Timothy Snyder’s Bloodlands is a disturbing and brilliantly executed study of the area between Hitler and Stalin that accounted for upwards of 14 million deaths. Snyder examines the policies and politics behind this staggering figure, as well as the personal experiences of those who lived through it. The result is both comprehensive and harrowing, painting an in-depth portrait of Europeans struggling to survive in an era defined by atrocity.
For who is this book for ?
This book is a great read for those who are interested in the history of World War II and the Cold War. Snyder does an excellent job of examining the key players on both sides and providing detailed explanations of their actions (and inaction). The personal stories he includes offer a humanizing perspective to what could otherwise be interpreted as simply numbers on a page.
Pros :
- Bloodlands is a well-researched and comprehensive history of the area between Hitler and Stalin.
- It provides personal stories from those who lived through this time period, which makes it a more harrowing read.
- Snyder’s writing is clear and concise, making for an easy read despite the heavy subject matter.
Cons :
- Difficult to read at times because of the subject matter.
- Can be dense in terms of the history and political science involved.
- It’s a challenging book, but ultimately an rewarding one.
Learn more about the author
Timothy Snyder is the Housum Professor of History at Yale University and a Permanent Senior Fellow of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. He has written five books, including The Reconstruction of Nations: Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus (Yale University Press, 2002), which received the Marshall J. Rosenberg Prize from the International Studies Association and was named one of Choice magazine’s Outstanding Academic Titles for 2003; Sketches from a Secret War: A Polish Artist’s Mission to Stalin’s Russia (Henry Holt & Company LLC., 2005); And Yet It Moves: Strange Tales from a Troubled Continent (Farrar Straus Giroux 2009), awarded Spanish National Non-fiction Book Award 2010; Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning(Knopf 2015) ;Bloodlands “In Bloodlands Timothy Snyder establishes himself as one not only with formidable command of both Eastern European history – particularly that within Nazi Germany’s sphere – but also an ability to write about this dark material with lucidity and economy.” – Kathryn Hughes Guardian “Brilliant…Snyder teases out complex stories while always keeping events firmly in their political context.”– Sunday Times The historian Timothy Snyder is one of the world’s foremost experts on Nazi Germany and the Holocaust.
Reader Reviews
“A tour de force of scholarship and readability, Bloodlands is a history of Europe between Hitler and Stalin that will never be forgotten.”
“Astonishing…Remarkable…Snyder has written a superb book, the likes of which we have not seen in many years.”
“An important, unflinching history of the unprecedented horrors that took place in Europe between Hitler and Stalin.”
“In Bloodlands, Snyder has written a deeply disturbing and profoundly important book about the dark side of European history. This is revisionist history at its very best.”
