The award-winning author China Miéville takes us to the year when the world was turned upside down. On the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the Russian Revolution, Miéville tells the extraordinary story of this pivotal moment in history. In February 1917, Russia was a backward, autocratic monarchy trapped in an unpopular war; by October, after not one but two revolutions, it had become the world's first workers' state, striving to lead the global revolution. How did this unimaginable transformation occur? In a panoramic overview that stretches from St. Petersburg and Moscow to the most remote villages of an expansive empire, Miéville uncovers the disasters, intrigues, and inspirations of the year 1917, in all their passion, drama, and strangeness. Engaging with long-standing historical debates while keeping the new reader in mind, this presents a breathtaking account of humanity at its greatest moment.