Sheila Fitzpatrick in conversation with Monica Attard

This event is SOLD OUT! You can still watch the event as it is livestreamed from the Roaring Stories Facebook page (accessible on the Home page and from the Live tab). A recording will also be available to view later as an upload on the Roaring Stories YouTube channel.

‘The most significant European war in almost 80 years has begun,’ the New York Times declared in late February.

With Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and the subsequent and ongoing humanitarian crises and geopolitical upheavals, understanding Russia’s history and mindset may be more important than ever.

World-renowned Australian Sovietologist Sheila Fitzpatrick is your most expert, accessible guide. Her book, The Shortest History of the Soviet Union, is the abridged story of an empire made and an empire undone. Fascinating, insightful, nuanced and full of pathways to broader knowledge, it is, says Slavoj Žižek, ‘an immensely readable overview of the entire history of the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1991, full of anecdotes and lively detail, but also meeting the highest academic standards.’

On Tuesday 12 April, join Fitzpatrick on a journey through Soviet history that throws sharp reflection on the present with Walkley Award-winning journalist, former ABC Russia correspondent and current UTS Professor of Journalism Practice, Monica Attard.

Tickets will sell out fast, so be sure to book early!

Attendees are asked to arrive at 6.30pm or earlier for a 7pm start upstairs at The Royal Oak Balmain. Seating is unallocated – another reason to arrive early to secure an optimal spot. Why not make a full evening of it, too, by booking a meal at the Royal Oak before or after the event? One of Balmain’s oldest and best-known pubs, it serves a delicious range of food and beverages.

The Shortest History of the Soviet Union will be available for purchase at the venue through Roaring Stories, with book signings from Fitzpatrick following the discussion.