About the book
Winner of the Cundill History Prize
The House of the Dead tells the incredible hundred-year-long story of “the vast prison without a roof” that was Russia’s Siberian penal colony. From the beginning of the nineteenth century until the Russian Revolution, the tsars exiled more than a million prisoners and their families east. Here Daniel Beer illuminates both the brutal realities of this inhuman system and the tragic and inspiring fates of those who endured it. Siberia was intended to serve not only as a dumping ground for criminals and political dissidents, but also as new settlements. The system failed on both fronts: it peopled Siberia with an army of destitute and desperate vagabonds who visited a plague of crime on the indigenous population, and transformed the region into a virtual laboratory of revolution. A masterly and original work of nonfiction, The House of the Dead is the history of a failed social experiment and an examination of Siberia’s decisive influence on the political forces of the modern world.
Editions of The House of the Dead
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780307949264
- AltFormat
- ISBN 9780307958907
- EBook
- ISBN 9780307958914
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9781524703370
- AudioStreaming
- ISBN 9781524703387
Read an Excerpt
Winner of the Cundill History Prize
The House of the Dead tells the incredible hundred-year-long story of “the vast prison without a roof” that was Russia’s Siberian penal colony. From the beginning of the nineteenth century until the Russian Revolution, the tsars exiled more than a million prisoners and their families east. Here Daniel Beer illuminates both the brutal realities of this inhuman system and the tragic and inspiring fates of those who endured it. Siberia was intended to serve not only as a dumping ground for criminals and political dissidents, but also as new settlements. The system failed on both fronts: it peopled Siberia with an army of destitute and desperate vagabonds who visited a plague of crime on the indigenous population, and transformed the region into a virtual laboratory of revolution. A masterly and original work of nonfiction, The House of the Dead is the history of a failed social experiment and an examination of Siberia’s decisive influence on the political forces of the modern world.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The House of the Dead about?
Winner of the Cundill History Prize
The House of the Dead tells the incredible hundred-year-long story of “the vast prison without a roof” that was Russia’s Siberian penal colony. From the beginning of the nineteenth century until the Russian Revolution, the tsars exiled more than a million prisoners and their families east. Here Daniel Beer illuminates both the brutal realities of this inhuman system and the tragic and inspiring fates of those who endured it. Siberia was intended to serve not only as a dumping ground for criminals and political dissidents, but also as new settlements. The system failed on both fronts: it peopled Siberia with an army of destitute and desperate vagabonds who visited a plague of crime on the indigenous population, and transformed the region into a virtual laboratory of revolution. A masterly and original work of nonfiction, The House of the Dead is the history of a failed social experiment and an examination of Siberia’s decisive influence on the political forces of the modern world.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The House of the Dead?
History and Archaeology > History > European history
Where can I read a sample of The House of the Dead?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780307949264
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The House of the Dead?
Daniel Beer
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The House of the Dead is available as paperback(ISBN 9780307949264) and altformat(ISBN 9780307958907) and ebook(ISBN 9780307958914) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9781524703370) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9781524703387)
Where can I buy The House of the Dead online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy The House of the Dead from below
Where can I buy The House of the Dead?