Russia Audiobooks | History

The Dancer and the Devil: Stalin, Pavlova, and the Road to the Great Pandemic

“God is on your side? Is he a conservative? The Devil is on my side, he’s a good communist.”—Joseph Stalin In the wee hours of January 23, 1931, the world’s greatest ballerina lay dying. As her lungs filled with fluid, the exiled Russian, Anna Pavlova, gasped to doctors that she had been “poisoned” by food in Paris, but to no avail. To a watching world, she symbolized the glories of pre-Soviet Russia. And for that, she had to die. Joseph Stalin, chief murderer and dictator of the USSR, devised the most devastating system of poison labs and bioweapons the world had yet seen. In his effort to consolidate power, his assassins spread across the globe, striking dead dozens of famed exiles even as he slaughtered millions of his own people. But the dictator’s diabolical fascination with toxins did not end with his death or even the collapse of the Soviet Union. In The Dancer and the Devil, #1 nationally bestselling author John O’Neill teams up with Sarah Wynne to expose the toxic reign of terror continuing today. As engaging as a novel and packed with historical research and testimonies from modern victims of communism, The Dancer and the Devil reveals how the spirit of Stalin lives on in the hideous human experiments being conducted in the concentration camps of North Korea, in Putin’s blatant assassination plots, and in the bioweapon plans of the People’s Republic of China.

John E. O’neill, Sarah C. Wynne (Author), Russell Niemand (Narrator)

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Essence Of Political Ideologies And Their Role In The Historical Process: Political History Of Russi

This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. If we rely on logic of history of political and legal teachings, then this implies that this history began in Rus’ at the time when pagans were huddled into a river. This fact in itself is of little interest. What is of interest is the following: what is the essence of this fact? In his time, T. Mann expressed a thought that if humanity once again were put in pre-civilized conditions—the first thing it would do is create mythology. Mythology, as it is known, operates on images. In terms of survivability, there is nothing comparable to the degree of survival that an image has. This can be traced back through heraldry of many countries, including Russia. At the same time, as strange as this might seem at first glance, military authorities of all countries in the world today can be nominated for the palm of victory in the use of mythological images. An image has a very large informational capacity and, at the same time, it is multifunctional, very convenient, and aimed directly at psyche of a person, who under the influence of imagery (mythology) carries out his physical actions only within the limits of the received image. Naturally, an image can be intended not only for an individual or a group, but also for social, ethnic influence. In the history of political and legal doctrines of Rus’ it is interesting to trace the work of the system of images from the point of view of justification for existence of monarchy, relations between monarchy and Christianity, monarchy and philosophy, ideology and politics, real and virtual worlds. Politics, according to statements made by political scientists, as well as directly or indirectly related people, claim relation to art. If this is so, maybe it is worthwhile to consider politics alongside creative works of people of literature, poetry, painting? We came back to that what was refused from the beginning. Thank God that myth turned out to have truly amazing survivability...

Andrey Davydov (Author), Digital Voice Mike G (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ukraine and Russia: From Civilized Divorce to Uncivil War

Paul D'Anieri explores the dynamics within Ukraine, between Ukraine and Russia, and between Russia and the West, that emerged with the collapse of the Soviet Union and eventually led to war in 2014. Proceeding chronologically, this book shows how Ukraine's separation from Russia in 1991, at the time called a 'civilized divorce', led to what many are now calling 'a new Cold War'. He argues that the conflict has worsened because of three underlying factors-the security dilemma, the impact of democratization on geopolitics, and the incompatible goals of a post-Cold War Europe. Rather than a peaceful situation that was squandered, D'Anieri argues that these were deep-seated pre-existing disagreements that could not be bridged, with concerning implications for the resolution of the Ukraine conflict. The book also shows how this war fits into broader patterns of contemporary international conflict and should therefore appeal to researchers working on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia's relations with the West, and conflict and geopolitics more generally.

Paul D'anieri, Paul D’anieri (Author), Shawn Compton (Narrator)

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Russia's War: A History of the Soviet Effort: 1941-1945

The Russian war effort to defeat invading Axis powers, an effort that assembled the largest military force in recorded history and that cost the lives of more than twenty-five million Soviet soldiers and civilians, was the decisive factor for securing an Allied victory. Now with access to the wealth of film archives and interview material from Russia used to produce the ten-hour television documentary Russia's War, Richard Overy tackles the many persuasive questions surrounding this conflict. Was Stalin a military genius? Was the defense of Mother Russia a product of something greater than numbers of tanks and planes-of something deep within the Russian soul?

Richard Overy, Richard Overy Phd, Richard Overy, Phd (Author), Derek Perkins (Narrator)

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A Concise History of Russia

Accessible to students, tourists, and general listeners alike, this book provides a broad overview of Russian history since the ninth century. Paul Bushkovitch emphasizes the enormous changes in the understanding of Russian history resulting from the end of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since then, new material has come to light on the history of the Soviet era, providing new conceptions of Russia's pre-revolutionary past. The book traces not only the political history of Russia, but also developments in its literature, art, and science. Bushkovitch describes well-known cultural figures, such as Chekhov, Tolstoy, and Mendeleev in their institutional and historical contexts. Though the 1917 revolution, the resulting Soviet system, and the Cold War were a crucial part of Russian and world history, Bushkovitch presents earlier developments as more than just a prelude to Bolshevik power.

Paul Bushkovitch (Author), Adam Barr (Narrator)

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Tanja

Die liebreizende Tanja wächst auf einem Hof hinter dem Ural auf und ist die erste, die sich dem brutalen Gutsherren Gjurin zu widersetzen wagt, woraufhin sie zu fliehen gezwungen ist. In Sankt Petersburg findet sie am Hof Katherinas der Großen Unterschlupf. Die Männer umschwärmen und bewundern sie, doch sie liebt nur einen von ihnen: Andrej.Russland zur Zeit Katharina der Großen: Ein junges Mädchen kann vor seinem bösartigen Gutsherren fliehen und findet sich bald am Hof der Kaiserin wieder. Für Tanja beginnt eine Reise durch die Welt der Liebe und zu sich selbst.

Susanne Scheibler (Author), Lisa Rauen (Narrator)

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Россия и Европа. Часть 2

В самом известном своем сочинении 'РОССИЯ И ЕВРОПА' [1869] Н. Я. Данилевский выдвинул теорию 'культурно-исторических типов', которая оказала огромное влияние на современную западную философию культуры и предвосхитила концепции локальных цивилизаций О. Шпенглера, А. Тойнби и др. История есть циклический процесс возникновения, расцвета и упадка сменяющих друг друга национальных культур с присущими им специфическими чертами в художественно-эстетической, нравственной, религиозной, экономической, социально-политической сферах. Критикуя европоцентристские установки и предостерегая об опасности денационализации культуры, Н. Я. Данилевский утверждает, что лишь альтернативный западному путь развития России и славянского мира приведет к самореализации славянских народов.

николай данилевский (Author), станислав федосов (Narrator)

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Catherine the Great

Catherine II (born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; May the 2nd 1729-- November the 17th 1796, typically called Catherine the Great, ruled as Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, making her the nation's longest-serving female ruler. Following the assassination of her spouse and 2nd cousin, Peter III, she rose to power. Russia grew bigger, its civilization was rejuvenated, and it was acknowledged as one of Europe's great powers during her reign. Catherine used her honorable favorites, most significantly Count Grigory Orlov and Grigory Potemkin, to help her gain power and manage the empire. She ruled at the time of a period when the Russian Empire was rapidly broadening through intrusion and diplomacy, with the help of very effective generals like Alexander Suvorov and Pyotr Rumyantsev, and also admirals like Samuel Greig and Fyodor Ushakov. In the south, the Crimean Khanate was beat in the Russo-Turkish War (1768-- 1774), and Russia colonized Novorossiya along the Black and Azov Seas, thanks to triumphs over the Bar confederation and the Ottoman Empire. Catherine the Great has been mentioned so many times in Russian history, it’s definitely a good chapter to study to understand the background of the country more.

Kelly Mass (Author), Doug Greene (Narrator)

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Crimean War

The Crimean War was an army war between Russia and an alliance of France, the Ottoman Empire, the UK, and Sardinia that lasted from October 1853 to February 1856. The rights of Christian minority in Palestine, which became part of the Ottoman Empire, were the instant reason for the war. The rights of Roman Catholics were promoted by the French, while those of the Eastern Orthodox Church were promoted by Russia. Longer-term elements included the Ottoman Empire's fall, the Russian Empire's development at the time of the preceding Russo-Turkish Wars, and the British and French desire to safeguard the Ottoman Empire to maintain the Show of Europe's power balance. It has been commonly observed that the causes, that included a difference over a type in one case, never ever suggested a 'bigger confusion of purpose' but instead caused a dispute well-known for its 'infamously inexperienced worldwide butchery.' Let’s learn more about this often-forgotten war.

Kelly Mass (Author), Doug Greene (Narrator)

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Ivan the Terrible

Ivan IV Vasilyevich, referred to as Ivan the Terrible in English, was the Grand Prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and the very first Moscow ruler to announce himself Tsar of Russia from 1547 to 1584. Ivan was the first ruler of Moscow after the city's independence and state of freedom. After the death of his dad, Vasili III, the Rurikid ruler of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, he was declared supreme prince when he was three years of age. The 'Chosen Council,' a group of reformers, rallied around the young Ivan in the year 1547, announcing him tsar (emperor) of All Rus' and developed the Tsardom of Russia, with Moscow as the primary state. Ivan's rule was marked by Russia's change from a middle ages state to an empire under the control of the tsar, but at a big cost to the people and the nation's long-lasting economy. Let’s talk about his life, his legacy, his evil deeds, and the way things occurred in history.

Kelly Mass (Author), Doug Greene (Narrator)

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Leon Trotsky

Leon Trotsky was a Ukrainian-Russian Marxist revolutionary, political thinker, and political leader who lived from November the 7th, in the year 1879 till August the 21st 1940. He developed a variation of Marxism referred to as Trotskyism after being a communist ideologically. Trotsky accepted Marxism after moving to Nikolayev in the year 1896, where he was born to a wealthy Ukrainian-Jewish family in Yanovka (now Bereslavka, Ukraine). He was detained and banned to Siberia by Tsarist authorities in the year 1898 for advanced activity. In the year 1902, he got away Siberia for London, where he ended up being good friends with Vladimir Lenin. At the time of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party's preliminary organizational split in the year 1903, he supported Julius Martov's Mensheviks against Lenin's Bolsheviks. Trotsky was locked up and deported to Siberia after helping to prepare the unsuccessful Russian Revolution of 1905. He got away again and operated in the U.K., Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, and the U.S. for the next 10 years. After the Tsarist monarchy was toppled in the February Revolution of 1917, Trotsky went back to Russia and signed up with the Bolshevik faction as a leader. He was a popular figure in the November 1917 October Revolution, which deposed the new Provisional Federal government, as head of the Petrograd Soviet. Let’s see what else Leon Trotsky did in his life.

Kelly Mass (Author), Doug Greene (Narrator)

Audiobook

Grigori Rasputin

Rasputin, Grigori Yefimovich, was a Russian mystic and self-declared holy man who befriended the family of Nicholas II, Russia's last emperor, and accomplished massive power in late Imperial Russia. Rasputin was born into a peasant family in the Siberian town of Pokrovskoye in Tobolsk Governorate's Tyumensky Uyezd (now Yarkovsky District of Tyumen Oblast). In the year 1897, while on a journey to an abbey, he had a spiritual conversion experience. While he held no official post in the Russian Orthodox Church, he has been referred to as a monk or a 'strannik' (wanderer or pilgrim). In the year 1903 or the winter season of 1904-- 1905, he checked out Saint Petersburg, where he drew in certain church and social leaders. In November 1905, he met Emperor Nicholas and Empress Alexandra and ended up being a social figure. Let’s learn more about Grigori Rasputin in this book.

Kelly Mass (Author), Doug Greene (Narrator)

Audiobook

Russia Audiobooks in History