Customer Reviews

The Collapse of the Soviet Empire: A View from Riga

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If one wasn't following the news in the years immediately preceding and following the renewal of Latvian independence in 1991, this would be a very good book. If, on the other hand, you remember the coup against Gorbachev, the human chain linking the three Baltic states, the Soviet army attacking broadcasting stations in Lithuania and Latvia and the masses of people coming out to protect their parliament, there is really nothing at all new in this book. It is very brief -about 140 pages. There is very little new primary information, despite his working with the Latvian parliament. There are a few tidbits that he added as a result of his working close to the parliamentarians, but not nearly enough to consider this book more than a recap of widely available information in common periodicals. I bought it used for about $6 plus shipping. I see, at this moment, a new copy is around $80. I would be incredibly upset if I bought this for that price and realized what little new information was present -and I'm someone who rarely buys used books.

One of the best books I've read about the reemergence of independent Latvia. The title is a little misleading; the subtitle should come first, because this is really about how the collapse played out in Latvia. Written by a first-hand observer. Enough background to keep everything clear for those not familiar with Latvia. For those who are, the author's very clear, precise, informative re-statement of the history that we all know is a huge pleasure to read. This is a scholarly book that is easy to read -- in fact, it's a real page turner! If you get it from the library, you will want to own it afterwards, so just go ahead and buy it -- you will want to lend it to your friends.