In 'The Future Is History,' Masha Gessen explores the intertwining tales of individual lives and the broader sweep of Russian history after the fall of the Soviet Union. The book reveals how the quest for freedom and the specter of authoritarianism shape personal identities and societal futures. Through intimate portraits of diverse characters, Gessen uncovers the haunting legacies of the past and their impact on contemporary Russia. As the narrative unfolds, it raises provocative questions about democracy, memory, and the cyclical nature of history. This compelling work invites readers to consider how the past continues to influence the present and what it means for the future.
By Masha Gessen
Published: 2018
""The past is not really past; it is just a prologue to our future, sculpted by the choices we make in the present.""
WINNER OF THE 2017 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN NONFICTION FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS WINNER OF THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY'S HELEN BERNSTEIN BOOK AWARD NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2017 BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, LOS ANGELES TIMES, WASHINGTON POST, BOSTON GLOBE, SEATTLE TIMES, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, NEWSWEEK, PASTE, and POP SUGAR The essential journalist and bestselling biographer of Vladimir Putin reveals how, in the space of a generation, Russia surrendered to a more virulent and invincible new strain of autocracy. Award-winning journalist Masha Gessen's understanding of the events and forces that have wracked Russia in recent times is unparalleled. In The Future Is History, Gessen follows the lives of four people born at what promised to be the dawn of democracy. Each of them came of age with unprecedented expectations, some as the children and grandchildren of the very architects of the new Russia, each with newfound aspirations of their own--as entrepreneurs, activists, thinkers, and writers, sexual and social beings. Gessen charts their paths against the machinations of the regime that would crush them all, and against the war it waged on understanding itself, which ensured the unobstructed reemergence of the old Soviet order in the form of today's terrifying and seemingly unstoppable mafia state. Powerful and urgent, The Future Is History is a cautionary tale for our time and for all time.
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“"The past is not really past; it is just a prologue to our future, sculpted by the choices we make in the present."”
The Future Is History
By Masha Gessen
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Masha Gessen is an award-winning journalist and author known for their incisive and thought-provoking writing on Russian politics, LGBTQ+ rights, and the nuances of contemporary society. With notable works like "The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia," which won the National Book Award, and "Words Will Break Cement: The Passion of Pussy Riot," Gessen explores themes of power, dissent, and identity. Their writing is characterized by a clear, compelling style that blends personal narrative with rigorous analysis, making complex topics accessible and engaging for a broad audience. Gessen's fearless approach to journalism has earned them recognition as one of the leading voices in contemporary political commentary.
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