I heard of this book via NPR's show "All Things Considered." They were sharing a list of book suggestions for winter reading. I took them up on Siberia Bound and was enthralled. This book imparted a true sense of Siberia through the eyes of an American. It displayed a sense of reality, not of watered down travelogue writing so commonly found today. Through the eyes of a somewhat skeptical and adventurous entrepreneur, an oppressed Siberian culture embraces both the good and the bad aspects of capitalism. Siberia Bound combines an overview of economic theory put into practice and subtle philopsophical views on the ritual of daily life, with an poignant dose of good old fashioned humor.

What a ride! I was hooked by the first page and the following few hundred pages were no dissapointment! I would ration myself to just a couple of chapters a night so I wouldn't "run out". I'm sending it to my father who is a tough critic in the literary world, I'm sure he'll identify with Alexander's search for living the hard yet simple way of life. Nothing can replace good people, good friendships, a challenge...not even a contact coziness that we have here in the US. Thank you!

Well and justly written. Two thumbs up to the young author.

I'm the Director of HR for a large national employer. This book was originally given to me by a local union. I enjoyed it so much I purchased several copies for our management team. It explains union rights in a simple, easy-to-understand manner. Though I didn't always agree with the use of tactics explained in the book, it certainly is helpful to understand the possibilities that may be employed by the union. I recommend it for anyone interested in labor relations, even those who are on the management side of the table.

when to argue, what to say, what laws to use and how to use them!
this book will make you into a super steward!!! The management
will not try any of their shinanigans after you use this book!!
One steward of understanding can cause a hundred management of
strength to tremble!!!! This book will give you that understanding!!!

remember SOLIDARITY FOREVER!!!!!!!

this is a must read book for all union members our boss really hates this book , he can no longer back us into a corner, he does the backing know

Despite my objections to his less-than-fair appraisals of womans' place in the world, Blacks, Africa and Islam (he has explanations for all of these), Daniel Andreev's message is Absolute GOOD. He is consistently fearless in sharing his visions of the hyperdimensional world (which we see only a minute fraction of), no matter how maniacal they may appear... Kudos to him for his strength. His interpetation of the worlds, monads and angels shared with him is filled with heavens, sub-heavens, purgatories and hells (-his Christian/ Orthodox faith possibly coloring his visions? Hardly relevant)... The gist is no less than a call for a World Church that embraces all faiths, so that mankind can finally end it's petty differences. Deep inside, Humanity (every one of us) has always known this. Let his miracles roll over our limited perceptions, and KNOW his appreciation for nature, basic understanding and love for the fellow man; for it was never only his, it's been all of ours... Words to begin a new world by.

What would spirituality look like beyond defensiveness, self-righteousness, fear, and hate? Could it still be a profoundly poetic work, beautifully written, almost taking the breath away with its metaphors and, yet, deal with the history of theological and philosophical arguments throughout religious history in a deeply cogent manner?

The answer is yes. Just when you thought there was no hope for spirituality to ever grow up, to really care about the world, to understand social, economic, and political systems, there comes from Gulag the work of Daniel Andreev.

The Rose of the World is a metaphor for what happens when a deeply compassionate writer examines the world religions and takes from them that which contributes to the recognition of the infinite, compassionate intelligence which is the source of meaning and beauty in our lives.

He uses this wisdom to sketch another possibility for organizing humanity and also to recognize the divine organization already present in our cosmos.

Read this book. It can change the way you think about spirituality. If there is a part of your heart which has been waiting for a grown up spirituality, wait no longer. This is the first review I've bothered to write for Amazon. This book is that good.

The Bible aside, if your home had space for one other book only, The Rose Of The World should be it. For decades it was available only to a negligible few in the Soviet Union who have saved the manuscript living in constant danger of being arrested and committed - for somebody else's words. Now it is published by the Amazon.com, the world's biggest book selling entreprise. The freedom of speech for Daniil Andreev? Or rather the freedom of spirit for those of us who are finally ready to see an eyewitness' notes on the structure of the Universe?

The previous reviewers have left excellent reports; one thing to add though: I've never come across another book that would be a sophisticated philosophical work and a breath-taking page-turner at the same time. It keeps just the right balance between being intelligent and intelligible - probably because knowledge itself is the best entertainment available! What is it about? - Just about everything. Is it interesting? - It bloody well is. Is it worth reading? - It is indeed, but are WE worthy of reading it?

Considering The Rose Of The World is now available by mail order world wide, we probably are.

This book is an absolute must-read! Before I read this book the history of Russia was a weakly connected sequence of contradictory events to me - that I wasn't able to organize in my mind in any comprehensible way. After reading this book I see a clear picture of my country's history. I suddenly understand what is going on. Every historical event, every action of a historic person suddenly falls into place, I see their meaning. This book provides you with an understanding of the real issues that have been troubling Russia for the past 1200 years. You will understand Russia and you will understand its people. The mext time Russia is on the news, and you have some Russians making a statement or conducting some action - you will understand where they are coming from when they are doing that.

After reading many books on Russian history this one tells me who the players are and how they became players. An excellent book that presents a lot of information on the day to day life of everyone in early Russia.

This is a must read.

Jimmy

I only read this book after I had been studying Russian and Russian history for many years, studied in Russia and married a Russian. It is beyond any doubt the best introduction to the subject that I have found in English. It removes a large amount of misconceptions that Americans have about Russian history, illuminates what deserves to be illuminated, avoids pet topics and romaticisms and manages to do all this without the condescending tone that most American writers take when writing about Russia. If you know nothing about Russia and want to learn, this is an excellent place to start.

This book goes way beyond the normal stories of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsaritsa Alexandra Feodorovna. Charlotte Zeepvat leads us through the personalities in the Romanov family, and what part they played in imperial Russia and its downfall. Through these biographies the reader can understand the slide from a united family to the rival factions that partly brought about the Revolution and its aftermath. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever wondered about the imperial house of Russia , and the fate that awaited them.

This is a well written book that covers the last century of the Russian Romanov dynasty.

The author has chosen a wide focus rather than a narrow one on Nicholas II and Alexandra. For once we get to meet the other family memebers, learn about their personalities and what events shaped their lives and the fate of the dynasty.

We also get to read in detail about the various palaces and estates the family used. These are often referred to in other books without any real background information on their history or importance to the family being described. This book fills that vacume.

If you know nothing about the Romanovs this is a fantastic place to start as all these people's live stories weave in and out of each other to create an amazing and true story.

This wonderful book will give you a greater appreciation for the House of Romanov, with information about various family members and others not immediately included within Tsar Nicholas II's immediate family circle. Some unlikely - but vastly entertaining - stories come to light. You'll especially enjoy the section on Nicky's favorite uncle. :o) Zeepvat's own artwork illustrates the chapter introductions - delightful!

If you want to expand your knowledge of the Romanovs past NAOTMAA and aren't sure where to start, this book is a manageable beginning. It covers many relevant personages and situations from the ninteenth century - the last full century of Romanov rule.

I chose this selection of stories as a text for a Senior College course because it is frankly the best translation, true to the original, and with helpful endnotes. The collection is comprehensive and representative of the author's stages of writing from the brief and witty to the sensitive and profound. Besides it is a great bargain!

I've read part of the Constance Garnett translation, and, as another reviewer mentioned, it's extremely hard going. The Pevear-Volokhonsky translation is much easier to read, but, honestly, it just feels very dry and mechanical a lot of the time. The introduction made it clear that it was his intention to make the writing as spare as possible, but was it really to this extent? I give it five stars anyway because for large sections it isn't readily apparent, and because it's always possible that this is indeed how Chekhov wrote or that the flow of the original is untranslatable (although the introduction also noted that his style is much easier to carry across than that of Dostoevsky or Gogol). This is a bit of speculation, but it's possible that Chekhov is something like Hemingway in translation: the spareness comes across, but the incredibly subtle fluidity which prevents it from turning into some sort of technical manual is lost. Having read a bit of Hemingway in French, I can verify that his style is much harder to translate than it would appear. But that's just speculation, and I'll leave it to you to decide. Despite the aforementioned problem areas, this does seem to be the superior English translation, and, of course, this is Chekhov we're talking about here, so the impressions gained will inevitably be worth a bit of eye-wandering here and there.

These thirty stories provide not only a superb sampling of Chekhov's talent, but also - I'm assured - the finest translations available. I'm no expert, but I found the proof was in the reading: though they contain many of the same stories, this collection is vastly more enjoyable than "The Essential Tales of Chekhov" (translated by Constance Garnett and edited by Richard Ford). The translations by Peaver and Volokhonsky are somehow much fresher, lighter, subtler, but without losing any of the dark reality they depict. I ploughed through Ford's collection with difficulty, but the Peaver/Volokhonsky edition was a delight. Helpfully supplemented by end notes, dates of composition and a learned introduction, this edition clearly tracks the development and deviations of Chekhov's talent: short, satirical character studies and tragi-comic romances sit comfortably alongside stories which more seriously and sympathetically explore the nineteenth-century Russian way of life. The longer stories such as 'Ward No.6' and 'A Boring Story' are particularly impressive but, for me, it's in the later stories such as 'The Lady With the Little Dog', 'A Medical Case' and 'The Fiancée' that Chekhov really hits the mark. Like most of the grim offerings of Russian literature, Chekhov's stories aren't for everyone. They render a sobering portrait of pre-Revolutionary Russia: a world of oppressive poverty, cruel winters, loveless marriages, and a remarkable number of consumptive relatives lying on stoves. And those looking for gripping plots or surprise endings should look elsewhere. But those who appreciate delicate observations, 'slice-of-life' narratives, and the occasional epiphany, will find plenty to enjoy here.

This book is a wonderful collection of pictures, nicely organized to bring out different dimensions of the story of Nicholas and Alexandra. However, I found two mistakes early into the book. The first was the the statement that Victoria Melita married Grand Duchess Boris, when in fact she married his brother, Cyril. The second was the statement that the marriage between Victoria Melita and her first Husband, Ernst of Hesse, foundered after the death of their daughter. In fact, the child's death occurred well after the separation of her parents. Given the author's family relationship with his subjects, these lapses are surprising and indicative of extremely careless editing. It causes me to discount the accuracy of the volume, overall.

It's really too bad that this wonderful book is out of print. It's a gold mine! The photographs are organized by year, making identification sooo much easier. To boot, the pictures are of marvellous quality - clear, even, nicely composed, and evocative. You'll put this one down feeling like you've had a visit with the Imperial family. Highly recommended - This book plus Massie's _Nicholas & Alexandra_ make an excellent Romanov 'starter set'. ;o)

I think this book is really really fun. It has lots of colours and the pictures are great. I like looking underthe flaps best.

This volume was first written in the 1960's Soviet Union under Krushchev's less onerous regime. By the time Children of the Arbat was ready for print Brezhnev had taken power and any dissent was supressed. Arbat was in fact, not printed until 1987.

The novel takes place in 30's Russia on the eve of the Great Purges under Stalin. The Arbat itself is street in Moscow which was once a bazaar and then (and now) the location of several cafe's and ourdoor music.

Children of the Arbat is great work combining literature and political commentary. Rybakov shows the impact of the terror on a small group of friends and relations. His portrayal of Stalin is on the mark, cold and ruthless.

An excellent novel of an era in Russia that should never be forgotten.

This book documents the horrors of the Stalinist reign of terror in the old Soviet Union from a uniquely Russian perspective .It is in fact written in a very similar style to Tolstoys 'War and Peace' The epic develops at just the right pace with well developed characters who are very real.The hero of the story Sasha Pankratov,a loyal Communinst Party member who falls victim to the rotten machinations of the party,the rebellious and strong yet vulnerable Varya Ivaova,the scheming and ruthless Yuri Sharok,the opportunistic Vika Marasevitch,the colourless Nina Ivanova,the vilainous Kostya and a host of other characters who all get caught up one way or another in the evil of the Communist regime

Rybakov refused to have his "Children of the Arbat" published abroad until it was first published in the Soviet Union. After reading how idealistic young Soviets sacrifice themselves to Stalin's lofty plans, in the end betrayed by the very system that they so strongly believed in, one can understand why it took so long before the book went to press. The reader certainly gets a feel for the hope, revolutionary fervor, and idealism of Soviet youth in the 1930's - even while the "Terror" was in full swing. The paths and decisions of the characters take each in widely different (and sometimes opposing) directions - much like life in the real world. Children of the Arbat is a fabulous read - its a pity that it is out of print.

A superbly written insider's look at the Russian revolution. Babel can convey the horrors of war with very few words. I enjoyed the best his sarcastic treatement of the bombastic communist rhetoric in such stories as "Salt" and "Treason" (maybe because I was exposed to it myself at one time).

I stumbled across Isaac Babel because of a single line quoted in Paul Johnson's "History of the Jews". And then I was forever hooked.

First, a caveat. Be sure you understand when reading Babel's short stories that you are not reading his autobiography or journal. He did in fact listen to our creative writing teachers; he wrote what he knew. He knew the Russian revolution. He knew the Cossacks. He knew war. He knew living inside and outside the pale. His world jumps off the page because he lived it first.

The stories contain autobiographical material, actively mixed with the yeast of fiction. Use this aspect of his writing to chase rabbits. Follow up this book with his biography or find out more about the Russian revolution. Both of those topics will make more sense after reading his collected stories.

As a writer, I stand in awe of Babel's stingy use of words. Some scenes are so hugely horrible that I would have been tempted to throw in appropriate adverbs and adjectives in an attempt to convince you, my reader, just how hugely horrible it really was. Babel simply tells the story, and you gasp when you are done, horrified when you peak through the keyhole (and I would have blasted a hole in the wall).

When you read Babel, you must be willing to go at the stories with an open mind, not expecting him to flatten the Commies, defend the Jews, or paint the picture the way you want him to. He will not do that, no matter how many times you try to make it so. You will hear no overtones of right or wrong, get no definitive answers about the people on either side of the Russian revolution.

For that, I am most grateful to Isaac Babel. Nothing about our world can be easily distilled into sharp black and white. His stories give us the real world in astounding color.

The frightfully ugly picture on the cover of this edition (what in the world were the publishers thinking?) might keep a lot of people away, but the few brave souls that look inside will find one of the great 20th century craftsmen of prose. I can't think of another writer than chooses his words more carefully, that can pack more into a single sentence. "Pierced by the flashes of the bombardment, night arches over the dying man." Single words can take your breath away - the choice of "arches" is the one that does it for me - but you'll probably have others. The brutality of the world he describes may seem foreign, but it never becomes oppressive, mainly because the writing is so good. The stories themselves are rather difficult to love - there is very little hope to latch on to, there are very few characters one can feel close to; there are very few real characters at all, except the narrator. Even under these horrific circumstances, though, Babel creates emotions than one can identify with - pride, love, lust, anger. He has a thorough understanding of human character. It is apparent that the circumstances of war don't create new emotions, they just amplify things we feel anyway.

This book is a necessary read for anyone that wants to learn how to write poetically without being florid, compress pages of description into a few words. This compression is one of the reasons that the stories stay in mind long after they've been read. Buy the book - or get the other edition in a used book store, so you don't have to look at that awful picture.

I agree that this book is a well-written novel and a grate historical document. However, the book is much more then that. It is about testing the limits of a men: moral choices, physical skills, intellectual and emotional demands. All of them put to the extreme.
It is also about unbelievable possibilities of human mind for learning, holding emotions, performing under stress. From this point of view it is one of the most inspiring books I ever read.

This book is one of series of really great books of Viktor Suvorov. Here he describes his life (with some necessary changes,required by his current situation) as a Soviet military officer, spy, terrorist. This book is a must to anybody interested in main events of 20th century. It is nicely written, I would definately recommend it before reading Ice-Breaker (Who started World War II).

There is only one way out, comrade. This is one of my top ten books, ever. Once you pick it up, you can't put it down. It's a harsh world filled only with wolves and prey. Join the pack. Suvorov draws you into his world so deep you actually feel you are part of the Aquarium. Feel free, chat a while, peel a few frogs then run down to the clay factory and play with the puppets.