The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956 by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is a tough to read but important. I don't know a whole lot about Russian history so I know I just totally missed some elements. Also, I'm glad I missed the audiobook because otherwise I don't know if I would have been able to complete it.

If you have not yet read this, do so. My hope is that you will understand where the current and growing persecution in the US is going and what it stems from.