Russian/Soviet Military Literature

[Feanor]

I figured I'd make a thread for this, since there's a few I've come across in my time that are definitely worth checking out. I'm only going to list ones I know have been translated into english, so you guys can actually read them.

Arkadiy Babchenko - One Soldiers War (Russian title is Война)

This is a brutal account of the First Chechen War from the stand point of a conscript. The book is not for the faint of heart, at least it wasn't in Russian (I haven't read the English translation). It contrasts sharply with Vyacheslav Mironov's Assault on Downtown Grozny (Russian title Я был на этой войне) which provides an officer's perspective on the same conflict.

Aleksandr Pokrovskiy - Sea Stories (Russian title is Расстрелять)

It's a collection of hilarious stories about life and service in the Soviet Navy. While quite dark at times, it's very funny, and shows the idiosyncrasies of their mindset.

Viktor Suvorov (Rezun) - The Liberators (Освободители) (his Aquarium is also quite good)

This is a collection of short stories about his life up to, and in the Soviet Army. Rezun was first a tank officer, later serving in the SpetzNaz GRU, and then the GRU itself (foreign intelligence). Also quite funny and often very insightful.

I'll post any others that I come across that I think might be interesting, insightful, or just a good read. I apologize in advance if the translations don't live up to the original, as I've read all these in Russian...

 

[2007yellow430]

Any more? Enjoyed these.

Art

 

[Feanor]

Any more? Enjoyed these.

Art

I'll let you guys know if I come across any. I greatly enjoyed Prokudin's trilogy Try to Come Back Alive, but I don't think it's been translated.

 

[Feanor]

Alexey Novikov-Priboy - Tsushima

It's an excellent account of the gigantic naval disaster, and a great look inside the Russian Navy. Novikov not only recorded his own impressions and memories but also those of many others.

 

[STURM]

Not Russian literature per se and it’s fiction but have you read “Red Army” (Ralph Peters)?

 

[Feanor]

Not Russian literature per se and it’s fiction but have you read “Red Army” (Ralph Peters)?

I have not. It honestly doesn't even ring a bell. A quick google search suggests that it's something like Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising? I generally stay away from alternate history...

 

[STURM]

I generally stay away from alternate histories too. This one however - for me - was worth it. About a Soviet invasion of the West seen from the perspective of the Soviet Generals/soldiers who took part it in.
The author was an ex U.S. army Soviet analyst.

 

[Feanor]

I'm adding Highway to Volokolamsk and its sequels (my edition doesn't separate the sequels from the main work but my Russian language edition doesn't, simply separating them into novels 1-4 all under the same title) by Alexander Bek to this list. Not only is it an excellent read, but it also includes a valuable information on Red Army tactics. The protagonist is Momysh-Uly, whose book "Moscow is Behind Us" is also on my reading list but alas I have not been able to secure a copy.

 

[ngatimozart]

I'm adding Highway to Volokolamsk and its sequels (my edition doesn't separate the sequels from the main work but my Russian language edition doesn't, simply separating them into novels 1-4 all under the same title) by Alexander Bek to this list. Not only is it an excellent read, but it also includes a valuable information on Red Army tactics. The protagonist is Momysh-Uly, whose book "Moscow is Behind Us" is also on my reading list but alas I have not been able to secure a copy.

I have just done a check and the English edition has been out of print for decades.

 

[Feanor]

I have just done a check and the English edition has been out of print for decades.

This isn't surprising. Soviet literature isn't well known or well published in the west. A quick search through my usual places turned up a single copy at 120 USD (Volokolamsk Highway - AbeBooks) not exactly a friendly price. I also tried to find a digital copy to see if it could be read online. Alas, no luck there either.

 

[John Fedup]

This isn't surprising. Soviet literature isn't well known or well published in the west. A quick search through my usual places turned up a single copy at 120 USD (Volokolamsk Highway - AbeBooks) not exactly a friendly price. I also tried to find a digital copy to see if it could be read online. Alas, no luck there either.

I don’t know about unfriendly price, there are a ton of books on special topics in that range...and then there are Univerisity text books for various courses (sometimes written by colleagues of the course professor and hat would embarrass even LM.

 

[ngatimozart]

This isn't surprising. Soviet literature isn't well known or well published in the west. A quick search through my usual places turned up a single copy at 120 USD (Volokolamsk Highway - AbeBooks) not exactly a friendly price. I also tried to find a digital copy to see if it could be read online. Alas, no luck there either.

Yep I went to Abes first too. I have found them a good source over the years.

However getting books etc., from the US to NZ over the last 12 months is a mission in itself. Normally I have them sent to a NZ Post depot in Oregon but NZ Post are charging like a wounded bull if you want stuff delivered in a timely manner. I have a book on the way from the USNI that I ordered in January. It arrived in Oregon at beginning of February. They wanted NZ$50.00 incl GST to ship it to NZ in timely fashion. Bugger that said I because I just wanted to ship the book not the whole bloody book shop. So paid NZ$25 incl GST to ship it here. Two weeks ago the NZ Post app tells me that the book has moved to international departures.

I bought another book from the USNI and had it sent direct. Took three weeks and was cheaper. Lesson learnt.

 

[Feanor]

I'll add Grigoriy Baklanov here, his South of the Main Offensive and The Foothold specifically. He is famous for July 1941 as well, and while it was revealing for the time, being a book that acknolwedge Stalin-era purges, from a literary standpoint I prefer those two specifically. Interestingly enough the first two are both available at Amazon at prices that don't make one shudder. Not advertising, just mentioning, since usually literature of this kind is nearly impossible to find.

 

[Feanor]

I'm adding Highway to Volokolamsk and its sequels (my edition doesn't separate the sequels from the main work but my Russian language edition doesn't, simply separating them into novels 1-4 all under the same title) by Alexander Bek to this list. Not only is it an excellent read, but it also includes a valuable information on Red Army tactics. The protagonist is Momysh-Uly, whose book "Moscow is Behind Us" is also on my reading list but alas I have not been able to secure a copy.

I managed to get a hold of a copy of Momysh-Uly's book Moscow is Behind Us. I'll let you guys know if it's worth digging for when I get to it. It was a scarce text even in Russian and I don't believe it's been translated, so I get that it's not the most useful recommendation. But given the author, and the subject matter, I believe it deserves a mention.

 

[Feanor]

Alexey Novikov-Priboy - Tsushima

It's an excellent account of the gigantic naval disaster, and a great look inside the Russian Navy. Novikov not only recorded his own impressions and memories but also those of many others.

It appears the entire text of this is online in English. Just thought I'd share;

Full text of "Tsushima A Novikoff Priboy"

 

[Feanor]

I'm going to add My Lieutenant by Daniil Granin to the list. It's a great autobiographical view of WWII by a major Soviet author, one that was often at odds with officialdom. He's more famous for his Zubr (translated as The Bison), but I liked his WWII account a lot. I'm not sure if it's been translated, but if you can find it, it's worth looking into. I have his Blockade Book, but haven't gotten to it yet. It's something he wrote with Ales' Adamovich, detailing the story of the Leningrad blockade through the eyes of survivors.