The Future Is History

How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia

De: Masha Gessen

Narrado por: Masha Gessen

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 best-selling 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.

©2017 Masha Gessen (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Fascinating and deeply felt." (The New York Times Book Review)

“Forceful and eloquent on the history of her native country, Gessen is alarming and pessimistic about its future as it doubles down on totalitarianism.” (Los Angeles Times)

“A remarkable portrait of an ever-shifting era.... Gessen weaves her characters’ stories into a seamless, poignant whole. Her analysis of Putin’s malevolent administration is just as effective...a harrowing, compassionate and important book.” (San Francisco Chronicle)

My study of Russia was incomplete until this book

Learned much of current double-think attitudes of Russian people today and why it will take generations to erode its seductive qualities

Great, but hard to follow for a novice

Going myself struggling to keep up. Well written and super interesting, though tough read for someone like me who isn't well versed in either Russian history or sociology

Absolutely brilliant

The best book I listened to all year. Not only is Masha Gessen a talented reporter, she is also a top notch political theorist. Her philosophical analysis and historical insight are coupled with the incredible true stories of real Russian citizens. Her narration is also well done and a delight to listen to. You won't be disappointed

More From a Great Russia Scholar and Storyteller

Answers so many questions about modern Russia and
paints the context picture in wonderful detail.

Great Insight Into Modern Russia

Great listen; highly recommended insight into the modern state of Russian politics and society. It's quite troubling, to say the least.

Gessen humanizes modern Russians

A human history of post Soviet Union Russia told through the intimate coming of age stories of seven Russian youths. Though her characters are real the telling of their stories reads more like a great Russian novel. Brilliant work of history, psychology, and, sadly, effective statecraft.

Solid Perspective on a relevant topic

Adds to the Putin hates the Clinton story and why Trump.
There's value in looking a bit deeper into the current Russian politics and events from a Russian perspective. Enjoyed the time spent.

Good read.

I really enjoyed this book but something about the narration made this book seem harder to follow than I expected. Perhaps I need to see Russian names as I hear them?

Ms Gessen is my special favorite author

I am a special fan of all Marsha’s work.
A great American with a great Russian heritage.
Thank you for all your story.
Welcome to America.
Gordon Flygare

The Marriage of Depth and Detail

The author does a great job covering Russian politics and Russian characters from the end of the Soviet Union to around 2015. They do a great job of giving detail of life through the lens of modern-day Russia.