 1471 January 30, 2012 at 10:56 pm
Last Post: Minimalist



Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)