A carnival of revolution

This is the first history of the revolutions that topped communism in Europe to look behind the scenes at the grassroots movements that made those revolutions happen. It looks for answers in the whirlwind of activity that stirred so crucially on the street. Padraic Kenney takes us into the hearts and minds of those revolutionaries who have since faded namelessly back into everyday life. This is a riveting story of musicians, artists, and guerrilla theater collectives subverting traditions and state power; a story of youthful social movements emerging in the 1980s in Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and parts of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. "A Carnival of Revolution" resounds with the atmosphere of those turbulent years: the daring of new movements, the unpredictability of street demonstrations, and the hopes and regrets of the young participants. Based on over two hundred interviews in twelve countries, and drawing on samizdat and other writings in six languages, this is among the most insightful and compelling accounts ever published of the historical milestone that ushered in our age. -- From publisher's description.