EnglishEnglish
EspañolSpanish
简体中文Chinese
繁體中文Chinese (Traditional)
FrançaisFrench
DeutschGerman
日本語Japanese
PortuguêsPortuguese
ItalianoItalian
한국어Korean
РусскийRussian
NederlandsDutch
العربيةArabic
PolskiPolish
हिन्दीHindi
Tiếng ViệtVietnamese
SvenskaSwedish
ΕλληνικάGreek
TürkçeTurkish
ไทยThai
ČeštinaCzech
RomânăRomanian
MagyarHungarian
УкраїнськаUkrainian
IndonesiaIndonesian
DanskDanish
SuomiFinnish
БългарскиBulgarian
עבריתHebrew
NorskNorwegian
HrvatskiCroatian
CatalàCatalan
SlovenčinaSlovak
LietuviųLithuanian
SlovenščinaSlovenian
СрпскиSerbian
EestiEstonian
LatviešuLatvian
فارسیPersian
മലയാളംMalayalam
தமிழ்Tamil
اردوUrdu
SoBrief
Searching...
Russia and the Russians
by Geoffrey Hosking • 2001
Russia built an empire but never lasting institutions. Geography made autocracy feel like survival.
3.97
604
Russia and the Russians Summary
Russia and the Russians 97%
Russia built an empire but never lasting institutions. Geography made autocracy feel like survival.
by Geoffrey Hosking 2001
3.97
604 ratings
Putinism
by Walter Laqueur • 2015
Oil wealth, Orthodox faith, and a KGB veteran filled the vacuum the Soviet Union left behind.
3.32
260
Putinism Summary
Putinism 96%
Oil wealth, Orthodox faith, and a KGB veteran filled the vacuum the Soviet Union left behind.
by Walter Laqueur 2015
3.32
260 ratings
The Return of the Russian Leviathan
by Sergei Medvedev • 2017
Governance traded for spectacle: how resentment and distorted history built Putin's Russia.
4.06
337
The Return of the Russian Leviathan Summary
The Return of the Russian Leviathan 95%
Governance traded for spectacle: how resentment and distorted history built Putin's Russia.
by Sergei Medvedev 2017
4.06
337 ratings
The Road to Unfreedom
by Timothy Snyder • 2018
The 2016 election was the target of a Russian authoritarian project decades in the making.
4.37
11k+
The Road to Unfreedom Summary
The Road to Unfreedom 95%
The 2016 election was the target of a Russian authoritarian project decades in the making.
by Timothy Snyder 2018
4.37
11k+ ratings
Kremlin Rising
by Peter Baker • 2005
Putin didn't seize Russia. Russians handed it to him, desperate for order after a decade of chaos.
3.90
332
Kremlin Rising Summary
Kremlin Rising 94%
Putin didn't seize Russia. Russians handed it to him, desperate for order after a decade of chaos.
by Peter Baker 2005
3.90
332 ratings
Russia's Fate Through Russian Eyes
by Heyward Isham • 2019
Russians who dismantled communism discovered that building its replacement was the harder half.
Russia's Fate Through Russian Eyes Summary
Russia's Fate Through Russian Eyes 94%
Russians who dismantled communism discovered that building its replacement was the harder half.
by Heyward Isham 2019
Rasputin and the Fall of the Romanovs
by Colin Wilson • 1964
The mad monk wasn't a fraud: his powers were real, and they brought down a dynasty.
3.41
234
Rasputin and the Fall of the Romanovs Summary
Rasputin and the Fall of the Romanovs 94%
The mad monk wasn't a fraud: his powers were real, and they brought down a dynasty.
by Colin Wilson 1964
3.41
234 ratings
The Invention of Russia
by Arkady Ostrovsky • 2015
Television became the new Kremlin: how post-Soviet Russia was built on air, not on law.
4.01
2k+
The Invention of Russia Summary
The Invention of Russia 94%
Television became the new Kremlin: how post-Soviet Russia was built on air, not on law.
by Arkady Ostrovsky 2015
4.01
2k+ ratings
Winter Is Coming
by Garry Kasparov • 2015
Western money and misplaced goodwill built Putin's war machine: a warning from the front lines.
4.04
4k+
Winter Is Coming Summary
Winter Is Coming 94%
Western money and misplaced goodwill built Putin's war machine: a warning from the front lines.
by Garry Kasparov 2015
4.04
4k+ ratings
Secondhand Time
by Svetlana Alexievich • 2013
A civilization vanished with the USSR, leaving millions unprepared for the freedom they craved.
4.46
22k+
Secondhand Time Summary
Secondhand Time 93%
A civilization vanished with the USSR, leaving millions unprepared for the freedom they craved.
by Svetlana Alexievich 2013
4.46
22k+ ratings
Dressed Up for a Riot
by Michael Idov • 2018
a GQ editor's Moscow: protests fill squares, Pussy Riot faces trial, and cheese turns patriotic.
3.62
274
Dressed Up for a Riot Summary
Dressed Up for a Riot 93%
a GQ editor's Moscow: protests fill squares, Pussy Riot faces trial, and cheese turns patriotic.
by Michael Idov 2018
3.62
274 ratings
Two Hundred Years Together
by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn • 2001
Solzhenitsyn dissects two centuries of Russian-Jewish coexistence, looking beyond mutual blame.
4.17
181
Two Hundred Years Together Summary
Two Hundred Years Together 93%
Solzhenitsyn dissects two centuries of Russian-Jewish coexistence, looking beyond mutual blame.
by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 2001
4.17
181 ratings
Socialism Betrayed
by Roger Keeran • 2004
The Soviet collapse wasn't inevitable: a pro-market faction inside the Party dismantled it.
4.37
545
Socialism Betrayed Summary
Socialism Betrayed 93%
The Soviet collapse wasn't inevitable: a pro-market faction inside the Party dismantled it.
by Roger Keeran 2004
4.37
545 ratings
Spin Dictators
by Sergei Guriev • 2022
Modern autocrats rule by deception, not terror. How they fake democracy and hide the violence.
3.94
1k+
Spin Dictators Summary
Spin Dictators 93%
Modern autocrats rule by deception, not terror. How they fake democracy and hide the violence.
by Sergei Guriev 2022
3.94
1k+ ratings
Always With Honour
by Pyotr Nikolaevich Wrangel • 1963
The White Army's last commander: rebuilding in Crimea, one final campaign, and exodus by sea.
4.47
614
Always With Honour Summary
Always With Honour 93%
The White Army's last commander: rebuilding in Crimea, one final campaign, and exodus by sea.
by Pyotr Nikolaevich Wrangel 1963
4.47
614 ratings
The Sword and the Shield
by Christopher Andrew • 1985
One KGB archivist smuggled out the foreign intelligence files, rewriting Cold War history.
3.93
2k+
The Sword and the Shield Summary
The Sword and the Shield 92%
One KGB archivist smuggled out the foreign intelligence files, rewriting Cold War history.
by Christopher Andrew 1985
3.93
2k+ ratings
Black Garden
by Thomas de Waal • 2003
One Soviet province started an ethnic war in 1988 by voting to secede. The stalemate remains.
4.25
835
Black Garden Summary
Black Garden 92%
One Soviet province started an ethnic war in 1988 by voting to secede. The stalemate remains.
by Thomas de Waal 2003
4.25
835 ratings
The Unquiet Frontier
by Jakub J. Grygiel • 2016
Abandoning allies does not bring safety; it invites tests that slowly unravel American power.
4.01
87
The Unquiet Frontier Summary
The Unquiet Frontier 92%
Abandoning allies does not bring safety; it invites tests that slowly unravel American power.
by Jakub J. Grygiel 2016
4.01
87 ratings
The Red Web
by Andrei Soldatov • 2015
The Soviet Union fell but its surveillance state survived, rewired for the internet age.
3.95
700
The Red Web Summary
The Red Web 92%
The Soviet Union fell but its surveillance state survived, rewired for the internet age.
by Andrei Soldatov 2015
3.95
700 ratings
Lenin
by Robert Service • 2000
How a bookish, emotionally stunted provincial became the ruthless architect of the Soviet state.
3.84
2k+
Lenin Summary
Lenin 92%
How a bookish, emotionally stunted provincial became the ruthless architect of the Soviet state.
by Robert Service 2000
3.84
2k+ ratings
The Fourth Political Theory
by Alexander Dugin • 2009
Liberalism abolished politics. The way out runs through chaos, tradition, and a multipolar world.
3.29
791
The Fourth Political Theory Summary
The Fourth Political Theory 92%
Liberalism abolished politics. The way out runs through chaos, tradition, and a multipolar world.
by Alexander Dugin 2009
3.29
791 ratings
Modern Times
by Paul Johnson • 1983
Einstein and Freud dismantled the old moral universe. Into the void stepped the totalitarians.
4.29
3k+
Modern Times Summary
Modern Times 92%
Einstein and Freud dismantled the old moral universe. Into the void stepped the totalitarians.
by Paul Johnson 1983
4.29
3k+ ratings
Once Upon a Time in Russia
by Ben Mezrich • 2015
A mathematician, a protege, and a poisoned teacup: the making and unmaking of Russia's oligarchs.
3.86
5k+
Once Upon a Time in Russia Summary
Once Upon a Time in Russia 92%
A mathematician, a protege, and a poisoned teacup: the making and unmaking of Russia's oligarchs.
by Ben Mezrich 2015
3.86
5k+ ratings
Collapse
by Vladislav M. Zubok • 2021
Gorbachev's reforms were meant to save the USSR. Instead, they blew it apart.
4.25
2k+
Collapse Summary
Collapse 91%
Gorbachev's reforms were meant to save the USSR. Instead, they blew it apart.
by Vladislav M. Zubok 2021
4.25
2k+ ratings
The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956
by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn • 1973
A secret network of camps swallowed millions on quotas, using bodies until nothing remained.
4.33
35k+
The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956 Summary
The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956 91%
A secret network of camps swallowed millions on quotas, using bodies until nothing remained.
by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 1973
4.33
35k+ ratings
The Gun
by C.J. Chivers • 2010
Designed by a Soviet committee to crush uprisings, the AK-47 armed global terror.
3.95
3k+
The Gun Summary
The Gun 91%
Designed by a Soviet committee to crush uprisings, the AK-47 armed global terror.
by C.J. Chivers 2010
3.95
3k+ ratings
House of Trump, House of Putin
by Craig Unger • 2018
Trump's condos laundered billions for the Russian mob, tied to Putin through a single crime boss.
4.02
2k+
House of Trump, House of Putin Summary
House of Trump, House of Putin 91%
Trump's condos laundered billions for the Russian mob, tied to Putin through a single crime boss.
by Craig Unger 2018
4.02
2k+ ratings
Motherland
by Julia Ioffe • 2025
How Russian autocracy was built on women's bodies and labor, from Bolshevik liberation to Putin.
4.53
3k+
Motherland Summary
Motherland 91%
How Russian autocracy was built on women's bodies and labor, from Bolshevik liberation to Putin.
by Julia Ioffe 2025
4.53
3k+ ratings
The Revolution Betrayed
by Leon Trotsky • 1937
Not socialism, not capitalism. Trotsky charts the third system the Russian Revolution produced.
4.09
2k+
The Revolution Betrayed Summary
The Revolution Betrayed 91%
Not socialism, not capitalism. Trotsky charts the third system the Russian Revolution produced.
by Leon Trotsky 1937
4.09
2k+ ratings
Russian Roulette
by Michael Isikoff • 2018
Putin ordered it, WikiLeaks delivered it, and Trump's team kept taking the meetings.
4.20
7k+
Russian Roulette Summary
Russian Roulette 91%
Putin ordered it, WikiLeaks delivered it, and Trump's team kept taking the meetings.
by Michael Isikoff 2018
4.20
7k+ ratings
The Foundations of Leninism
by Joseph Stalin • 1924
The manual Lenin left behind: why imperialist decay demands a new kind of revolutionary party.
4.05
2k+
The Foundations of Leninism Summary
The Foundations of Leninism 91%
The manual Lenin left behind: why imperialist decay demands a new kind of revolutionary party.
by Joseph Stalin 1924
4.05
2k+ ratings
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
by Jack Weatherford • 2004
Genghis Khan's horde didn't just raze cities; it stitched Eurasia into a single connected world.
4.07
85k+
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World Summary
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World 91%
Genghis Khan's horde didn't just raze cities; it stitched Eurasia into a single connected world.
by Jack Weatherford 2004
4.07
85k+ ratings
Libro dell'acqua
by Eduard Limonov • 2003
At 48, a Russian exile finds his war and grins, documenting his self-made legend.
3.56
259
Libro dell'acqua Summary
Libro dell'acqua 91%
At 48, a Russian exile finds his war and grins, documenting his self-made legend.
by Eduard Limonov 2003
3.56
259 ratings
The Age of Capital, 1848–1875
by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 1975
After 1848, capitalism conquered the globe. Railways, gold, and free trade were its weapons.
4.27
5k+
The Age of Capital, 1848–1875 Summary
The Age of Capital, 1848–1875 91%
After 1848, capitalism conquered the globe. Railways, gold, and free trade were its weapons.
by Eric J. Hobsbawm 1975
4.27
5k+ ratings
The War for Ukraine
by Mick Ryan • 2024
Russia punishes failure. Ukraine learns from it. In a war of adaptation, culture beats mass.
3.91
94
The War for Ukraine Summary
The War for Ukraine 91%
Russia punishes failure. Ukraine learns from it. In a war of adaptation, culture beats mass.
by Mick Ryan 2024
3.91
94 ratings
Code Warriors
by Stephen Budiansky • 2016
Math, machines, and moral compromise: the NSA's secret Cold War against the Soviets.
3.72
760
Code Warriors Summary
Code Warriors 91%
Math, machines, and moral compromise: the NSA's secret Cold War against the Soviets.
by Stephen Budiansky 2016
3.72
760 ratings
Deep Undercover
by Jack Barsky • 2017
To escape the KGB, he told them he was dying of AIDS. He stayed for his American daughter.
4.08
3k+
Deep Undercover Summary
Deep Undercover 91%
To escape the KGB, he told them he was dying of AIDS. He stayed for his American daughter.
by Jack Barsky 2017
4.08
3k+ ratings
Patriot
by Alexei Navalny • 2024
Poisoned by the state, arrested on return, dead at 47. His prison cell testament.
4.51
17k+
Patriot Summary
Patriot 91%
Poisoned by the state, arrested on return, dead at 47. His prison cell testament.
by Alexei Navalny 2024
4.51
17k+ ratings
The Twilight Struggle
by Hal Brands • 2022
How America's Cold War playbook for long-haul rivalry can be updated for China and Russia.
3.98
248
The Twilight Struggle Summary
The Twilight Struggle 91%
How America's Cold War playbook for long-haul rivalry can be updated for China and Russia.
by Hal Brands 2022
3.98
248 ratings
What Is to Be Done?
by Vladimir Lenin • 1902
Workers alone only win wage fights. A secret vanguard must bring revolutionary thought from outside.
4.11
6k+
What Is to Be Done? Summary
What Is to Be Done? 91%
Workers alone only win wage fights. A secret vanguard must bring revolutionary thought from outside.
by Vladimir Lenin 1902
4.11
6k+ ratings
The Great Divergence
by Kenneth Pomeranz • 2000
Europe's industrial breakthrough wasn't its own genius. It took colonial land and underground coal.
3.68
1k+
The Great Divergence Summary
The Great Divergence 91%
Europe's industrial breakthrough wasn't its own genius. It took colonial land and underground coal.
by Kenneth Pomeranz 2000
3.68
1k+ ratings
Autocracy, Inc.
by Anne Applebaum • 2024
A global network of dictators runs autocracies like for-profit firms. Democracies bankroll them.
4.16
19k+
Autocracy, Inc. Summary
Autocracy, Inc. 91%
A global network of dictators runs autocracies like for-profit firms. Democracies bankroll them.
by Anne Applebaum 2024
4.16
19k+ ratings
Sovietistan
by Erika Fatland • 2014
Why a country made gas and electricity free, and what happened when it all ran out.
4.27
9k+
Sovietistan Summary
Sovietistan 90%
Why a country made gas and electricity free, and what happened when it all ran out.
by Erika Fatland 2014
4.27
9k+ ratings
The Return of Great Powers
by Jim Sciutto • 2024
One invasion buried the post-Cold War. Now three nuclear giants duel in a world without rules.
3.85
1k+
The Return of Great Powers Summary
The Return of Great Powers 90%
One invasion buried the post-Cold War. Now three nuclear giants duel in a world without rules.
by Jim Sciutto 2024
3.85
1k+ ratings
The Case for Colonialism
by Bruce Gilley • 2023
Start new colonies from scratch. The controversial solution to a century of post-colonial disaster.
4.32
191
The Case for Colonialism Summary
The Case for Colonialism 90%
Start new colonies from scratch. The controversial solution to a century of post-colonial disaster.
by Bruce Gilley 2023
4.32
191 ratings
The Geopolitics of Emotion
by Dominique Moïsi • 2008
Oil and armies are not what drive nations. The real forces: fear, hope, and humiliation.
3.65
500
The Geopolitics of Emotion Summary
The Geopolitics of Emotion 90%
Oil and armies are not what drive nations. The real forces: fear, hope, and humiliation.
by Dominique Moïsi 2008
3.65
500 ratings
Churchill, Hitler, and "The Unnecessary War"
by Patrick J. Buchanan • 2008
Britain's empire fell not to war but to a diplomatic blunder that handed the world to its rivals.
4.21
2k+
Churchill, Hitler, and "The Unnecessary War" Summary
Churchill, Hitler, and "The Unnecessary War" 90%
Britain's empire fell not to war but to a diplomatic blunder that handed the world to its rivals.
by Patrick J. Buchanan 2008
4.21
2k+ ratings
New Cold Wars
by David E. Sanger • 2024
The post-Cold War peace was a mirage. The new rivalry is hybrid, global, and nuclear.
4.30
2k+
New Cold Wars Summary
New Cold Wars 90%
The post-Cold War peace was a mirage. The new rivalry is hybrid, global, and nuclear.
by David E. Sanger 2024
4.30
2k+ ratings
The Battle For Syria
by Christopher Phillips • 2016
Syria's uprising became a proxy war: six outside powers picking sides and arming their own factions.
4.16
291
The Battle For Syria Summary
The Battle For Syria 90%
Syria's uprising became a proxy war: six outside powers picking sides and arming their own factions.
by Christopher Phillips 2016
4.16
291 ratings
The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order
by Samuel P. Huntington • 1998
Global conflict is no longer ideological: seven civilizations now compete for power and survival.
3.78
14k+
The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order Summary
The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order 90%
Global conflict is no longer ideological: seven civilizations now compete for power and survival.
by Samuel P. Huntington 1998
3.78
14k+ ratings
Home
Swipe
Library
Get App
Try Full Access for 3 Days
Listen, bookmark, and more
Compare Features Free Pro
📖 Read Summaries
Read unlimited summaries. Free users get 3 per month
🎧 Listen to Summaries
Listen to unlimited summaries in 40 languages
❤️ Unlimited Bookmarks
Free users are limited to 4
📜 Unlimited History
Free users are limited to 4
📥 Unlimited Downloads
Free users are limited to 1
Risk-Free Timeline
Today: Get Instant Access
Listen to full summaries of 26,000+ books. That's 12,000+ hours of audio!
Day 2: Trial Reminder
We'll send you a notification that your trial is ending soon.
Day 3: Your subscription begins
You'll be charged on Aug 23,
cancel anytime before.
Consume 2.8× More Books
2.8× more books Listening Reading
Our users love us
600,000+ readers
Trustpilot Rating
TrustPilot
4.6 Excellent
This site is a total game-changer. I've been flying through book summaries like never before. Highly, highly recommend.
— Dave G
Worth my money and time, and really well made. I've never seen this quality of summaries on other websites. Very helpful!
— Em
Highly recommended!! Fantastic service. Perfect for those that want a little more than a teaser but not all the intricate details of a full audio book.
— Greg M
Save 62%
Yearly
$119.88 $44.99/year/yr
$3.75/mo
Monthly
$9.99/mo
Start a 3-Day Free Trial
3 days free, then $44.99/year. Cancel anytime.
Unlock a world of fiction & nonfiction books
26,000+ books for the price of 2 books
Read any book in 10 minutes
Discover new books like Tinder
Request any book if it's not summarized
Read more books than anyone you know
#1 app for book lovers
Lifelike & immersive summaries
30-day money-back guarantee
Download summaries in EPUBs or PDFs
Cancel anytime in a few clicks
Scanner
Find a barcode to scan

We have a special gift for you
Open
38% OFF
DISCOUNT FOR YOU
$79.99
$49.99/year
only $4.16 per month
Continue
2 taps to start, super easy to cancel
Settings
General
Widget
Loading...
We have a special gift for you
Open
38% OFF
DISCOUNT FOR YOU
$79.99
$49.99/year
only $4.16 per month
Continue
2 taps to start, super easy to cancel