October
The Story of the Russian Revolution
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from Wish List failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
October
Buy Now for $26.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
John Banks
-
By:
-
China Mieville
About this listen
The renowned fantasy and science fiction writer China Mieville has long been inspired by the ideals of the Russian Revolution, and here, on the centenary of the revolution, he provides his own distinctive take on its history.
In February 1917, in the midst of bloody war, Russia was still an autocratic monarchy: nine months later it became the first socialist state in world history. How did this unimaginable transformation take place? How was a ravaged and backward country, swept up in a desperately unpopular war, rocked by not one but two revolutions?
This is the story of the extraordinary months between those upheavals, in February and October, of the forces and individuals who made 1917 so epochal a year, of their intrigues, negotiations, conflicts and catastrophes. From familiar names like Lenin and Trotsky to their opponents Kornilov and Kerensky; from the byzantine squabbles of urban activists to the remotest villages of a sprawling empire; from the revolutionary railroad Sublime to the ciphers and static of coup by telegram; from grand sweep to forgotten detail.
Historians have debated the revolution for 100 years, its portents and possibilities: the mass of literature can be daunting. But here is a book for those new to the events, told not only in their historical import but in all their passion and drama and strangeness. Because as well as a political event of profound and ongoing consequence, Mieville reveals the Russian Revolution as a breathtaking story.
©2017 China Mieville (P)2017 Audible, LtdCritic Reviews
What listeners say about October
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Comrade17
- 27-05-2020
History made poetic & accessible
This the best history of the events of 1917 in Russia if ever read (and that’s a few). The performance of John Banks is fantastic and wonderfully compliments Mieville’s beautiful writing.
Mieville makes the history pop from the pages and judiciously deals with all the key controversies and key events in a way that is accessible to people that may no nothing about the subject.
It was a joy to listen to after reading have read the book some time. Wonderful to have a this fantastic contribution to history that doesn’t deal in fairy tails and finger paintings of the Cold War fraud historians of both “sides”. Can’t recommend enough.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Marcus
- 28-04-2018
Comprehensive, Objective yet Self-Aware
Mieville provides not only a fairly comprehensive account, but does so from the perspective of a contemporary revolutionary, which allows him to provide insight your general historian might miss. This perspective is not inherently more bias than any other, indeed perhaps less so than some (Robert Service comes to mind). There is a clear desire in this work to find 'truth'. While this means being 'objective', it also means attempting (through analysis and the structure of the book itself) to really understand the forces at play and how agents responded and attempted to shape these forces. There are no dry and empty words or phrases here. No balancing of variables that explain outcome X and Y, or recourse to a democracy of determinants. With help of Banks excellent narration, we are transitioned as invisible specters, watching the days of October unfold.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Mark
- 12-12-2018
October may be better read than heard?
October definitely communicates the complexity of the Russian Revolution as a process evolving through the months leading up to the big events of History. Mieville uses the voices of thousands - beyond the big names - all struggling, opposing, arguing, voting and killing each other in the name of hordes of political factions and splitter groups championing their 'right way'. I was really intrigued and interested in the theatre of it all
However, I unfortunstely found this audiobook hard to listen to, hard to follow all the characters, who was who, and who they were exactly with or against, I ended up just listening , letting it wash over me- zoning in and out - getting a sense of the revolution but drowning in all the details and names. This narrator tries to do a great job to bring it all alive but I struggled to listen all the way to the end. Maybe this book would be better to read rather then listen to?
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 21-04-2022
Absolutely must listen.
First time I felt like I wasn't being mislead in a recount of the revolution. Every question I would have would be addressed at some point in the book. China Meiville is also a wonderful writer in general, and he succeeds in his goal described in the prologue, of turning this history into a digestible narrative. Does a great job of describing the agitation and failures of the right wing, which is sometimes ignored in other historic accounts, while not exculpating the left wing actors either. The narrator for the audio is perfect, does justice to the intense issues in the book, great performance. Highly recommend for your next read.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 24-06-2020
Torture to listen to.
I think this would be perhaps better to read rather than listen to. It felt like there was no real charm in any of the narrative, just this happened followed by that happened. Over and over and at a speed where I had to keep rewinding. I managed an hour of this & I really needed a break. 11 hours would be torture. Very easy to to lose track of the characters. It felt like a test of how well I could concentrate and take textbook-like information in at speed. The sample I listened to was the start of a chapter and felt interesting but I think this was carefully selected as it was in no way representative of what followed it. I listen to a lot of narrative non-fiction and this was a total waste of a months credit. Awful. I'd have to be paid to listen to 11 hours of this.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!