Notes are essential for this great russian novel. It will take anybody at least a few hundred pages to reslize who evybody is, with those wierd russian names, but the notes eliminate that. Also since this book is very long you might forget something from the begining or you just might stop reading it for a while, which makes these notes very helpful

The main thesis of Sanborn's book is that violence as seen through the examples of the Tsarist and Soviet armies cemented the Russian nation together. The first part of the book, Sanborn writes about how the Soviet army managed to tighten draft evasions by rewarding those families that had members serving in the military while confiscating the land of draft evaders and their families during the Russian Civil War.Sandborn also deals with the different nationalities in the Russian empire. Belorussians and Ukrainians assimilated into the Russian army but were later segregrated into seperate ethnic units during the Russain Civil War. While Central Asians resisited service in the Russian army and the Jews were regarded by both Tsarist and Communist officers as subversives and dangerous to morale. The middle section Sanborn descibes how gender roles were coonected to the new Russin nationalism. Both Tsarist and Soviet propaganda stated that Russian men must develop their bodies to protect their nation and the family, while Russian women were required to have sons that could drafted into the army. The final section Sanborn writes how the Russian state would redeem criminals and draft evaders if they rejoined the army, but both the Soviet and Tsarist system would harshly punish pacificit sects. Although the state rewarded violent behavior it could not control it as seen through the various atrocities during the Russian Civil War.The main weakness of Sanborn's book is that he does not write about the treatement about the injured soldiers during and after the Russian Civil War and how this influeced their perception of the Soviet state. Overall this an excellent social history of the Russian army and how it contributed the creation of the Soviet Union.

Rogan Kersh's "Dreams of a More Perfect Union" tells the story of how a simple phrase shaped (and may continue to shape) the United States. It's a book written in elegant prose, intricate detail, and with suprising wit. This is not summer beach material. But if you have a passion for politics and history, read this book.

Rose has written an important book that should be read by all people interested in work and justice. By carefully examining shop floor activism at the mill and life in the Duquesne community, Rose reveals the challenges of forming a union in a key industry beset by a working class divided by skill, ethnicity, and race. Based on the most impressive archival research I have ever encountered, this books stands as a signal achievement in the profession. It is an important story well told! Buy this book!

As a young boy, I had the privilege of knowing Maria Linke as a neighbor of her sister when she lived in the small town of Emlenton, Pennsylvania. She was an amazing woman. She shared her personal war time experiences with friends, neighbors, church groups and all who wanted to know the truth of wars devastating toll on humanity. Her book details the events of her life as a prisoner of the Russians during the war. It is a story of immense faith. After reading the book, you will wish that you had an opportunity to know her and her family first hand.

And excellent example of a regional study where politics and economics cannot be separated, and thus have been successfully analyzed in the context of each other. D'Anieri does a good job of combining general overview of the Ukrainian-Russian relations and their development throughout history with the detailed and in-depth study of the political and economic issues that Ukraine is currently facing as a result of a deep interdependence with Russia. I particularly enjoy the way this study ties the history of broken trust and fear of imperialistic aspirations into the process of decision making by Ukrainian leadership. The astute identification of essential areas of problems and the thoroughness in explaining their causes makes this book a great help for those interested in the future prospects of the region.

Once again Dr. Overturf looks at the principles of European integration under a microscope. A great book focusing on the issues concerning Europe after the signing of the Maastricht treaty. A book for the future of Europe. Insights to seriously consider.

This book is essentially written for members of the Roman Catholic church who wish to become more purposefully ecumenical in thought and deed.
The volume advocates a seven step process for individuals and communities to promote "striving for unity amid diversity." The process involves: recognizing that separation exists among Christian denominations, experiencing conversion rooted in openness and loyalty, understanding history, understanding the present situation, discovering a common tradition, recognizing and appreciating diverse traditions, and setting a goal for the future.
Readers of this book will become more familiar with, and less threatened by, the ecumenical environment of current covenanting activities of churches and mutual study of such aspects of Christian tradition as baptism, eucharist, marriage, ministry, ordination, and authority.
The Christian traditions and communions portrayed in this very readable work are Orthodox, Lutheran, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Reformed, Methodist, Baptist, Evangelical, and Pentecostal. The background of these communions' emergence, development, traditions, and contributions to ecumenism provide the basis for the knowledge and openness called for by the spirit of this book.
Helpful chapter summaries and questions for reflection and discussion make the text an extremely useful one for adult education and advanced high school study.

Ronald Bergan shows that although Eisenstein was committed to the Bolshevik cause and contributed to its development, his films must, in no way, simply be dismissed as propaganda. Eisenstein pioneering visual techniques, explorations in montage and lyrical representations have earned him an indisputable position as among film makers.
The culminating scenes in 'Strike!', for instance, are built on an alternating sequence of shots that show soldiers chasing and shooting the strikers while a butcher is slitting the throat of farm animals in the slaughterhouse. This allegorical interpretation of the Czar as a butcher wa not fully understood by a large portion of the viewing public, as Eisenstein himself witnessed when the film was shown in the rural areas throughout the country. Indeed, many farmers were unable to grasp the metaphor of the slaughtered beasts as an association of the Czar as a criminal, a butcher, a murderer of innocents because for farmers the killing of an animal did not constitute a crime.

The rally to arms in 'Alexander Nevsky' culminated in the battle on ice scene (which runs for almost a third of the film). The scene, which Eisenstein duly prepared with the aid of sketches, appears as if inspired by the paintings of the Italian renaissance artist P. Uccello, as both show the violent clash of armor, horses, arrows, spears and iron.

This book reveals much to anyone who is interested in the relationship between Britain and Russia in the pre First World War period.

It focusses on the power struggle for Central Asia, an area of the world which, particularly today, is the arena for some of the most complex and important questions of international security. This work provides fascinating background to a key historical period in a region which has been so analysed in recent months.

It is obviously the result of detailed research into archives, only recently opened to the West, some of which I believe may shortly be closed once again for many years to allow renovations to take place. I can only take my hat off to Dr Siegel, for enduring what must have been many cold months in Russia, combing the various archives to produce such a detailed work.

A fascinating and thoroughly absorbing book by Dr Siegel, whose next work I await with eager anticipation.