Not fancying a dose of Dostoevsky or Chekhov? Why not give RN Morris a go? Morris' St Petersburg Mystery series is set in Tsarist Russia around the mid 1860s, during the reign of Alexander II. It follows the investigations of detective Porfiry Petrovich as he solves crimes in the new justice system set up by Alexander II. 

The first book in the series, "A Gentle Axe" sees Petrovich investigating the deaths of two people in suspicious circumstances. At first it appears that the a dwarf found hacked to pieces in a suitcase has been murdered in a fit of rage by another man found hanging nearby, but it quickly become apparent that there is more to the case than meets the eye. 

The investigation which follows sees Petrovich plumb the murky depths beneath St Petersburg's respectable veneer, meeting with aristocratic prejudice along the way. The book also deals with the issues of legal reform in Russia, as well as nihilism and dissidence, and therefore is a really good book to read for a sense of period. 

An enjoyable and pacey book - this is well worth a try. The book is available HERE

Have you read the book? Let me know your thoughts by commenting here or posting on Twitter @andallthatweb #bookreview

Mr F

Orlando Figes most recent work is a student centered book telling the story of Russia and the Soviet Union from Alexander III to the collapse of the Union under Gorbachev. For those of you who haven't yet ventured into the depth of "A People's Tragedy" this provides a rigorous revisionist view of the Revolution and its aftermath. It also nicely ties together the collapse of Tsarism and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Excellent, and probably required reading for A Level students. 

Figes has a new website which compliments the book at www.orlandofiges.info . You can buy the book for Kindle or as hard copy HERE

Reading Russian literature from the Nineteenth Century is a fantastic way to get a feel for life in pre-revolutionary Russia. However, much Russian literature can be extremely dense for the novice, with thick description and character lists as long as your army. Enter Anton Chekhov, the accessible way to enjoy some Russian writing. Chekhov's style is both sparse and modern, light on description but heavy on analogy and metaphor. It is an ideal introduction to Russia at the turn of the century. 

"About Love and Other Stories" is a collection of short stories written by Chekhov around the 1890s. His writings take the theme of love from a range of different perspectives and we are given fleeting glimpses into the lives of the Russian nobility at the end of the great Tsarist regime. The stories cover themes of alienation, despair and the absurdity of human existence. They are as powerful and relevant today as when they were originally written. The collection includes Chekhov's more well-known pieces such as "The Lady with the Little Dog", as well more obscure works such as "Rothschild's Violin", a "haunting and darkly humorous tale about death and loss." My personal favourite is "The Letter" in which a father is given advice on reining in his errant son. You can read the whole story HERE. Indeed, the majority of Chekhov's works are available free online, however the translation in this edition by Rosamund Bartlett is especially good!

The book is available from Amazon HERE. Do comment and let me know what you think!

Mr F

If you are only going to read one book to supplement your Russia A Level, I would highly recommend you make it Robert Service's excellent "A History of Twentieth Century Russia". You may also find the more up-to-date third edition labelled "The Penguin History of Modern Russia".

Service is professor of Russian History at Oxford University, however his expertise is made quite accessible in this book, which covers a period from around 1855 to 2008. Although Service's offering lacks some of the depth and human story of some other histories of the Soviet Union, he does provide an excellent overview of the key moments in the development of Russian history over a turbulent century. The narrative zips along through the key events of Russian history, detailing everything from problems under the tsars, to the excesses of Putin in the C21st.

Whilst a depth knowledge is not the main aim of the book, it is  peppered with some fascinating and often chilling details. In one such example, Service details how Stalin implemented a numerical system to denote to the secret service how his opponents should be dealt with. As he flicked through his "albums" he would mark down a number to inform NKVD chief Beria how they should be dealt with (kill, imprison, or up to you). In another example, he talks about Stalin's tactic of padding around during Politburo meeting, walking behind the chairs of his ministers in leather slippers, in a style reminiscent of Al Capone. There are also some insights into the lives of the ordinary Russians trying to deal with the excesses of the regime - for the most part this seems to have involved lying to the authorities and hoping for the best... It is moments such as these that keep the human connection in Service's largely political narrative. 

In addition to key events in the Soviet Union, the book also touches on aspects of international relations and the book would make an interesting supplement to a more intrepid GCSE Modern World student looking to understand the actions of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Overall, an excellent book which covers the key areas for the Russian Revolution as well as the decline of the Soviet Union. One cannot help but be astounded by the extent of corruption and destruction which the Russian peoples have to endure through this period. An eye opening experience: highly recommended.

Mr F