The Maisky Diaries

Red Ambassador to the Court of St James's, 1932-1943

De: Gabriel Gorodetsky

Narrado por: John Lee

The terror and purges of Stalin's Russia in the 1930s discouraged Soviet officials from leaving documentary records, let alone keeping personal diaries. A remarkable exception is the unique diary assiduously kept by Ivan Maisky, the Soviet ambassador to London between 1932 and 1943. This selection from Maisky's diary grippingly documents Britain's drift to war during the 1930s, appeasement in the Munich era, negotiations leading to the signature of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, Churchill's rise to power, the German invasion of Russia, and the intense debate over the opening of the second front. Maisky was distinguished by his great sociability and access to the key players in British public life. Among his range of regular contacts were politicians, press barons, ambassadors, intellectuals, writers, and indeed royalty. His diary further reveals the role personal rivalries within the Kremlin played in the formulation of Soviet policy at the time. Scrupulously edited and checked against a vast range of Russian and Western archival evidence, this extraordinary narrative diary offers a fascinating revision of the events surrounding the Second World War.

©2015 Gabriel Gorodetsky (P)2015 Tantor

Reseñas de la Crítica

"An extraordinary document left by an extraordinary man." ( The Independent)

An excellent take on Britain from a Soviet POV.

If you could sum up The Maisky Diaries in three words, what would they be?

Excellent historical work.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Maisky of course. The way he details things is very well done.

Have you listened to any of John Lee’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have. As good as the others I've heard.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

One funny moment for me was the lunch between Maisky and the ambassador from Nepal.

Any additional comments?

None.

Would be a great BBC mini series

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Its an interesting story, well told. The man risked his life by keeping the diary after all.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Maisky was caught between two worlds. Moscow didnt understand London, and didnt want to. He was an effective ambassador, but his very effectiveness made him suspicious. And a suspicious man in Stalin's USSR was a dead man.

What does John Lee bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He goes into charachter periodically, for example with Churchill.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, I knew the history. But getting it though Maiskys eyes made all the difference.

Any additional comments?

It was a good use of a credit.

Nothing but good things to say

If you are a student of the Second World War, this will be an enlightening view into the official and unofficial Soviet view. Yes, of course the view is from a particular narrow reference point, but everything is. The depth of denial the Soviets suffered from, their paranoia, and their shock is well known, but never-the-less is an amazing sight to behold. It's also humerus to hear a little bit of Maisky's musings about the virtues of communism and socialism, knowing what we do now about Stalin's pre and post war barbarism. This is an excellent "read" and shouldn't be passed over. My only critique is the narrator could have done a better job delineating when a change of perspective occurs. It always took me a moment to realize the narrator had switched from quoting Maisky's diary to quoting the authors observations about things Maisky wasn't aware of, or some other point the author/editor was making. There were even a few cases when just wasn't sure if the narrator was quoting Maisky or not. Minor points though, since the narrator does an excellent job 99% of the time.

Anglo-Russian relations during the war years.

A fine story, gives new insights into Stalin's Russia. The Diaries reveals the thinking behind some of the momentous decisions taken by the leaders of the Allied powers.

Different side of the war

The war from a different view for sure. Very informative a good read and more.