This volume consists of nine chapters which deal with many of the crucial issues of the Russian Revolution, introduced and contextualized particularly for students. The material, all written by prominent specialists, represents some of the most influential work of the last two decades.The book covers the immediate background to the Revolutions of 1917-- the parties, movements, and personalities as well as issues of social class, gender and ethnicity. It opens with an introduction that presents a number of the main problems embedded in the study of the Revolution, and concludes with an examination of the writing of Russian history after the fall of communism. There is an explanatory introduction by the editor prior to each essay, which provides a framework for understanding the material.The Russian Revolution: The Essential Readings is not only an indispensable guide to the key recent scholarly debates but also an important aid in understanding the themes and arguments around this major turning-point in modern history.