The Dark Side of the Earth: Russia's Short-lived Victory over Totalitarianism

出自《紐約時報》盛讚為「俄羅斯最聰明、消息來源最廣的記者之一」的米哈伊爾．齊格（Mikhail Zygar）之手，本書深入而急迫地探討：為何蘇聯的解體其實並未真正完成，冷戰也從未真正結束——並揭示俄羅斯帝國主義的再度興起，以及其對當前烏克蘭戰爭的影響。

俄羅斯出生的記者齊格在蘇聯解體時年僅十歲。經過近十年的研究，他提出一種全新的俄羅斯歷史觀——一種重新改寫我們對蘇聯解體理解的觀點，並主張蘇聯的終結其實尚未到來。本書從 1961 年人類首次進入太空的歷史時刻談起，展開一段關於抵抗、韌性與復興的戲劇性歷史，最終導向蘇聯的解體，以及其遺緒在今日世界的回聲。

齊格進行了數百場獨家訪談，對象包括蘇聯總統戈巴契夫、各個後蘇聯獨立國家的首任總統、各共和國最後一任第一書記、獨立運動領袖，以及親歷這些歷史事件的西方政治人物與外交官。他深入描寫安德烈．沙卡洛夫、亞歷山大．索忍尼辛與弗拉基米爾．維索茨基等人物的奮鬥與成就，他們對極權主義的反抗既令人鼓舞，也與當代政治情勢高度相關。齊格指出，對蘇聯帝國的「勝利」或許只是短暫的，如今的俄羅斯政權仍維持其帝國野心。

對任何想理解現代俄羅斯法西斯主義起源的人而言，《The Dark Side of the Earth》是必讀之作。本書探討帝國與民族主義思想如何在蘇聯時期發展，並最終孕育出今日的普丁主義意識形態。齊格的作品之所以強大，在於他與蘇聯時代的個人連結、對歷史檔案的深入研究，以及大量揭開隱藏真相的訪談——其中包括多位首次公開發聲的歷史見證者。

這不僅是一部歷史著作，更是一份行動的呼籲，也是對真相與自由持續抗爭的見證。齊格提醒我們重新檢視我們所接受的歷史敘事，並重新思考在今日如何面對壓迫。這是一部大膽、深刻且充滿人性的作品，一段不容忽視的歷史與警示。

From “one of Russia’s smartest and best-sourced” (The New York Times) reporters comes a gripping and urgent exploration of why the Soviet Union’s collapse was incomplete and the Cold War was never over—revealing the resurgence of imperialism in Russia and its current implications for the war in Ukraine.

Russian-born journalist Mikhail Zygar was ten years old when the Soviet Union collapsed. Now, after nearly ten years of research, he offers a timely and compelling new approach on Russian history—one that rewrites everything we thought we knew about the fall of the Soviet Union—and argues that its ending is yet to come. Starting with the historic launch of the first human into space in April 1961, Zygar unravels a dramatic story of resistance, resilience, and resurgence that led to the Soviet Union’s dissolution—and the echoes of its legacy today.

Zygar conducted several hundred exclusive interviews with key figures, including Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, first presidents of the independent post-Soviet republics, the last first secretaries of these republics, and leaders of independence movements within them, as well as Western politicians and diplomats who were witnesses to and participants in those events. He dives into the struggles and triumphs of figures like Andrei Sakharov, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and Vladimir Vysotsky, whose defiance of totalitarianism is both inspiring and deeply relevant. Zygar explains how the “victory” over the Soviet Empire may have been short-lived, as today’s Russian regime maintains its imperial ambitions.

A must-read for anyone looking to understand the origins of modern Russian fascism, The Dark Side of the Earth explores how imperial and nationalist ideas developed during the Soviet era and eventually gave rise to the current Putinist ideology. Zygar’s work is uniquely powerful—fueled by his personal ties to the Soviet era, access to historical archives, and interviews that crack open hidden truths, including several with individuals who had never before spoken on the record.

More than a history lesson, The Dark Side of the Earth is a call to action and a testament to the enduring fight for truth and freedom. Zygar urges us to confront the narratives we’ve accepted and rethink how we face oppression today. Bold, brilliant, and deeply human, this is a story that demands to be heard.