The End of Tsarist Russia

The March to World War I and Revolution

By: Dominic Lieven

Narrated by: Shaun Grindell

Length: 18 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

World War I and the Russian Revolution together shaped the 20th century in profound ways. In The End of Tsarist Russia, acclaimed scholar Dominic Lieven connects for the first time the two events, providing both a history of the First World War's origins from a Russian perspective and an international history of why the revolution happened. Based on exhaustive work in seven Russian archives as well as many non-Russian sources, Dominic Lieven's work is about far more than just Russia. By placing the crisis of empire at its core, Lieven links World War I to the sweep of 20th-century global history. He shows how contemporary hot issues such as the struggle for Ukraine were already crucial elements in the run-up to 1914. By incorporating into his book new approaches and comparisons, Lieven tells the story of war and revolution in a way that is truly original and thought provoking.

©2015 Dominic Lieven (P)2015 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A Russian scholar opens up new, even startling historical connections." ( Kirkus Starred Review)

Deep information, horrid narration

This book goes very deep into the fracturing history of the Romanov empire. Well researched and written. If you just want the story of the final year, this is way more than that. I Should have just read this one though. The narrators strange pace, and breathy mispronunciations remind me of an athsmatic Captain Kirk reading a foreign language dictionary.

boring but serviceable

very detailed. you need to have a very solid grasp of ww1 before too read it. and it covers exclusively 1905 to 1914. mostly in the foreign ministry

Phenomenal

A first rate history of interest to those looking for a deep dive into Russia, the origins of the First World War, or the tensions of empire and modernization before 1914.

Informative History on European Geopolitics

I recommend this book for anyone who wants to know the underlying causes of WWI. To say Lieven's documentation of Russian foreign and domestic policy was thorough would be an understatement. However, given his use of a sliding timeline it can be hard to follow linearly. Overall, it was educational and enjoyable.

Good history, disfigured by a terrible reader

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. While this is an interesting work of history offering a perspective on WW I and the Russian Revolution worth hearing, it is badly disfigured by a reader who woudl probably earn second place in a junior high essay contest reading his own words, but who has no business in a professional production. He imposes a terrible syncopation on well written sentences to the point that one cannot tell where the author's one thought end and the next begins. There are full stops in the middle of sentences between subject and verb, and completely egregious tonal signifiers for words chosen by the reader apparently at random. I could barely stand to listen.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Shaun Grindell?

Anyone who actually understands the spoken use of the English language.

Was The End of Tsarist Russia worth the listening time?

Time yes, mental effort to hear, no.

Fascinating in depth History

This is a scrupulously researched and comprehensive history of a momentous time in world history. I only wish that the narrator had taken the time to learn the proper pronunciations of the important figures in the story. A good producer should have caught these errors

Not what I wanted, but good

This felt like an excellent prequel to The Guns of August. scrupulously researched.

If you are looking to learn about the fall of tsarist Russia and the bolshevik revolution this is the WRONG book.

Excellent history - brutal, mechanical narration

The text is quite interesting. Not recommended for those who don't already have an extensive familiarity with 19th century history, the history of Russia and the other empires that were its contemporaries, the Russian revolution, and various views on the origins of WWI. It wouldn't be easy to learn this history from this book, but if you are already familiar with the events and other narratives, you will find this book offers a very interesting synthesis.

Unfortunately, as other reviewers have mentioned, the narration is utterly mechanical, and completely divorced from the content, sometimes embarrassingly so. Thus, it becomes difficult to listen to, and increasingly aggravating with time. I listened to it at 1.3x to minimize the impact of the repetitive phrasing, but even at higher speed the narration is grating.

very good account of how the late Russia empire

very good account of how the late Russia empire made. a series of decisions that lead to it's collapse as well as glimpses of possible alternatives.

Excellent and detailed

excellent, and detailed to the point of being tedious. ...yes it is the real deal