Book Review: Een kleine geschiedenis van Rusland

The author paid great attention to the early Rus and following Russian Empire but fails to reflect the Soviet Era which contributed greatly to modern Russia and the formation of modern Russian society and norms.

Post Soviet period is even worse. The 2008 and 2014 Russian wars were mentioned in 1 line.

The author fails to give background info and reasoning about that is going on (RU-UA) war.

If you are already informed in Russian history then this book is not for you, it is a bit light reading. 

I read this books with 2 things in mind, I know a bit  Russian history (see my previous posts under book review label ) and I am trying to learn Dutch so a Dutch language book on Russian history was an relatively easy read.

Buzkiran

Another anti-soviet propaganda book, the author which is himself a KGB officer also, claims that Russians forced Germans to attack them.He claims that due to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact Hitler had confidence in Russia that there won't be a war among these two.But Stalin planned to attack Germans suddenly and made preparations for this purpose, Germans sensed this an prepared a sudden counter attack....Details are here

19. Yüzyıl Siyasi Tarihi - Fahir Armaoglu

1200 pages of 19th Century Political History, read the contention among England, Germany, France, Austria and Russia for world politics and specifically for the great lands of Ottoman Empire that is just about to collapse.

The very thick book is in hard-cover with a very low price compared to its value.See the details here. I am planning to start the next volume of 1200 pages, 20th century political history, here.

Romanovlar - Bir Hanedanin Sonu

I guess the book title tells everything: Romanovs- End of a Dynasty . The books starts with days even before Nicholas ascends to throne, the political and economical background is presented, then tells the Nicholas rule, his wife Alexandra, Rasputin, internal politics, his resistance to forming Duma-parliament, and the end of him and his family.This is the only book among many that I read telling the end of Romanovs in this detail,generally this chapter is explained in one paragraph ,revolution takes place and whole family is executed, this book has more than that,better details, longer version of story, their exile days...

Ankara'da bir Sovyet Ajani

Although the book title implies memories of a Soviet Spy in Turkey, this is not the case, I guess the title is chosen for marketing reasons.The book is on a KGB agent who was unhappy with the soviet system so voluntarily gave USSR secrets to 'western world'. During his KGB days his way also crossed with Ankara- capital of Turkey, that's all.Anyway, I briefly outlined he subject of the book,it is a real life spy story after all, so good to read.

Will the Soviet Union Survive Until 1984?

Another '1984' book:) a future-prediction work written in 1970 by Andrei Amalrik,a Russian writer. Used copies of the books can be found on amazon.com.

Benim Adim Anne Frank

After I visited Anne Frank's House few years ago in Amsterdam, I became interested in her story.I knew about her diary but only in last year I was able to read the book[shame on me:(( ].
You can find my previous entry on Anne here.

Althought the book title is my name is Anne Frank , the book is not written by Anne and even is not on her story.I guess this is a marketing issue.Anyway, the book is written by her best friend whom Anne mentions as 'Joop' in her famous story.

This is the story of Joop and her family but of course their ways with Anne cross at the same school during Nazi invasion in the Netherlands, there are sections in her book that she mentions about Anne and her relationships with her.
Also after the WWII and Holocaust, Anne's father Otto finds Joop and the books tells about their conversations.

I liked this book,it once again reminds us what the Nazis did in WWII and how cruel can the people be.

Sen-Petersburg'da Beyaz Gece

A very nice novel! Indeed the book cover says that it is a memoir-novel so it has some historical information in it but I don't know which part is true and what percentage is fiction, still it was a very good reading.

Grandduke Nicholai Romanov falls in love with an American prostitute Fanny and faces many troubles due to this relationship including the ones coming from Tsar and his own family.

He is exiled many times to several places, his titles are removed and at last he is forced to stay in a mental instutituon since his family finds the only solution in declaring him as insane!!!

I highly recomment you to read this very nice novel even if you are not interested in Russia.
Details are here.

Tanri Rusya'yi Unuttu

A boring novel takes place at the last days of USSR, everthing is corrupted....
Young doctor graduates and is assigned to somewhere but faces problems of a dying state...

Nazım Hikmet Şiirinde Gizli Tarih

I was hoping to read days of Nazim in USSR & Moscow but this book dealt with his early career, his days in Turkey.The writer tries to find out whom Nazim was impling in his poems. There are many characters from 30s-40s-50s Turkey..many names that I am not interested in and many names that I have never heard, so this book was not a great interest to me...
Still, you may find it here

Sovyet Rusya Imparatorlugu (1967)

This book, published in 1967 contains observations of Samet Agaoglu - a right wing politician in Turkey at that time - during his visit to Soviet Union.

His observations are generally on high bureaucracy of the Soviets and the unefficiency of the system, poitical pressure on people especially the Turk and Muslim comunities, lack of necessary goods for the masses...I think most his observations were correct.It was a nice read, I must admit I was not expecting this in the beginning...the book was good

Kizil Babalar, Sovyetler'de Mafya (1991)

Although the book's title is Mafia in the Soviets it does not mention the Godfathers in the sense we understand. The author claims that Soviet mafia system is different than its western counterpart.Mafia is a civil organization bribing police and poiticians and stealing from people in western countries while in the Soviet Union mafia is characterized as a state organization. I mean higher ranking state officials steal from the state!.The author even claims that the system forces even honest people to the dark side, to steal from the state.

Another book on political corruption on the soviet union, special events on Brejnev era are worth reading.

Ben Bir Isik Ariyordum(1962)

Memoirs of a Kazan Turk born in today's Tataristan.The memoirs start during the Civil War era, just before the revolution, he went thought very troubling times... you might read this book as a thriller, an adventure book.

What is interesting is todays politically corrupted Russia, being able to solve all problems by offering money to the officials existed long before Soviet days...it is not a side effect/remains of Soviet system but Russian way of doing things:)

Details of the book can be seen here

Kızıl Yıldızdan Hilale Haydar Aliyev'in Fırtınalı Hayatı

As the book title implies, the book is the life story of Haydar Aliev, second president of Azerbaycan Republic.The author mush have really tried hard to make this a book :) There is nearly no information in it,the book contains the longest preface i've ever seen in a book.

In fact the book has only one paragraph to say "Aliev raised to power with great help from Yuri Adropov and fall from power due to conflicts with Gorbachev" and Aliev is a good man.

That is all, you can not find any valuable info about his days in Politburo[he was a full member for a very long time] or his relationships with Turkey, power strugge with Elcibey, the Armenian wars...so little.

So they made a book out of a what otherwise would be a few pages booklet.Do not waste money on this.

This book made me wonder on Aliyev's life story.I will find a better book and read his life soon.

Pera'dan Beyoglu'na

This book is one of the unknown treasures.The book tells the story of buildings[houses,hotels,state buildings] including the history, achitectural properties, famous peoples lived there once....on the Tunel-Taksim path
The author is so succesfull that the book is very fun and fluent to read.

Same author also as another book,Son Istasyon Venedik where he tells his interrail memoirs but unfortunately I could not find it anywhere...

Baroque by Taschen

Baroque is another nice Tashcen book.


Artists featured: Francesco Albani, Caravaggio, Valentin de Boulogne, Jan Breughel the Elder, Annibale Carracci, Anthonis van Dyck, Adam Elsheimer, Georg Flegel, Luca Giordano, Guercino, Frans Hals, Pieter de Hooch, Jacob Jordaens, Willem Kalf, Giovanni Lanfranco, Charles Le Brun, Johann Liss, Claude Lorrain, Batolomé Esteban Murillo, Nicolas Poussin, Mattia Preti, Rembrandt, Guido Reni, Jusepe de Ribera, Hyacinthe Rigaud, Peter Paul Rubens, Jan Stehen, Hendrick Terbrugghen, Georges de la Tour, Diego Velázquez, Willem van der Velde the Younger, Jan Vermeer, Simon Vouet, Francisco de Zubarán

Detailed info on the books is available on Taschen's site.


see my Gothic post for another Taschen book.

Gothic by Taschen

Taschen publishes great art books and Gothic is one sample.Here is the link to the whole series on amazon.

The book is published on bright, high-quality paper, starts with history and basic description of the Gothic-era then each artists gets 2 pages with one or more paintings and a short history of lige.

Artists featured: Giotto di Bondone, Duccio di Bouninsegna, Dieric Bouts, Robert Campin, Cimabue, Petrus Christus, Barthélemy d’Eyck, Jan van Eyck, Andrea da Firenze, Jean Fouquet, Nicolas Froment, Hugo van der Goes, Jaume Huguet, Stefan Lochner, Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Simone Martini, Master Bertram, Master Franke, Master of the Glatz Madonna, Master of the Paradise Garden, Master of Saint Veronica, Master Theoderich, Master of the Wilton Diptychons, Master Wittingau, Hans Memling, Lorenzo Monaco, Lukas Moser, Michael Pacher, Martin Schongauer, Rogier van der Weyden, Konrad Witz

Book Review: 1984 by Orwell

Well...I have 2 different and completely oppposite views about this book :) I could not decide on it

First View: The book is good. In 1949 when the world was unaware of the Stalin crimes[I accept that they were exposed in 1956 during the famous 20th congress] he depicted everyhing like a phophecy,the Party, Innerparty[politburo], ThoughtPolice[KGB], Big Brother[Cult of Personality] ,Forced-labour camps, purges, show trials and so on...

Second View: Why is this book so popular/important? some even adress it as the best product of 20th century English Literature but it is just a fictionary novel telling the life under a dictatorship with great clues from the Stalin-Era USSR, so what? what makes it so special?

Book Review: Kizil Car'in Uyanisi

Red Tsar[or Gray Cardinal] Putin lead to awakening of the giant, Russia claims the author.
This booklet[can not be a book] is like a collection of a series of journal columns written by the author but all the analysis are weak, repeating the well known facts and does not introduce anything new.Waste of money.Can be seen here.

Book Review: Sovyetler Birligi Neden/Nasil Yikildi

Yet another book with the famous question "Why/How did the USSR collapse'.
This book has several conspiracy theories, Gorbachov being a western agent targetted specially for destruction of USSR.
The author says that everyhing was wonderful in the Union,it should have never collapsed if the westerners did not play tricky games on them ...such funny stuff.

Yes I agree,those might be true to some extend but I bealive the major point is missing: 'This system was against human nature'.