The Soviet Century: Archaeology of a Lost World
by Karl Schlögel & Rodney Livingstone
Soviet Russia is my jam. I’ve been reading about it for over ten years and am totally captivated by the politics and impact it had around the world. And the period spanning the revolution to Stalin’s death? Don’t even get me started on that. That’s the sweetest plum.
But I often forget that the richness of Russian culture doesn’t end when Khrushchev took over, and especially now that Soviet Russia is dead (in a way) and its archives are open (in a way), it’s the perfect opportunity for a skilled historian to offer some perspective on that era. That’s where Karl Schlogel’s Soviet Century: An Archeology of a Lost World comes in.
The premise of this book is simple and that’s to understand Soviet Russia from the perspective of an archeologist. Look at a certain object and tell its story. Sounds simple enough, and for the most part, Soviet Century is a simple book at its surface. But Schlogel digs deep and peels back the layers and transports us to a time when these objects had a function and discusses the impact they had on the Soviet citizen and what it meant for their livelihood. In this massive 900-page book, Schlogel discusses all kinds of objects and aspects of Soviet culture and ties them all together. Sometimes it’s as simple as wrapping paper, perfume, pianos, cookbooks, medals. Other times he’s discussing more complex things like the DniproHES hydroelectric plant, the Russian apartment and kitchen, crossing the border, the dachas, the cult of personality, and Siberia as a prison. Schlogel’s style is elegant, easy to follow and full of rich imagery, able to captivate the mind of the reader and offer some insight on what the lives of Soviet Russians was like and how the topic of discussion affected the hardship they were going under, because invariably, there was hardship. Some of these topics are more interesting than others, but more often than not, I found myself pleasantly surprised and engrossed in this book. The author is able to make even the most seemingly dull object interesting. That’s a testament of Schlogel’s skill as an analyst and storyteller.
Much more than a biography, Soviet Century is able to actually give the reader an idea of what common life was like in Soviet Russia. There is no doubt that Schlogel could have a written a book twice as long and I think I would have welcomed it. Perhaps a second volume is on its way. In any case, Soviet Century is a remarkable book that should be accessible to everyone. It brings the dead back to life in a detailed and colorful way. I felt transported and now it’s like I’m back from vacation. One of the best books I’ve read this year.
