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Red Plenty: Inside The Fifties' Soviet Dream (2007)

by Francis Spufford(Favorite Author)

4.06 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0571225233 (ISBN13: 9780571225231)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Faber and Faber

review 1: One of the most interesting books I have read in years. Well-written and informative stories (a blend of historical facts and fiction). Good for anyone interested in the history of the USSR, but particularly fascinating for anyone interested in economic modeling (although that is by no means a prerequisite to enjoying the book). A very engaging look at many aspects of life in the USSR during the 1950s and 1960s. I had limited knowledge of many of the topics in the book and found the notes at the back extremely helpful. The fictional characters and narrative give a context to the history that makes the book very readable for anyone.
review 2: A novelized account of the early, halcyon days of the Soviet Union -- when overtaking the West seemed not just possible, ... morebut probable. It uses fictionalized versions of major historical figures (Kantorovich, the discoverer of linear programming, among them) and little-known (in the West) events that illustrate and drove the development and downfall of the USSR.The book also gives a good overview of life in academia and in the Party as they try to run an economy along political, rather than economic, principles.It's enjoyable, but I have a major gripe with the end notes -- as is common in fiction, these are done by page, rather than using a series of notes, and they are NOT linked to the text in the Kindle version. Which means that if you, like me, don't check them out at the start of the novel, you may not know they're there until you've missed quite a bit.An excellent, readable overview of life in the USSR and why it failed. As the author says in a note, "This whole book is, in fact, a prehistory of perestroika". less

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