Convincing, well-researched, elegant --- Abby Schrader presents an engaging work of history, challenging conventional notions of corporal punishment's evolution while plunging the reader deep into the Russia she examines. Forget beach reading and sink your teeth into this!

Prof. Schrader is widely considered to be as the most exciting rising star in Russian history today, and this book merely confirms that. Her treatment of the issues is thorough and reflects in depth and committed research. She makes the issues exciting, through her insights into the data. And there are great pictures.

I can't wait for the sequel!

This BIG book is THE most definitive work of EVERY style of AK ever created. Nothing is left out. Val Shilin was a close associate of Mikhail Kalashnikov at the Izhmash Arms Factory, And Charlie Cuttshaw is a noted small arms expert. Together they have brought this fantastic weapon to life in the pages of this excellent book.

The sheer number of AK variants and spin off's will amaze you! "Secret guns", "special project Guns", the evolution of different styles, it's all in here in pictures and easy to understand text. This book has blueprints, specs and even a look at the weapons that will soon supersede the AK on the battlefield.

I you want to know everything about the evolution and the legend that is the AK-47, THIS book is where it's at!

This BIG book is THE most definitive work of EVERY style of AK ever created. Nothing is left out. Val Shilin was a close associate of Mikhail Kalashnikov at the Izhmash Arms Factory, And Charlie Cuttshaw is a noted small arms expert. Together they have brought this fantastic weapon to life in the pages of this excellent book.

The sheer number of AK variants and spin off's will amaze you! "Secret guns", "special project Guns", the evolution of different styles, it's all in here in pictures and easy to understand text. This book has blueprints, specs and even a look at the weapons that will soon supersede the AK on the battlefield.

I you want to know everything about the evolution and the legend that is the AK-47, THIS book is where it's at!

This biography is much more than an interesting story. Tony Cliff wrote it as a strategic political contribution when the left sorely needed guidance.

The only volume of this that you're likely to find is the first one, _Building the Party_. (The second and third ones are out of print, and the fourth one might not even exist.) Still, the first volume, covering Lenin's activity from 1893 to 1914, is more than good enough. This era is often ignored by academic studies of the Russian Revolution, but it is vitally important for the socialists of today.

Cliff, a founding member of the Socialist Workers Party in Britain, wrote this biography in the late '70s during a downturn in class struggle. By analyzing Lenin's dynamic party-building, Cliff and his comrades were able to use the downturn to their advantage, building cadres and affiliated groups in many countries. As a result, Cliff's International Socialist tendency survived, and grew stronger, after the '80s and the fall of the Stalinism, and now exists in over 20 nations.

Tony Cliff died early in 2000, and the leaders of IS groups around the world credit his guidance -- especially this book -- for building such a powerful, influential tendency under difficult circumstances. Today's socialists should read this biography not only to learn about their past, but to prepare for the future.

If you want to know the true story of Lenin and how he build the Bolshevik party, there is no better book than Tony Cliffs biography. Cliff examines closely how Lenin became a marxist and his struggle to build a strong revolutionary party. By reading this book it is clear, that Lenin wasn't a ruthless dictator, but a very intelligent man dedicated to the struggle for the rights of the working class in all countries, and that the politics of Lenin had NOTHING to do with the later terror regime developed during the Stalin period. An excellent book.

As a grandchild of paternal Lithuanian immigrants and maternal French immigrants, I was always interested in my heritage. Information on French history abounds but my knowledge of my Lithuanian roots was totally dependent on vague stories repeated by my father that were difficult to put in a historic context. This book clarified and totally collaborated the stories that I grew up with and deepened my respect for this amazing freedom-loving country.

This book is important to Lithuanian historiography because this is the only English title I know that deals with Lithuania in the interwar years. Other titles, like von Rauch's book, group the three Baltic states' history together under one title. This book is solely dedicated to Lithuanian interwar history.

The book is well written by prestigious authors who have done their research. The notes at the end are extensive. The book is clearly written. Even a novice in Lithuanian history would have an easy time following this volume.

The book does an excellent job of showing the pivotal role Lithuania had in the eastern European balance of power between Germany and the USSR versus the Polish, French, British alliance. The book reminds of the title 'Lithuania: The Rebel Nation' by Stanley Vardys. The authors do a great job of clearly explaining the plight of Lithuania in this balance of power.

Another interesting note is that some of the authors in this edited book are from Lithuania. It is interesting to see the view of homegrown Lithuanians on this time period in Lithuanian history. They rate high in their objectivity.

Anyone interested in Lithuanian history should own this book.

This book is a history of Russian society as it evolved from the very beginnings of the Kievan period, through the end of serfdom in the 19th century. More particularly, it is a history of serfdom in Russia. Using many primary sources, the author examines trends in economics, agriculture and politics, to weave the tapestry of Russian development.

I was greatly impressed by the author's familiarity with his sources, and his subject. He made clear the organization of Russian society, and how it changed for the Russian people throughout the years. Scant attention is paid to wars and whatnot, except as they affected the development of Russian society itself, which is quite refreshing. My one complaint about the book is that it is somewhat dry reading, but it is an excellent resource for understanding pre-modern Russia.

This is a book that I would strongly recommend to anyone interested in Russian History.

No serious student of Russian or agrarian history can ignore this work. Blum, a prominent historian, set out to discover why serfdom in Russia was so abject and prolonged. Altogether a magisterial, highly readable work.

This excellent work, written 70 years ago, is a true story that reads like a novel. It is the account of the author's life in Russia both before and after its two revolutions. As the British Consul in Moscow, the author was acquainted with all of the main historical characters in Russia's great tragedy, from Tsarist ministers, to the men behind both the first and second revolts. He paints a grim picture of the life there after Lenin took power, but he doesn't spare either himself or others when he speaks of shortcomings in polcy. His personal life also comes under scrutiny, and he is honest about his failings. There is fear when he is arrewted by the Cheka, but it all comes out well in the end. One wonders how much more detail there would have been in this book if the author had waited to write it after World War II, or even a bit later. It is a thriller that is true, and well worth reading for its historical insights into the Russia of 1914-1918!

This book was first published in 1932, fifteen years after the Bolsheviks came to power in Russia. It covers, not only the authors, personal experiences in Russia at that time but his earlier times in Malaya on a rubber plantation. The Malaya portion could have easily been ommited since Lockhart wrote a later account of these years in a book published in 1936. What makes this book worth reading is the Author's description of the chaos which abounded in the Soviet Union before and after Lenin seized power. As an official of the British Foreign Office assigned to their offices in St Petersburg and Moscow he gives a first hand account of the total destruction of old views held by most Soviets and the introduction of Marxist values. His description of the absolute incompetance which was rife in the British Foreign Office at that time and their refusal to accept the consequences of the Revolution is reminiscent of Jimmy Carter and the American Governments refusal to take Khommeini seriously in Iran sixty years later. While this book may be dated in some ways it is still worth reading and provides a reminder that we continue to ignore History' teachings.

A great account of how people lived in the Soviet Union during Stalin's rule. The advantage of this book is that it gives you the facts in such a way that it is up to you to decide whether or not the author is right in her conclusions. I strongly recommend this book for both academic and private reading for I believe it is one of the most unique books ever written about the lifes of regular Soviet citizens.

Although I have read a number of books on the Soviet Union, much to my surprise, I found myself totally absorbed by Mary Leder's odyssey. Starting with her travels across the US, and thence to Birobidzhan (Siberia), later asked to spy and, of course, spied upon, I believe Ms. Leder spins an eloquent and gripping tale. From Mary the dedicated communist to Mary the disenchanted one, from Mary the factory worker to Mary the editor-translator, she paints a totally honest and courageous picture of herself and her travails and those of so many of her fellow citizens. I recommend this book highly.

This excellent book explains the seemingly complicated belief system of Eastern Philosophy in a simple, easy to understand, unique and concise way. The author uses modern science in order to back up some of his theories. He also discusses the mystical philosophy that is Yoga. I highly recommend this little book for anyone who might be interested in seeing the World, themselves, and others in a different and more positive perspective.

This excellent book gives an easy to understand and unique, concise view of the seemingly complicated ideas of Eastern Philosophy. It uses modern science to help explain the concepts from this ancient and profound belief system. It also goes into an explanation of the philosophy behind the mystical aspects of Yoga. I highly recommend this little book for anyone who is interested in looking at life from a different perspective.

As usual, Mr. Szporluk's lucid and informative style makes understanding Eastern Europe a pleasure, in an area where unbiased analysis is still not the norm. Too many of us are still forced to rely on unreliable or falsified Soviet or even Tsarist era materials. Congratulations!

Yet again, Szporluk's has delivered a lucid analysis of another aspect of Eastern Europe's history. He has made accesable to the average reader what could be an obscure subject. Russian identity, a topic which has both fascinated and frustrated scholars in recent decades, is made easy as Szporluk's describes its developement or lack thereof. This is an achievement which should be enjoyed by all.

I would like to ask every person who read this book to help me find the german version of it. It would be very important for my father to have it. Maybe one of the readers knows where to find it. Thanks for your help...

Nicholas I has always had a bad press in Russia as well as abroad. The Russians considered his regime to be harsh, riddled with contemptuous foreigners, in short 'un-Russian'. This image was created by exiles such as Herzen and Bakunin, and reinforced in communist times. In the West, Nicholas rigorous opposition to political novelties like constitutions and republics did little to improve his public relations. Lincoln sets out to make clear what made this remarkable man 'tick'. He does that by commencing his biography with the Decembrist revolution, which gave a clear indication of the new tsar's state of mind. Time and again, the two key elements of Nicholas' reign are called to mind: autocracy and legitimacy. Lincoln has produced a convincing, and very well-written, biography of Russia's most important tsar of the nineteenth century. I am uncertain whether this or Nicholas V. Riasanovsky's _Nicholas I and Official Nationality in Russia_ is the best biography of this man, but Lincolns extensive references appear to tip the scale in his favour.