The Living and the Dead: The Rise and Fall of the Cult of World War II in Russia

by Nina Tumarkin

Book Overview

This eye-opening book shows how Communist state and party authorities stage-managed the Soviets' memory of World War II, transforming a national trauma into a heroic exploit that glorified the party... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0465071597
• ISBN13: 9780465071593
• Release Date: August 1994
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Refreshing personalized look into history

Tumarkin's "The Living and the Dead" takes an interesting approach in its portrayal of the cult and myth of the Great Patriotic War. Examining a topic often hidden (due to the Communist censorship of the latter 20th century), Tumarkin offers thoroughness yet sensitivity to the topic. This book is also intriguing due to its Eastern focus, so distant from the Western-focus so often found in the post-Red Scare United States.

Interesting, personal and informative! Very readable.

I read this book for pleasure. I am not a scholar on the subject of WWII nor an expert in Soviet politics. I thought the book was great. It taught me more about how "present" WWII still is in Russia, and it really inspired me to want to read more on the topic. A good, interesting read for a layperson!