A History of Russia [Hardcover]

Nicholas V. Riasanovsky (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195074629 | ISBN-13: 978-0195074628 | Publication Date: March 11, 1993 | Edition: 5

Revised and expanded to cover the initiation of glasnost and perestroika in 1985, the resignation of Gorbachev in 1991, the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the events of 1992, the most authoritative, readable, and well-balanced history of Russia is now more timely than ever.
Widely acclaimed as the best one-volume survey available, written by one of the foremost scholars in the field, Riasanovsky's History has for years been the consistent choice of scholars, students, and general readers alike. Drawing on both primary sources and major interpretive works, including those by Soviet historians, it paints a rich portrait of each period of Russian and Soviet history through ample coverage of social, economic, and cultural developments, as well as political and military history. Riasanovsky also offers unusually balanced treatment of historiographical issues, stating his own position on points of contention and presenting in turn contrasting viewpoints, allowing readers to form their own judgments.
With an important new chapter on the Gorbachev period and the breakup of the Soviet Union, and a fully updated bibliography, Riasanovsky's History remains a cornerstone of the literature, the most comprehensive and reliable guide to the main themes of Russian history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I have used Riasanovsky's History of Russia for over 25 years in my Russian History classes. Although I have experimented with other texts, I have always returned to Riasanovsky for its excellent narrative, balance and objectivity. It is excellent."--Carl H. Wilson, Saint John's Prep School

"Best one-volume history of Russia available in English."--Robert H. Hewsen, Rowan University

"The only choice in a one-volume history of Russia."--Scott W. Palmer, Western Illinois University

"Very scholarly and thorough, like earlier editions."--Gregory Sandford, Principia College

"The value of this text lies not only in its unstinting accuracy and wide scope, but also its remarkable flexibility. Its judicious and economical approach to a wide variety of themes in Russian history make it suitable for adoption for any number of courses on the subject."--W. Arthur McKee, American University

"A well balanced text, eminently readable for undergraduates. It also includes recent materials (i.e., from the Gorbachev and Yeltsin eras)."--Emmett A. Shea, Worcester State College

"It does everything that an excellent textbook should, challenging the student-reader to think about complex historical situations while at the same time making that complexity manageable."--Robert S. Babcock, Hastings College --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Nicholas V. Riasanovsky, Sidney Hellman Ehrman Professor of European History, University of California, Berkeley. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 731 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 5 edition (March 11, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195074629
• ISBN-13: 978-0195074628
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid history textbook - 4.5 stars, July 6, 2004

By 

Mr. Frodo (Fairfax, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A History of Russia (Hardcover)

I couldn't help but address the comments of the reader that gave this work 1 star. It's interesting that he cites the territories annexed by Russia as Chinese / Japanese / etc. Where do you think Japan / China / etc. got those territories? Did he ever stop to think that at one point in time Japan, China, and any other country didn't have statehood, and the latter is always achieved through a painful process of unification by both doplomatic and military means? If same logic of denying a country its legitimacy based on forceful means of expansion is used consistently, then our great country of the USA should also be considered an illegitimate occupant of native American lands. Please let us adhere to commonly accepted methods of historical research and exposition, instead of expressing one's ill attitude toward a country using flawed reasoning.

The book at hand does indeed present a comprehensive coverage of Russian history, albeit in a somewhat dry fashion. Do not expect to finish this book and be left with crisp and colorful images of Russia's history. But what you can expect is a comprehensive coverage of every period of Russian history, complete with dates, names, and places. After a once-over, this book can be used as a reference, or a refresher on a particular timeframe in the history of the country. I am still looking for a more captivating work on Russian history, so anyone knows of any - please recommend.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Thorough, No-Frills Text, August 14, 2002

By 

ransome22 "ransome22" (Washington DC area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A History of Russia (Hardcover)

Do not expect gripping dramatic prose from this detailed history. This is an adequate text and reference but not likely suited for the information-seeking, recreational reader. Despite studying international relations for several years, my knowledge of Russian history exhibited glaring weaknesses. Riasanovsky's work continued to appear as I researched texts with which to fortify my deficiencies. All indications show it to be a classic work of Russian history, used in university courses for decades, and perhaps the most detailed one-volume work suited for a general audience. I found "A History of Russia" (Sixth Edition) to be informative, detailed, and faithfully updated (now encapsulating the fall of the Soviet Union and Russia under Yeltsin). Although a solid text, it is a difficult tome to conquer cover-to-cover as it fails to capture the literary senses of the reader.

Riasanovsky takes the reader mechanically through the development of the Russian state. He begins with the geopolitical landscape as it existed prior to the Russians then examines in detail the flowering of Kiev, the appanage system, and the Muscovite, imperialist, revolutionary, and Soviet eras. Riasanovsky's painstaking attention to detail and thorough familiarity with other historiographies provide the reader with a comprehensive evolutionary picture. For example, his illustration of the early appanage system and the continuation of class disparities well into the 20th century shed ample light on the fertile ground into which Vladimir Lenin was able to sow the communist theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. His verbal portraits of leaders such as Ivan the Terrible and Catherine the Great give meaningful context to the power struggles and political imbroglios which characterized specific reigns. The addenda which have accompanied each new edition are less detailed and necessarily superficial. They provide sufficient material to update the reader on Russia's current state of affairs but beg for additional research by the more serious student.

70 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Overview, September 19, 2000

By 

Bruce Kendall "BEK" (Southern Pines, NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A History of Russia (Hardcover)

For those interested in Russia and its past, this is not a bad place to start. It is as comprehensive as a 600 page volume can be. I read the Fourth Edition, so am glad to hear that it has been updated at least to the Gorbochov era. Riasanovsky is particularly adroit at representing early Russian history, with vivid accounts of the numerous invasions (Mongols, Vikings, Tatars, Teutons, etc.). After reading this book, one cannot help but understand the national paranoia and xenophobia that has been so much a part of Russian policy and posture throughout so much of its history. It also becomes clearer why Russia has historically needed a central "father" or "mother" figure to guide it through its tumultuous periods.

As to a reader's criticism, Riasanovsky is indeed somewhat biased, but certainly no more than the typical American historian writing about US History. He gives more than equal blame, for instance, to Nicholas II for getting his country involved in the Crimean War. He certainly never acts as an apologist for any of the Russian rulers at any stage, though his admiration for Peter the Great and Catherine can't be denied.

Poles, Ukranians, Lithuanians, etc. are not going to be won over by this book, but it is to the author's credit that the reader understands why they wont be. But winning anyone's approval is hardly Riasnovsky's object. He's primarily trying to tell the story of a people, and he succeeds on that level, quite brilliantly. The story he tells is complex and fascinating, to say the least. So many colorful and unforgettable characters advanced across Russia's historical stage, that any other country would be hard put to come up with such a cast or a saga.