Greetings from the Barricades - Revolutionary Postcards in Imperial Russia

This is a really rather wonderful book, the product of something of an obsession with Russian revolutionary postcards. it is startling how powerful, fresh and immediate they seem (and occasionally rather beautiful). Tobie Mathew has done an excellent job in bringing the whole subject to life (indeed creating a niche for himself) and like any passionate (but also judicious) writer, the passion shows in the quality of the writing. Anyone who thought Russian revolutionary graphic design was somehow a product of the revolution of 1917 and that brief flowering of constructivism which followed will be set onto a new course by this book. The visual culture of 1905 was just as interesting, and the medium of postcards just as fascinating as the posters of a later period. Really fascinating.

This book is both beautiful to look at and fascinating to read - the depth of research is staggering yet worn lightly enough that the prose trips along, while the illustrations are by turns eye-popping, terrifying, funny and evocative. A very impressive volume. Serious value too, considering the number of illustrations.

This is not a topic I know much about but I was seduced by the beautiful illustrations and the engaging text kept me reading on. The author clearly knows a huge amount about his subject and I enjoyed his insight into a little written about aspect of revolutionary Russia. The book is beautifully produced, meticulously researched and the information presented in a thoroughly enlightening manner.

This is a deeply researched and superbly illustrated book for those who want to know more about the crucial 1905/06 years in the run-up to the Russian revolution. It combines the historian's insight with the passion of the collector, showing postcards both as powerful propaganda pieces as well as wonderful works of art. Congratulations to the author and publisher for producing something so compelling. Strongly recommended!

The basis of the book is the author's own collection of revolutionary postcards from Imperial Russia. The illustrations cover primarily 1905-07 a period when Russia was on the brink of revolution and reform. The events evolved rapidly and the author's commentary remains fluent and relaxed. The wealth of historical and political detail which is discussed and illustrated is rendered digestible by the illustrations whose visual appeal is of its nature eye-catching and direct. The book is a welcome adjunct to the many scholarly written accounts of the historical events.

This is a masterful, scholarly work that examines the dissemination of revolutionary ideas from a fresh angle, borne out of the author's passion for his collection of Russian postcards. It is engagingly written and originally presented. Mathew's study of this type of propaganda is both stimulating and relevant when one considers the rapid spread of ideas today through the internet, digested and responded to in the safety of the home.

This is a brilliantly researched work that uses the medium of propaganda postcards to bring to life the 1905 Russian Revolution. The author is clearly passionate about the subject and this comes across in the writing; there is a huge amount of insight here, all delivered in an engaging manner. The postcards also look fantastic - the publisher has also done an excellent job in producing a book of great beauty.For anyone interested in history, postcards, propaganda or simply looking for a wonderful book to add to their collection, Greetings from the Barricades comes highly recommended.

Rather a specialised subject, but absolutely fascinating. Full of detail and illustration.