Theme: Russia in the Spotlight

A Very Expensive Poison

Join Luke Harding, author of 'A Very Expensive Poison', as he provides the definitive inside story of the life and death of Alexander Litvinenko. His book and talk are based on the best part of a decade's reporting, as well as extensive interviews with those closest to the events (including the murder suspects), and access to trial evidence.

Stalin and the Scientists: A History of Triumph and Tragedy 1905–1953

Author Simon Ings discusses the thrilling history of Soviet Science. The Soviet Union’s sciences were the largest and best funded in history – and were at once the glory and the laughing stock of the intellectual world.

Lenin the Dictator: An intimate portrait

Join author Victor Sebestyen as he provides an intimate view of a man who loved nature almost as much as he loved making revolution, and whose closest ties and friendships were with women. Victor explains how the long-suppressed story of Lenin’s menage a trois with his wife, Nadezhda Krupskaya, and his mistress and comrade, Inessa Armand, reveals a different character to the coldly one-dimensional figure of legend.