The Whisperers cover art

The Whisperers

Private Life in Stalin's Russia

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The Whisperers

By: Orlando Figes
Narrated by: John Telfer
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About this listen

Drawing on a huge range of sources - letters, memoirs, conversations - Orlando Figes tells the story of how Russians tried to endure life under Stalin. Those who shaped the political system became, very frequently, its victims. Those who were its victims were frequently quite blameless.

The Whisperers re-creates the sort of maze in which Russians found themselves, where an unwitting wrong turn could either destroy a family or, perversely, later save it: a society in which everyone spoke in whispers - whether to protect themselves, their families, neighbours or friends - or to inform on them.

©2018 Orlando Figes (P)2018 Audible, Ltd
20th Century Modern Russia Imperialism Socialism Stalin Capitalism Soviet Union War Holocaust Liberalism
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I very much enjoyed this book. As dark and depressing it is. It is the truth. It does reflect how many Russians are still today- tough and cold. But why wouldn’t they be.

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