New Russians [Paperback]

Hedrick Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1991

The bestselling author of The Russians and The Power Game takes the reader inside Russia today--a country in the throes of dramatic change. Based on hundreds of interviews in the Soviet Union, this illuminating expose offers a fascinating look at the explosive changes taking place in that dominant country.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ten visits to the U.S.S.R. over a two-year period and the observations of farmers, industry managers, the party bureaucracy and the Soviet media convinced Smith that the process of change in the Soviet Union will sustain momentum--with or without Gorbachev. "This riveting, in-depth report has its finger on the pulse of perestroika and glasnost ," said PW .
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA-- The crucial value of Smith's book on the contemporary Russian "revolution" now unfolding under Gorbachev lies in its grassroots, man-on-the-street emphasis. The origins and historical evolution of glasnost and perestroika have been dealt with elsewhere. What Smith does incomparably well is to give readers a look at the national Russian character, based on several remarkable interviews with people of all ages, occupations, and situations. Part of the book deals with the Russian work ethic ("they pretend to pay us and we pretend to work!") and the chronic inertia and dependency of individuals within the Communist economy. This is a wonderful book for YAs, simply because the ordinary daily activities and frustrations of living in the U.S.S.R. are so vividly and relevantly portrayed. If young people are not deterred by the thickness of the volume and simply dig in, they will find that the reward is well worth the effort.
- Vicki Fox, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 734 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; 1st trade paper printing edition (November 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380716518
• ISBN-13: 978-0380716517
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,347,258 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book details why the Soviet Union collapsed, January 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: New Russians (Paperback)

This book shows from an individual's point of view, why the Soviet Union collapsed so quickly and completely. Who was Gorbechev and where did he come from. How did the Baltic states rise up and succeed. Why are the central Asian republics in ferment and uprising. It details the horrendous consequences of failed socialism. The mass executions of Stalinism, the ecological disasters of Breshnev and the simmering discontent and disillusionment of the populace are all presented thoughfully. This was a massive undertaking and although it is slow at times, after reading this book you could apply for the US Ambassadors' position in Moscow.

15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The Book for Which the Word "Gorbasm" was Invented, July 4, 2001

By 

Ron N. Butler (Powder Springs, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: New Russians (Paperback)

I recently re-read both Smith's original "The Russians" and "The New Russians." The first book was a landmark, a riveting inside look at the USSR during the Brezhnev years, though Smith's conclusion (that the Soviet system would endure indefinitely) was dead wrong. (No shame in that. Predictions by NYT writers about the future of Russia are generally wrong.)

The second book, though written by the same man, using the same reporting techniques, is completely different. It is less about Russia (or the rest of the former USSR) than it is about Mikhail Gorbachev and the wonders he had performed and would surpass in the future. Gorbachev comes from Lincolnesque beginnings. Gorbachev does no wrong. Gorbachev has no antidemocratic side -- unless circumstances force him to act in such a way. Gorbachev is the driving force and visionary architect of the restructuring and opening of Russian society. It's as if one of Stalin's old apologists had been resurrected and put back to work -- with "Stalin" inked out and "Gorbachev" inked in.

"The New Russians" came ten years after "The Russians," and the Russian world had changed utterly in that decade. Ten years after "The New Russians" was published, the outlook for and course of the New Russia has altered radically from what Smith foresaw in 1991, and -- sadly -- not for the better.

An adolescent mash note to the last Soviet dictator when it was published, "The New Russians" is now a period piece. Read it for Smith's anecdotes and style, but look elsewhere for insight on the real New Russia.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very detailed account of Russia's govt, October 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: New Russians (Paperback)

I read this book for a college history class. I liked it and I learned a great deal from it. It was long which made it tedious for me at times. But my professor told me that in light of all that has gone on in Russia, this was short. He said for an accurate account, it couldn't be much shorter. So I plowed through it and now I know so much about Russia. It's a very informative book if you have the time and will to read it. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to understand Russia today!