Stories of Communism

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Welcome to Stories of Communusm, a podcast for people of all ages where we explore the realities of life under Communism, as described in the memoirs, stories, and novels created by those suffering under this system over the past century. (Feedback email erik@storiesofcommunism.com).

Erik Seligman and Manuel Castaneda


    • Apr 7, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 26m AVG DURATION
    • 69 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Stories of Communism

    Stories of Communism 50: Our Favorite Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2024 47:10


    We discuss our favorite stories from past episodes. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 49: They Never Make Mistakes

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2023 32:38


    We discuss Anhua Gao's chronicle of living through China's Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, and her surprise arrest during the "reform" era. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism: Quick Update 08/23

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2023 0:27


    Nelson Rodriguez Chartrand's book is now available in English, order on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Revolution-Promises-Reflections-Cuban-Exile-ebook/dp/B0CG11SYWK . (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 48: Broken Promises

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2023 30:04


    Nelson Rodriguez Chartrand reveals the many promises broken by the Cuban revolution. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 47: A View From The Top

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2023 34:09


    We discuss the strange and terrifying upbringing of Joseph Stalin's daughter Svetlana. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 46: The Miracles of Socialist Healthcare

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2022 27:26


    We discuss Vladimir Tsesis's memoir "Communist Daze", recalling his early years as a doctor in the Soviet Union. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 45: The Heights Of Absurdity

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2022 32:44


    We discuss Alexander Zinoviev's satire of Soviet intellecutal life in "The Yawning Heights". (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 44: Leaving the Nonsense Behind

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2022 45:57


    Immigrant Joe Czismazia shares his story of escape from Communist Hungary in 1956. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 43: Through a Child's Eyes

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2022 25:31


    We discuss Eugene Yelchin's historical novel "Breaking Stalin's Nose", one of the few books in this genre aimed at young readers. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 42: The Bears And The Bees

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2022 37:42


    Romanian immigrant Gyuszi Suto, author of "I Tried", shares more amusing stories, and reflects on the lessons of his Communist Romanian upbringing. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 41: In Search of Used Toothpaste

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2021 27:22


    We discuss the memoir "I Tried", by Romanian immigrant Gyuszi Suto, a collection of lighthearted anecdotes about his early life in the final decades of Ceausescu's reign. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 40: Little Socialist Women

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2021 23:44


    The strange story of the socialist commune where author Louisa May Alcott spent part of her childhood. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 39: The New Man

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2021 28:20


    We catch up with Nelson Rodriguez Chartrand, the Cuban lawyer who tried to teach free market economics in his home country, and ended up having to flee to Brazil. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 38: The Reality of Chinese Organ Harvesting

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2021 44:06


    We hear from Chinese dissident Jennifer Zeng and 2010 Nobel Prize nominee David Kilgour about the terrifying procedures used to supply organs to Chinese hospitals. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 37: A Strange Zoo

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2021 23:03


    Discussing Slavonia Draculic's “A Guided Tour Through the Museum of Communism: Fables from a Mouse, a Parrot, a Bear, a Cat, a Mole, a Pig, a Dog, and a Raven”. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 36: Radioactive Spinach for Kids

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2021 26:32


    We interview Nora Clinton about her memoir "Quarantine Reflections Across Two Worlds", discussing her early life in Communist Bulgaria and her later experiences in the US. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 35: Repeating History in Venezuela

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2021 28:24


    We continue our discussion of modern Venezuela, looking at Raul Gallegos's book "Crude Nation". (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 34: Cuba's New Colony

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2021 37:07


    Interview with two recent Venezuelan refugees about the last few decades of changes in their country. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 33: Special Circumstances

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2021 23:02


    We discuss author Vladimir Voinovich's comical (but real) attempts to upgrade his apartment in 1970s Moscow, as he describes it in "The Ivankiad". (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 31: Forbidden Love

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2020 22:39


    We discuss Teodor Flonta's memoir "Paper Rings", telling the story of his cross-Iron-Curtain romance in the late 1960s and early 1970s. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 30: No Need For Comfort

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2020 29:42


    We interview Sergey Grechishkin, following up on his memoir "Everything Is Normal" that we discussed in the last episode. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 29: Empty Shelves, Full Pantries

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2020 37:41


    Sergey Grechishkin's memoir "Everything Is Normal" reveals the USSR's pervasive lack of everyday items we take for granted in the West, and the odd human behavior that results. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 28: Out of Czechoslovakia

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2020 30:03


    We interview Klara Sever about her experiences as Slovakia transitioned from Nazi to Communist rule. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 27: The First Massachusetts Commune

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2020 19:42


    We discuss a memoir of communism among early American settlers, and its relevance to today's political discussions. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 27: The First Massachusetts Commune

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2020 19:42


    We discuss a memoir of communism among early American settlers, and its relevance to today's political discussions. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 26: The Communist Patriarchy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2020 32:03


    We interview successful Bulgarian actress Lilia Slavova, who fled to the west in the 1980s and eventually settled in the U.S. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 26: The Communist Patriarchy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2020 32:03


    We interview successful Bulgarian actress Lilia Slavova, who fled to the west in the 1980s and eventually settled in the U.S. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 25: An American in the Gulag

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2020 24:12


    We discuss the memoir of Thomas Sgovio, who emigrated from the US to the Soviet Union and spent 16 years in Stalin's labor camps. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 25: An American in the Gulag

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2020 24:12


    We discuss the memoir of Thomas Sgovio, who emigrated from the US to the Soviet Union and spent 16 years in Stalin's labor camps. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 24: Unlicensed Meditation

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2020 36:01


    Interview with Jennifer Zeng, who describes her persecution and torture by the Chinese government for practicing Falun Gong. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 24: Unlicensed Meditation

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2020 36:01


    Interview with Jennifer Zeng, who describes her persecution and torture by the Chinese government for practicing Falun Gong. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 23: The Sarcastic Refusenik

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2020 22:49


    We discuss the memoir of famous Jewish dissident Arkady Polishchuk, an activist in the USSR in the 1970s. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 23: The Sarcastic Refusenik

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2020 22:49


    We discuss the memoir of famous Jewish dissident Arkady Polishchuk, an activist in the USSR in the 1970s. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 22: Dreaming of Green Peas

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2019 31:58


    An interview with Zilvinas Silenas, who grew up in Communist Lithuania but is now president of the Foundation for Economic Education. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 22: Dreaming of Green Peas

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2019 31:58


    An interview with Zilvinas Silenas, who grew up in Communist Lithuania but is now president of the Foundation for Economic Education. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 21: The Death Of Reason

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2019 27:28


    We discuss Nien Cheng's failed attempts to figure out the rules and navigate the Cultural Revolution in Mao's China. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 21: The Death Of Reason

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2019 27:28


    We discuss Nien Cheng's failed attempts to figure out the rules and navigate the Cultural Revolution in Mao's China. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 20: Outsmarting the Bureaucrats

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2019 22:28


    We discuss Vladimir Bukovsky's memoir of his struggles to preserve and expose the Soviet Union's history of oppression and human rights abuses, as preserved in their own archives. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 20: Outsmarting the Bureaucrats

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2019 22:28


    We discuss Vladimir Bukovsky's memoir of his struggles to preserve and expose the Soviet Union's history of oppression and human rights abuses, as preserved in their own archives. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 19: Stories of Che

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2019 19:11


    We learn the truth about Che Guevara from some of his victims, as collected in Humberto Fontova's "Exposing the Real Che Guevara". (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 19: Stories of Che

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2019 19:11


    We learn the truth about Che Guevara from some of his victims, as collected in Humberto Fontova's "Exposing the Real Che Guevara". (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 18: The True Believer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2019 24:58


    We discuss Vladimir Voinovich's hilarious satire of Stalin worship, "Monumental Propaganda". (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 18: The True Believer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2019 24:58


    We discuss Vladimir Voinovich's hilarious satire of Stalin worship, "Monumental Propaganda". (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 17: A Poet's Awakening

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2019 19:09


    How one of North Korea's leading propagandists learned the truth about his leaders. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 17: A Poet's Awakening

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2019 19:09


    How one of North Korea's leading propagandists learned the truth about his leaders. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 16: 21st Century Chinese Characteristics

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2019 20:23


    Discussing a Peace Corps volunteer's experiences in China in the 2000s. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 16: 21st Century Chinese Characteristics

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2019 20:23


    Discussing a Peace Corps volunteer's experiences in China in the 2000s. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 15: Protesting in Poland

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2019 31:48


    Interview with Wojtek Lisicki, a local leader in the Polish Solidarity movement of the early 1980s. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 15: Protesting in Poland

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2019 31:48


    Interview with Wojtek Lisicki, a local leader in the Polish Solidarity movement of the early 1980s. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 14: Losing Your Humanity

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2018 20:07


    Learn how Chhalith Ou survived four terrifying years as a teenager under Khmer Rouge rule in 1970s Cambodia. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

    Stories of Communism 14: Losing Your Humanity

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2018 20:07


    Learn how Chhalith Ou survived four terrifying years as a teenager under Khmer Rouge rule in 1970s Cambodia. (Send feedback to erik@storiesofcommunism.com)

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