Lenin's Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire

First edition (publ. Random House)

Lenin's Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire is a book by American author David Remnick. Often cited as an example of New Journalism, it won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1994.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

The book is equal parts history and eyewitness account, covering the collapse of the Soviet Union. Opening with the excavation of the corpses of Poles killed in the Katyn massacre, Lenin's Tomb begins by describing the structural flaws present from the country's early days, and then uses individual accounts from a wide variety of contemporary individuals to display the modern consequences of these historical errors and cruelties.

Within the book, Remnick draws heavily on his past work as Moscow correspondent with The Washington Post. In addition to officials and public figures, current and former—one chapter in part recounts Remnick's attempts to interview Lazar Kaganovich, of Joseph Stalin's inner circle—he takes advantage of a wide variety of "everyman"-type sources. These individuals, while not themselves notable, help add richness and texture to Remnick's depiction of the world around them.

In 1997, Remnick published a follow-up work, Resurrection, dealing with the creation of a new Russian state.

The book was the required reading for the University Interscholastic League's Social Studies Competition in 2018.[7] Jay Nordlinger gave a favorable assessment of the book.[8]

  1. ^ "Pulitzer Prize Winners: General Non-Fiction" (web). pulitzer.org. Archived from the original on 2008-02-24. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  2. ^ Pipes, Richard (December 1, 1993). "Review: Lenin's Tomb, by David Remnick". Commentary Magazine. Archived from the original on 22 February 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  3. ^ Walters, John (19 May 2018). "Book Review: Lenin's Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire by David Remnick". John Walter Writer. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  4. ^ Ignatieff, Michael (June 20, 1993). "Jealous Gods : LENIN'S TOMB: Russia and the Fall of Communism (Review)". LA Times. Archived from the original on 2022-02-22. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  5. ^ Legvold, Robert (1993). "Review – Lenin's Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire". Foreign Affairs. 72 (September/October 1993 Issue). Archived from the original on 2018-11-25. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  6. ^ Lloyd, John (May 30, 1993). "The Struggle For Memory". New York Times. No. Sunday, Late Edition. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  7. ^ "UIL Texas Social Studies Term Reading List" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-10-08. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  8. ^ "Jaywalking audio mp3". National Review. Archived from the original on 2018-09-13. Retrieved 2018-09-13.