In 'Lenin on the Train,' Catherine Merridale unravels the dramatic journey of Vladimir Lenin as he travels in a sealed train car back to Russia in 1917. This pivotal moment set the stage for the Bolshevik Revolution, and Merridale masterfully intertwines history with personal accounts, revealing the tension and anticipation of a nation on the brink of change. Discover how this audacious trip transformed Lenin into the architect of a new regime and reshaped the global political landscape. With vivid storytelling and meticulous research, the narrative captivates the reader, blending suspense with profound historical insight. What secrets did Lenin carry, and what was the true cost of his return?
By Catherine Merridale
Published: 2017
""The journey of a revolution is as much about the individual as it is about the collective; it teaches us that every heartbeat in the crowd is a story waiting to change the world.""
"A gripping, meticulously researched account of Lenin's fateful rail journey from Zurich to Petrograd, where he ignited the Russian Revolution and forever changed the world. In April 1917, as the Russian Tsar Nicholas II's abdication sent shockwaves across war-torn Europe, the future leader of the Bolshevik revolution Vladimir Lenin was far away, exiled in Zurich. When the news reached him, Lenin immediately resolved to return to Petrograd and lead the revolt. But to get there, he would have to cross Germany, which meant accepting help from the deadliest of Russia's adversaries. Germany saw an opportunity to further destabilize Russia by allowing Lenin and his small group of revolutionaries to return. Now, drawing on a dazzling array of sources and never-before-seen archival material, renowned historian Catherine Merridale provides a riveting, nuanced account of this enormously consequential journey--the train ride that changed the world--as well as the underground conspiracy and subterfuge that went into making it happen. Writing with the same insight and formidable intelligence that distinguished her earlier works, she brings to life a world of counter-espionage and intrigue, wartime desperation, illicit finance, and misguided utopianism. This was the moment when the Russian Revolution became Soviet, the genesis of a system of tyranny and faith that changed the course of Russia's history forever and transformed the international political climate"--
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“"The journey of a revolution is as much about the individual as it is about the collective; it teaches us that every heartbeat in the crowd is a story waiting to change the world."”
Lenin on the Train
By Catherine Merridale
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Catherine Merridale is a distinguished British historian and author, renowned for her in-depth explorations of Russian history and culture. Her notable works include 'Night of Stone: Death and Memory in Russia,' which examines the Russian approach to death and mourning, and 'Lenin on the Train,' a vivid narrative of Lenin’s journey back to Russia in 1917 that played a crucial role in the Bolshevik Revolution. Merridale's writing style is characterized by its compelling narrative flair, extensive research, and an ability to weave together historical analysis with vivid storytelling, making complex historical subjects accessible to a broad audience.
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