Russia: A History [Paperback]

Gregory Freeze (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0198605110 | ISBN-13: 978-0198605119 | Publication Date: December 5, 2002 | Edition: 2

Now fully updated to 2001, this is an authoritative and highly readable introduction to a thousand years of Russian history. From the formation of the Russian state in the 14th century to the political power struggles of the 1990s and the uncertainties of the new millennium, this new history offers a fresh and systematic account of Russian history across six tumultuous centuries. Drawing on the best contemporary scholarship, thirteen international experts reassess and reinterpret the history of one of the world's great powers.
For too long Russian history has been dominated by myths and counter-myths, concocted by those seeking either to legitimize the existing order or to destroy it. New insights into areas previously cloaked in secrecy and an extraordinarily rich array of illustrations, make this book essential reading for anyone interested in Russia and its place in the world.
"[A] brisk, exciting tour of Russia's long journey from its Kievan origins to the early Yeltsin years...stunningly beautiful illustrations and transparent prose."--The Los Angeles Times

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In this heavily illustrated volume, English, American, and German (but, strangely, no Russian) scholars gather to discuss the development of Russia from its medieval founding in the face of Mongol invasions to the election of Boris Yeltsin. The authors are not reluctant to discuss unpleasant truths, such as the officially tolerated famine of the 1930s and the rise of totalitarianism. They also offer controversial theories, such as the view that Lenin, had he lived, would not have supported the cult of personality that surrounded him after his death. The authors take a generally positive view of Russia's democratic future, noting that the present specter of decline and stagnation ignores the fact that much of Russia's economy is kept in the shadows, presumably to avoid taxation, and that with more state intervention, not less, the economy will grow as the Russian state rebuilds itself. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The historiographical approach to 20th-century Russian history has changed since 1989; current Western thought gives Stalin slightly more benefit of the doubt than current Russian historians do. Among the 12 mostly Western historians Brandeis history professor Freeze has asked to contribute to this work, Donald W. Treadgold (Twentieth Century Russia, 1972) and Merle Fainsod (How Russia Is Ruled, 1963) are examples of pre-1989 historiography. Freeze divides his work into three eras?early modern, modern, and 20th century?with the last section on 20th-century Russia similar in content to Robert Service's A History of Twentieth-Century Russia (LJ 3/1/98). The 12 writers produce a patchwork of styles, with one author writing sentences that run for a paragraph, but generally the writing quality is high. This book would make an excellent college text and is also recommended for public libraries needing current Russian history information.?Harry V. Willems, Southeast Kansas Lib. Sys., Iola
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 556 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (December 5, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198605110
• ISBN-13: 978-0198605119
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #949,923 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For Those With Strong Interest in the Subject, March 19, 2004

By 

"frazerbear" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

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

Gregory Freeze is an erudite scholar, and it shows with the current volume. This is not a popular book. It is written for those with some knowledge of the subject, who will appreciate the possibilities and limitations of serious historical reviews of events most of us find difficult to understand. However, understand these events we must, as Russia is not the only country to thrive on misinformation and misunderstanding of its place in the world.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very readable, March 11, 2005

By 

Ms. H. Sinton "dragondrums" (Ingleby Barwick. U.K.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Russia: A History (Paperback)

This is a comprehensive book covering several hundred years of Russian history. Although the book is divided into 'bite sized chunks', make no mistake; this is no lightweight read. Gregory Freeze has an obvious grasp of the enigma that is Russia and has the skill to present his knowledge in a way that makes complex history fun to read instead of a chore.
The revised edition takes into account the information that has become available since the fall of Communism in the USSR. This makes it all the more interesting as it helps dispel some of the myths propagated by the West during the cold war. I would recommend this book to anyone with a fascination for Russia but particularly for the undergraduate studying the topic.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fairly short, successful introduction, May 11, 2010

By 

Will Jerom (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Russia: A History (Paperback)

Freeze's book examines the history of Russia from the early years to the present. It is a fairly readable book. Not all that needs to be said can be said in such a short history. Nevertheless it accomplishes its task well and is well illustrated. Freeze has collected a number of authors who speak with some convincing authority. Overall this book is fairly successful in its aims to be a basic, historical introduction to Russia.