This is the funniest book i've ever found in the sorting room at davis library. my communist co-worker rich (ha ha) read me some jokes and i couldn't stop laughing. I love laughing at the soviet union....we crushed them in the cold war, and now we can laugh at their expense. In difficult times like these, what is better than laughing at a former enemy who now is a weak poor excuse for a nation and could be whipped by the french.

A good resource for Russian history in Russian language. Nicely researched and thorough.

This book is a brilliant portrayal of a Russian cosmonaut's daring trip into space. Tereshkova became the first woman in space, breaking barriers for women all over the world. The book tells her story from childhood to receiving the prestigious Order of Lenin award, and was hailed as a Soviet Hero. I dream of becoming an astronaut someday and this book inspired me to follow my dreams further. This is a fantastic book and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading a "good book!" :)

The memoir of a Jewish mathematician. Freiman recalls the special obstacles he and other Jewish students of mathematics faced in the USSR. To get a doctorate in mathematics one had to pass an oral exam given by a member of the anti-semetic Stekov Institute. Only it seems if you were Jewish you got an especially difficult and in most cases impossible exam to pass. Because the exam was oral with no paper record of the questions asked, the examiner could easily fail the Jewish students by asking research level questions. A grim reminder of the policies of a terrible regime.

The style is splendid, the execution dashing. This is Tropic Of Cancer written with more talent and professionalism. The book is tight, witty, full of hilarious observations. Unfortunately, it may not go down well with many American readers for a number of reasons (and this is very, very sad): The author uses a very European approach, part-Russian, part-French, in his narration. He is not exactly bashing New York or America, he is merely observing and telling the story, but his arrows might seem too vicious at times (although there is plenty of poetic praise and romantic awe as well). This is hard to explain. A whole bunch of American writers in this century were much angrier. I don't know... The book is enjoyable throughout. I haven't the faintest idea why it hasn't been more popular.

Great book---Great exhibi

Although somewhat out-of-date (frequently referring to the physiological and psychological developments of the 1970s), this book provides a thorough account of Ivan Pavlov's life and his research in physiology and behavior.

The big personal question facing everyone in life is how to live. In the former Soviet Union the choices were none too many. The life and times of Ivan Petrov is a portrayal of state interfence run amok. It's also about a person too far gone to care. Drunk as a skunk and stumbling through the wasteland of the country, Ivan tells it like it was with his eyes bleary and swollen but still wide open. At times, I was horrified reading this book. At other times I laughed out loud. That's the great part about it. Despite his dire cirmcumstances, there was still a sense of humor about his given situation. The whole book speaks to the human condition. It makes you consider your own life and the choices you've made. An excellent primer and first hand look at the former Soveit Union. I loved this book!

If you are interested in the reunion of East and West, then this book will be of much interest to you! I was reminded of Jaroslav Pelikan's outstanding book, "Confessor Between East and West" while I read Beshoner's account of Ivan Gagarin.

I'll quote from the conclusion to let you know where the author goes with his thesis and then you can decide if you would like to read his supporting chapters. I personally do not agree with Garagin's belief that Roman Catholicism would bring Russia its political and intellectual "salvation", but I am greatly drawn to his commitment to his ideals. Moreover, any book that even promotes the agenda of reunion, in spite of the motives, is worth noting. Enjoy!

"Personal contact with the West and the influence of such thinkers as Schelling, Chaadaevm, Ancillon, and Joufffrey led Gagarin to the conviction that Russia's social and political backwardness was directly attributable to its separation from Catholicism. By following the Byzantine Empire into schism from Rome, Russia had separated itself from the mainspring of Western social and intellectual progress; in turn, the subjugation of the Russian Church to Russian secular authority became inevitable. Garagin, therefore, reasoned that church union reattaching Russian to Catholicism would restore Russia to social and intellectual parity with the West. Seeking the best means of personally fostering this union, he joined the Society of Jesus. Gargin's choice was costly. He lost the right to visit Russian and his family; he lost his inheritance; and he suffered decades of calumny- all to save the homeland that rejected him."

***Don't forget to check out Jaroslav Pelikan's "Confessor Between East and West"!

If one is on the verge of taking a trip to Poland and other countries in easter Europe to see what is left of the Jewish communities, there is no better preparation than this book. Not only does it provide an overview of what remains in all these eastern European countries, it also gives detailed information of where to look and what to see in each city. While it is an excellent tourist guide, it also provides history. There is also a section setting out where to get more information about each village (and there were so many of them!). This is Ruth Gruber's second book on the subject. It is more comprehensive than the first and is certainly worth the money. If you are planning a heritage trip to find your ancestors, don't leave home without it. I found it invaluable.