Customer Reviews:
Excellent and Concise.......2007-08-11
I began reading this book before leaving on my first mission trip to Russia. I finished it upon my return. The portion I read before the trip was helpful to me in my interaction with the Russian people. The remainder of the book was confirmed by my recent observations and experiences.
This title is very good investment for anyone traveling to Russia or seeking to gain a better understanding of the Russian people.
Excellent and insightful book.......2007-04-19
My wife is Russian and this book really helped me understand the cultural issues that sometimes baffle both of us. It really helped to give me insight into her culture. This is an excellent read. I'd particularly recommend it to anyone that does business with Russians.
Insightful and Helpful.......2005-05-23
A client who lived throughout Russia for around ten years and still conducts most of his business with Russians recommended this book to me. This is a good book, but a little too reliant on history in explaining present day Russian culture. The book really shines when talking about the Russians outside Moscow, but more and more the Moscow business elite seem to take their cue more from the New York or London elite than from their peasant ancestors, as this book contends. Overall, however, this book is as good any for gaining a better understanding of Russians and the Russian bureaucracy.
Short, well written and very insightful.......2002-09-07
Having lived and studied in Russia and being married to a Russian I am able to appreciate the tremendous understanding of the Russians by the author. this is a must read book if you intend to travel there, live there or marry someone who lives there; it will save you from making many mistakes or false assumptions. It is well written, concise , easy to read and inexpensive. Essential reading.
Modern Russian Culture: From Nyet to Da.......2001-10-04
This book is very informative and easy to read. My husband and I are traveling to Russia sometime in the next 2 months to adopt 2 children and I feel it is important to understand their culture both for now and for their future. I have recommended this book to others on the adoption related mailing lists I am on and others have also responded favorably.
Book Description
The complete and accurate story of the Beslan School Siege that occurred in Russia on September 1, 2004. This book tells the untold story about the victims, the soldiers who were there and the history of the events leading up to the tragic incident. But more than just the story, this book highlights the lessons America's school system can learn from the tragedy to protect itself from terrorism.
Customer Reviews:
A must read.......2007-05-30
Quite simply this book is a must read for all Americans. It's time to take the blinders off and face the facts presented.
A very good read .......2007-01-15
I got this book from a friend who takes an interest in how our public school system shapes the future of this country. After reading Terror at Beslan I see a few things that have been left out of the list of recommendations on how to cope with the potential for terrorist acts against our children and against our schools. I wonder why Mr. Giduck did not suggest the one thing that would make it extremely hard for terrorists to take large numbers of our children captive. That thing is to REMOVE THE TARGET. Mr. Giduck makes it clear in his book that one of the reasons that terrorist attack schools is because to them they are high value targets. One of the best ways to avoid an attack on a targe however - is to not make yourself a target in the first place.
The great service that Mr. Giduck has done for parents of school age children - and for people who truly care about the way our children are educated in this country is to point out that - along with the myriad of other problems that our public schools have - is that they are aggregating our children in one place, making them easy targets for terrorists motivated enough to carry out the attack. And again - as Mr. Giduck has pointed out - the terrorists are not stupid. They are smart and highly motivated. I have recently read books and writings by John Taylor Gatto and Vin Suprynowicz, both of whom are highly critical of our public schools ability to properly educate our children to make them good citizens of our republic. Both Mr. Gatto and Mr. Suprynowicz have pointed out that the public school system in this country was not designed to make our children into free-thinking individuals, it was designed to mold our childrens minds so that they all have a common - government influenced - way of looking at the world. Putting children all together in the same place removes them from the influence of their parents to a large degree and makes it easier to control the educational materials they are exposed to - thereby controlling the mindset they acquire as they are educated. The growing home schooling movement in this country is a backlash against this influence.
Now it appears that the aggregation of our children in large groups has one more detrimental affect on them - it makes them easy to acquire targets for terrorists who have no regard whatsoever for their lives.
In order to find a truly sustainable solution to the terrorism problem in regards to our educational system that also respects the freedom that we wish to keep for ourselves in this country - as well as producing an educated citizenry we would do well to think outside the box and consider all of the alternatives - rather than just turning our schools into armed camps with on demand gas delivery systems, comprehensive monitoring systems, and on campus SWAT teams, as Mr. Giduck suggests. For a parent who is trying to decide what to do to protect their own child - think long and hard about sending your child into harm's way in a public school. Given that the choice of schooling you make for your child may some day be a life or death decision, the alternatives of home schooling, small private schools, or group schooling - like we used to have in this country before compulsory public education took over - may literally be the difference between life and death for your child. And your child may get a better education in the bargain.
I would highly recommend this book by Mr. Giduck, he has done all concerned American citizens a great service. I would however also recommend "Send in the Waco Killers" by Vin Suprynowicz, and "Underground History of American Education" by John Taylor Gatto. Read all three and you will come away with an entirely different perspective on this problem than you may have had before.
Book Review.......2007-01-01
I had attended a half day seminar by the author and bought a copy of the book there. After reading it I have purchased several more copies (for teacher friends and my Chief). If you're interested in this particular incident you'll probably not find any more definative material. Good read. If you get the opportunity to attend the author's seminars, do so! Well worth it.
Sgt. J. Chavalia
Lima, Ohio Police Department
No sensationalism - just the real dramatic truth about our enemies.......2006-10-31
John Giduck does an excellent job of setting the stage for, presenting the facts of, and discussing the implications of one of the most horrendous Islamist terrorists attacks of all time.
In addition, this is one of the few books on Islamists terrorism that doesn't try to sugar-coat the current world wide conflict. The tens of millions of terrorist Muslims that are determined (even to death) to kill, destroy, or violently oppress any non-muslim in the world is a cold hard fact.
We in America have tried to live in a dream and have ignored not only the distant past going all the way back to Mohammed but even the recent past where 99.9% of all the violent terrorists acts in the world have been committed by the Islamist Terrorists. This isn't a few dozen but it is hundreds and hundreds of violent deadly acts with no purpose other than to kill, maim, and oppress the non-,muslim world.
Thanks John for sharing the inside information and insight into how every American can not only wake up but also take action to prepare for the violent acts that are sure to come.
Parents & law enforcement must read this book.......2006-09-06
Terror at Beslan by John Giduck is an absolute must read by anyone who has a child in school and by anyone who is in law enforcement that may need to respond to such an incident. This book is heart wrenching and difficult to read but this must not prevent you from gaining the needed knowledge that this book provides.
I recently attended a training by John Giduck on the Beslan school seige. After attending this training it is apparent that tough questions must be asked and the answers are not easy. For example:
- As a parent do you know what your child's school safety plan is?
- As a law enforcement officer are you willing to shoot a child that is being held as a human shield while the hostage taking terrorist is pointing a gun at you?
We live in a world where terrorists target the weak: children, women, elderly, etc. Law enforcement must be able to respond appropriately. America is a society where if one child is killed in such a seize the public views the police response as a failure. The media will have a feeding frenzy. The reality is that the terrorists will hold children as human shields. This is a difficult and terrible situation to be in as a first responder. We are no longer afforded the opportunity of hoping for the best as we stick our head in the sand. Law enforcement must address this issue now and have clear direction by the highest levels of administration on what an acceptable response will be when this incident happens in the U.S.
Terrorism is about fear. A Beslan type seize is very possible, maybe even probable, in America. Law enforcement must be able to do their jobs, an extremely difficult job, without the fear of civil litigation. It is time to face reality for what it is and pull our heads out of the sand.
As the saying goes: Proper planning prevents poor performance.
Customer Reviews:
A truly amazing organized crime book.......2002-06-25
Claire Sterling does an amazing job of exposing the new world order of organized crime. Her references seem impeccable and the story she tells is one of world governments crippled by an inability to coordinate and cooperate to the degree that counter-governments (ie, crime families) are cooperating. As a result, the world Sterling paints is one where crime is rapidly becoming the single dominant force in world politics and economics.
A Book Without Boundaries.......2001-09-28
For anyone who wants to know the indepth ramifications of the new threat of global organized crime then look no further than Claire Sterlings supberb effort. I have read two other of Claire Sterling's books and was impressed. Very few authors can boast such a talent for researching as Mrs Sterling does.
The book covers the networks of organized crime groups as she details their very important relationships with each of the other. Also what I found very impressive is the way she manages to get the figures for the numerous sums of money that is floating around so many the illegal markets. She also talks about the "Pax Mafiosi", something that Judge Falcone was aware of, the Pax Mafiosi being the new conglomeration of multinational criminal confederations, that is now the biggest threat to the worlds economy. The Russian Mafia are also mentioned to great aplomb, the mysterious syndicates that are now thriving following the break down of the old USSR. This book is an absolute must for anyone seeking knowledge about how the modern Mafia's are joining forces and becoming a multi hydra headed monster, that just keeps on growing new heads, when others are cut off.
A Book Without Boundaries.......2001-09-28
For anyone who wants to know the indepth ramifications of the new threat of global organized crime then look no further than Claire Sterlings supberb effort. I have read two other of Claire Sterling's books and was impressed. Very few authors can boast such a talent for researching as Mrs Sterling does.
The book covers the networks of organized crime groups as she details their very important relationships with each of the other. Also what I found very impressive is the way she manages to get the figures for the numerous sums of money that is floating around so many the illegal markets. She also talks about the "Pax Mafiosi", something that Judge Falcone was aware of, the Pax Mafiosi being the new conglomeration of multinational criminal confederations, that is now the biggest threat to the worlds economy. The Russian Mafia are also mentioned to great aplomb, the mysterious syndicates that are now thriving following the break down of the old USSR. This book is an absolute must for anyone seeking knowledge about how the modern Mafia's are joining forces and becoming a multi hydra headed monster, that just keeps on growing new heads, when others are cut off.
An Excellent Work that Deserves Serious Attention........1998-10-11
This book represents and remains one of the most significant studies of the threat magnitude of international organized crime available today. It is a shame that it is out of print and that it has not received the attention it deserves. Sterling's thoroughly documented study makes crystal clear the breadth and depth of control/leverage purchased with drug profits by international crime organizations acting as a cooperative international affiliation of predators with an objective of power and all that can be achieved with such power over societies little aware of their existence. Sterling's work is an important statement that should have received far more visibility.
Amazon.com
Cavalry officer Slavomir Rawicz was captured by the Red Army in 1939 during the German-Soviet partition of Poland and was sent to the Siberian Gulag along with other captive Poles, Finns, Ukranians, Czechs, Greeks, and even a few English, French, and American unfortunates who had been caught up in the fighting. A year later, he and six comrades from various countries escaped from a labor camp in Yakutsk and made their way, on foot, thousands of miles south to British India, where Rawicz reenlisted in the Polish army and fought against the Germans. The Long Walk recounts that adventure, which is surely one of the most curious treks in history.
Book Description
The harrowing true tale of escaped Soviet prisoners¿ desperate march out of Siberia, through China, the Gobi Desert, Tibet, and over the Himalayas to British India.
Customer Reviews:
Thrilling adventure, lousy history.......2007-09-26
I would have admired this book without reservation if it were represented as a work of fiction, but since its supposed to be a true story, I can't be as positive. Even without the information about the author uncovered by the BBC, which pretty much ends the debate regarding the veracity of this account, I would have questioned the authenticity of this story anyway.
I can believe most of the horrible things described about the author's arrest, interrogation, transport, and incarceration in a work camp (though the forced march seems less plausible, but we should never underestimate the cruelty of the gulag camp system). If anything, the way he describes the work camps sounds too tame in light of what we know about the gulag. He describes a work camp without criminals (most gulag inmates were classed as criminals, not politicals) and with very relaxed boundaries between the commandant and the inmates. This sounds more like Hogan's Stalag 13 than a real gulag. (read Anne Applebaum's remarkable book on the gulag.)
What seems most implausible to me is the novelistic quality of the book. First, there are the supporting characters - in true hollywood fashion, each of whom has a characteristic that distinguishes him or her from the others - toothless guy, the gentle giant, the wisecracker, and most implausibly, a beautiful young escapee who miraculously crosses their path amid the vast wastes of Siberia. Next, there's the dialogue (always recalled by the author verbatim), which reads more like a hollywood script than actual conversation between people (e.g., each of the wisecracker's quips is recalled verbatim). Finally, there's level of detail that no memory could recall, such as who found what kind of snake on which day.
Read this book side by side with real stories of survival, accounts of undisputed veracity (omit those written by journalists or authors who kept a notebook during their travels). Next to a book like Herzog's Annapurna or Worsley's book on the Endurance, the Long Walk reads like a very good novel, but not a true account of survival.
Frankly, I'm surprised that so many people have accepted its authenticity over the last several decades. Credit should go to the journalist who wrote the book with the help of the "author." The true story I would like to read is how a journalist and a Polish camp survivor cooked up this tale and sold it to the public. The author's tells us that he donated his time to good causes. I have to wonder if he was trying to ease his sense of guilt or rationalize his long involvement in this hoax.
A Maze Ing.......2007-09-11
What an amazing life. I was expecting another "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" or "Gulag Archipelago." But this story is different -- there is very little bitterness, very little savoring-of-the-details. Instead, it is cleanly told and incredibly true. It is a simple book, not much complexity, just human nature laid bare. Amazing.
Escape from the Soviet Union.......2007-09-05
There is some debate as to whether or not this story is true, but it is not at all improbable. Sentenced to 25 years in the Soviet gulag system, Polish cavalry-officer Rawicz was determined to escape from the remote Siberian labor-camp, somewhere north of Lake Baikal. The brutality Rawicz experienced at the hands of the communist government is typical of such accounts from this era. It reminds one of the memoirs of Alexander Solzhenitzyn.
Rawicz assembled a group of six other prisoners: two more Polish soldiers, a Latvian, a Lithuanian, a Yugoslavian, and ...an American! They made their break in early 1941, during a winter storm. Along the way, a teenage Polish girl also joined the party. The resulting narrative (if it is all true) is a harsh tale of survival as they trekked across some of the most rugged and dangerous terrain on Earth: frozen pine-forests, open plains, the Gobi Desert, and the mountains of Tibet.
Sadly, only half the party made it to the objective, which was India. Had they been less hasty in their trek once free of Soviet territory, the entire party could have survived. Had they planned more, traveled with caravans, and learned some basic survival skills, they could have brought everyone out.
The crossed Siberia, Mongolia, north China, and Tibet, cut off from all civilization and news of events abroad. They passed through lands where life was largely unchanged in a thousand years, and oblivious to the titanic events of World War II. Had Rawicz's party stopped in Lhasa, they surely would have met the famed mountaineers Heinrich Harrer and Peter Aufschneider (read "Seven Years In Tibet").
The most sceptical account, is a sighting of the "Yeti", while in the Himalayas. Did they really see some as yet unclassified primate? Who is to say?
Regardless, the story is profoundly fascinating...I hope its all true! The only improvement to the tale: what happened to the survivors after they left India? Unfortunately, thats where the story ends.
Book is a fictional account.......2007-08-22
I'm reading the book for the 3rd time and I question a number of items Rawicz mentions. For one, he says they walked during the heat of the day in the Gobi so as to follow a due south direction judging by the sun. Tempretures in the Gobi during the day run over 45C and coupled with walking, there is no way any human can survive without water for more than 3 days under those conditions. Rawicz claims they went as many as 6 and 7 days without water. Secondly, his party found Lake Baikal without any compass. Add to this the many references Rawicz makes about the geography of the area. He keeps mentioning Lhasa. Yet they enter the Gobi without any provisions for water. How is this possible when they had ample opportunity to prepare during their numerous encounters with the local tribesman as they headed into the Gobi? It's also interesting that the one person in his party who would easily be tracable is Mr. Smith - a fictitious name. Surely, after such an encounter and the bonding that takes place under such conditions, Rawicz would know the name of this man from the United States? Even later in life, Rawicz made no mention of this person's real identity. Sadly, I believe The Long Walk is a fictional account. I believe Rawicz suffered through difficult times, but he also fooled a generation of readers.
For those who would like to read a true account of one man's walk to freedom, then I highly suggest "Long Walk To Freedom" by Nelson Mandela. There's no doubt about the authenticity of this wonderful and inspiring book.
What a Story.......2007-07-16
What a great story of humanity's drive for pure survival and freedom. What this man and his friends encountered and went through to survive is nothing short of a miracle. It's one of those books that was hard to put down, and when its finished, you want to cry.
Book Description
Now completely revised in this seventh edition, A History of Russia covers the entire span of the country's history, from ancient times to the postcommunist present. Featuring a new coauthor, Mark Steinberg, this edition offers extensively updated material based on the most current research, including documents from recently opened archives. Keeping with the hallmark of the text, Riasanovsky and Steinberg examine all aspects of Russia's history--political, international, military, economic, social, and cultural--with a commitment to objectivity, fairness, and balance. This seventh edition contains a wealth of new images and a fully revised bibliography and reading list. Two new chapters on politics, society, and culture since 1991 explore Russia's complex experience after communism and discuss its chances of becoming a more stable and prosperous country in the future. Widely acclaimed as the best one-volume history available, A History of Russia is being offered in paperback for the first time. In addition to the one-volume version, it is now also available in two separate volumes--Volume I covers early Russia through the nineteenth century and Volume II ranges from 1855 to the present. Volume II also features an additional introductory chapter that links Russia's modern history to the events that preceded it.
Customer Reviews:
State of the Art Overview of Russian History ?.......2007-04-04
From what I've been able to determine, this seems to be the state of the art in single volume Russian Histories as Russia comes out of "The Soviet Era" where meaningful histories were at best very hard to come by.
As a long time student of history, I'm just now turning my sites to Russia, so I don't claim to be an expert. But when I started dating a delightful woman from Russian, my interest in learning as much as I could about her homeland was a natural. As I started to research the topic, I was a bit surprised to find how difficult it was to find thorough histories of Russia ... until I began to understand that "Soviet times" made serious treatment of history exceptionally challenging ... and Soviet times have only been a thing of the past for a relatively short period of time.
So, given that there simply isn't as yet a wide variety of material available on this subject, it wasn't to hard to sort out which were among the best, and "A History of Russia" seems to be one of the top contenders. I use it in conjunction with the Penguin Historical Atlas of Russia (with tons of very helpful maps) and find I'm getting a great and detailed overview of Russia's past. I'll have a better feeling for how balanced and accurate this work is after I've had a chance to read more books on the topic, but it seems that this book is at very least a great place to start one's research of Russia's past.
I will point out here, as I did with the Penguin Atlas, if you're looking for information on the ANCIENT history of Russia ... or, perhaps more accurately ... Russia's pre-history ... you won't find too much here. I don't think that's a failing of this book ... there just doesn't seem to be that much written history of what came before Kievan Russia or much archaeology of this area. Unlike nations such as Britain or Egypt where much was written and much has been excavated, Russia, more like the United States, has a very detailed history of it's recent past ... and very little detailed information about it's more distant past.
With that said, I think "A History of Russia" is a great place to begin one's studies of Russia. Reviews by others with more expertise seem to suggest it's more than just a beginner's introduction ... but you should rely on their reviews for that point of view.
Miserable writing and poor factual presentation.......2006-07-18
I am at a loss to explain the five-star reviews of this book. It is one of the most poorly written history books I have ever read. Sentences and facts are constantly qualified, as if the author is afraid to state a fact or opinion. The thoughts and flow are poorly organized, which the author attempts to correct by using long compound sentences. Frequent reference is made to other works with nothing more, like "the Slavs ate green cheese, although some of it wasn't green and one must consider the arguments of Miakovsky in that regard".
I was very excited to get a history of Russia, especially concerning the earlier periods, as I enjoy reading history and had just finished a good work on medieval Europe (@400 AD - 1200 AD). I really wanted to follow the connected tribal migrations and religious history to the east for the same period.
I was sorely disappointed in my purchase and put it down after 100 pages. I suggest you look elsewhere for Russian history.
Very thorough and readable-Excellent choice for a class.......2006-05-31
I had the privilege of taking many classes given by Prof. Riasanovsky at Berkeley in the early 70's. Now as a high school teacher, I use his book as our text. It is thorough, clear, explains historical transitions well, and gets high praise from my students. Excellent index and references.
Impressive, comprehensive and somewhat dry.......2006-05-14
What country spans multiple time zones, is populated by peoples of numerous religions and races, was built by war, conquest and immigration, whose geography encompasses massive lakes, endless rivers, inhospitable deserts and cold arctic forests, and whose every change in step sends shivers down the spine of its neighbors? The USA? No, the answer is Russia, the topic of this comprehensive text. Covering the history of this land and its peoples from its origins at Kiev to the fall of the Soviet Union, this book is probably the ultimate text for those not familiar with this topic and want to learn about it. The book devotes attention to the usual topics such as Peter the Great, serfdom, the Russian Revolution, the two World Wars, communism and the space race / nuclear age. The book also addresses many lesser known topics about Russia's history; such as the diversity of Russia's population, and the affects of Viking invaders from the West and North, and Mongol invaders from the South and East. The book is laid out in chronological order, and a straight reading from cover to cover takes about 1 - 2 weeks of dedicated reading, and will reward the reader with an objective, and comprehensive understanding of this country; its past, present and future. I highly recommend it.
A Thorough Introduction to Russian History.......2006-01-20
For anyone interested in an introduction to the history of Russia, I highly recommend Riasanovsky's book. It provides a thorough overview of a very rich and complicated subject within the confines of a single volume. I was impressed with the manner in which the author breaks down the timeline of Russian history and treats subtopics (such as cultural developments) separately. I just completed this book and have already recommended it to others whom I know are interested in learning more about Russia.
Average customer rating:
- bonecrushingly slanted, I get the message
- Excellent photography, butý.
- Absolutely Unforgettable
- Wonderful
- Broken Empire, Broken Dreams
|
Broken Empire : After the Fall of the USSR
Fen Montaigne
Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Photo Essays
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Photojournalism
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Europe
| Travel
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Japan
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Former Soviet Republics & Siberia
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Russia
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Cultural
| Anthropology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Russia
| Asia
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside History Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Travel Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0792264320
Release Date: 2001-11-01 |
Book Description
On December 25, 1991, at 7:35 p.m., soldiers lowered the red Soviet flag flying over the Kremlin and raised the Russian tri-color in its place. The moment passed without pomp or circumstance, resulting in a strangely muted end to a regime that had, in many ways, defined the 20th century.
Christmas 2001 is the tenth anniversary of the demise of the Soviet Union. To commemorate the event, National Geographic presents a mesmerizing retrospective that captures all the turbulence of Russia's new beginning.
With 120 extraordinary photographs by Gerd Ludwig and incisive essays by Fen Montaigne, Broken Empire captures Russia in all its complexity. The book examines not only the fledgling country's notorious corruption and poverty—the only aspects of Russia covered by most Western media—but many lesser known facets, including the rise of a new urban generation committed to building a prosperous society. Taking us into the daily lives of Russians, from entrepreneurs to pensioners, Broken Empire's images and words come together to capture as no book ever has the poignant resilience of a country endeavoring to find a workable middle road between capitalism and state control.
Customer Reviews:
bonecrushingly slanted, I get the message.......2005-04-26
astonishingly shocking at times and bland at others, is this the Russia of modern day or is this the image the author sees? Certainly the latter and probably not the former. Wonder how the people of Russia feel about this commentary in pictures on their existence? Bleak and disheartening comes to mind. Could a similar tome be assembled on America...of course if one looks hard enough at any topic the horror can be visualized.
Excellent photography, butý........2003-01-19
Gerd Ludwig photography is first-class but I wish written text had been as creative as the photographer's eye. Nothing to discredit the author, Fen Montaigne. But Fen, must you be so boring and bland. A single image captured a thousand words and your text was a dreadful mono-tone grounded in a yawning choice of vocabulary.
If your looking for images and insight text read "The Home Planet" by Kevin W Kelley. Two different subject matters, but the written text illustrates where this book went astray.
Absolutely Unforgettable.......2002-01-09
Broken Empire leaves an indelible mark on the memory. This stunning work presents a passionate and proud people, ravaged by the merciless process of political change. The book's coverage of the effect on the Russian environmental landscape alone, makes this a documentary of great importance. But most unforgettable, are the images which capture the entire spectrum of human experience that the nation's new self-image has imposed - from humiliation and despair, to dignity and triumph of the spirit against all odds - making this work an uncompromising testament to the historic realities of post-communistic Russia.
Wonderful.......2002-01-09
Contrary to the cover image of the book, this work clearly takes the blindfolds off in delivering a superb body of photographic work.
I have been traveling to the former Soviet Union now for the past twenty-five years and have always been surprised by how ignorant the world was about this marvelous nation. Ludwig clearly has an intimate feel for the soul of this great world. The images breathe and display the majesty of this people and empire wonderfully, warts and all. This is not a tragic populace, but a noble collection of races and groups who share a common pride, humanism and patriotism with a unique perspective and outlook on life that is both refreshing and vital.
I thought that the Western world would never get it right about the great land and her people, but Ludwig's masterpiece clearly and artfully reveals the nuances of an emerging colossus whose rightful place in history, commerce, politics, art and culture is assured by its dogged determinism to continue, to live, to strive to express the essence that is "Mother Russia".
And to do all of this with photography...what an achievement!!
Broken Empire, Broken Dreams.......2001-12-31
An incredible journey through the remains of the former Soviet Union both in pictures and words. Broken Empire puts the lie to the "Workers Paradise" promised by the USSR's once all-powerful communist regime, revealing the harsh realities of environmental and spiritual decay left in its wake. The images are dazzling and heartbreaking. A must see and read book for anyone who loves truth.
JH
Book Description
Russia had an extraordinary twentieth century, undergoing upheaval and transformation. Updating his acclaimed History of Twentieth-Century Russia through 2002, Robert Service provides a panoramic perspective on a country whose Soviet past encompassed revolution, civil war, mass terror, and two world wars. He shows how seven decades of communist rule, which penetrated every aspect of Soviet life, continue to influence Russia today. This new edition also discusses continuing economic and social difficulties at the beginning of the twenty-first century, the military campaign in Chechnya, and Russia's reduced role on the world stage.
Customer Reviews:
Very Well Put Together.......2007-08-12
If you are looking for a general introduction to the turbulent history of Russia in the past century, I highly recommend this book. I originally purchased this book to "fill in the gaps" of my knowledge, primarly 1945-1975 and 1991-modern day. Though I commend the author for cramming 100+ years of history into a very engaging 550-ish pages of material, my sole gripe is the lack of detail spent on the period between WWII and Gorbachev. But, like I said, it is an entire 100 years in a single book. All things considered, it is very well put-together and an enjoyable read.
Very detailed review of Russian History.......2007-06-04
It's important to understand the context of this review. I'm not a history buff, and I have no training in history. I'm going on my first trip to Russia in a month and wanted to understand more about Russian history than the five pages of context in my Fodor's. This was quite a lot more than that, but it has served me well. It's an intellectual read, but very well written - as a non-academic I enjoyed it greatly. If you are a "casual" historian preparing for a trip, this will be a thorough overview for you. If you just want a medium-strength review of Russia (more than Fodors, but not 600 pages), it might be a little more than you need.
Great Book, Highly recommended........2007-03-08
A Good, Highly comprehensive History book of Modern Russia. I really liked it and highly recommend it to anybody taking a course on Russian History, or just curious about History.
Great read.......2006-12-27
Overview of Russia during the 20th Century with stops at the Revolutions, Lenin, Stalin Gorbachev and Yeltsin. Provides a historical basis for event occurring today by allowing historians and political scientists to hypothesize about what is yet to come. Well written by one of the prominent Russian historians today.
Well-written, well-researched overview of 20th century Soviet and Russian history.......2006-01-26
First of all, it is important to note that I am not an expert in either Russian or 20th century history. Though I have spent a great deal of time reading about Russia and the Soviet Union over the last couple years, I would still consider myself a novice. Thus, this review is obviously written from the perspective of someone relatively new to the field.
Service's History of Modern Russia covers the entire 20th century, though it is relatively sparse post-1994. His handling of the material seems fair; he strives to cover material from a variety of viewpoints, showing both the positive and negative aspects of his subject matter. He covers Lenin, Stalin, WWII, and Khrushchev - along with all their policies, political maneuvers, and so on - in depth (at least as much as can be expected for 555 pages on 100 years!), and covers the Tsarist period, WWI, Brezhnev, and the early 1980s in the USSR in sufficient detail to easily follow the plot. The mild disparity in the treatment of various events and figures is not a flaw in his work; rather, his writing is directed to the more significant developments, of which there seem to be relatively few in the period of Brezhnev and the early 1980s (pre-Gorbachev); his ~40 pages on Brezhnev supply plenty of detail into the USSR from Khrushchev to the early `80s. In fact, I have found it difficult in general to find material on Brezhnev. For example, there are many biographies of Lenin, Stalin, and Khrushchev, but Amazon.com does not appear to carry even one on Brezhnev!
As a newcomer to the field of Russian history, culture, and language, I found Service's work to be readable, informative, and straightforward in its presentation, even when the narrative bogs down in groups of names doing this or that. His even treatment of the Soviet Union allowed me to see aspects of the USSR, Russia, and communism which I had not previously understood in a new light. I would have appreciated a short glossary for Soviet political positions and USSR governmental positions which simply defined the duties and responsibilities of various jobs (and perhaps their relative political or governmental clout, if such a thing were possible). It is not difficult to get bogged down in the myriad offices mentioned in the book.
I highly recommend this book as an introduction to the Soviet Union's beginnings, rise to power, and eventual decline and implosion. It covers a wealth of material in a short, readable space and is easily navigable. References are extensive, so further study could easily be pursued with Service as an overview and handy starting point.
Average customer rating:
- The best book ever!
- GREAT!!!!
- LOVED IT
- Loved this amazing story!!
- The Bronze Horseman
|
Bronze Horseman, The
Paullina Simons
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Historical
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
War
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Tatiana and Alexander
-
Tully
-
Tatiana and Alexander
-
The Girl in Times Square
-
Red Leaves
ASIN: 0061031127
Release Date: 2002-10-01 |
Book Description
From the author of the international bestseller Tully comes an epic tale of passion, betrayal, and survival in World War II Russia. Leningrad, 1941: The European war seems far away in this city of fallen grandeur, where splendid palaces and stately boulevards speak of a different age, when the city was known as St. Petersburg. Now two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha Metanov, live in a cramped apartment, sharing one room with their brother and parents. Such are the harsh realities of Stalin's Russia, but when Hitler invades the country, the siege of its cities makes the previous severe conditions seem luxurious.
Against this backdrop of danger and uncertainty, Tatiana meets Alexander, an officer in the Red Army whose self-confidence sets him apart from most Russian men and helps to conceal a mysterious and troubled past.
Once the relentless winter and the German army's blockade take hold of the city, the Metanovs are forced into ever more desperate measures to survive. With bombs falling and food becoming scarce, Tatiana and Alexander are drawn to each other in an impossible love that threatens to tear her family apart and reveal his dangerous secret -- a secret as destructive as the war itself. Caught between two deadly forces, the lovers find themselves swept up in a tide of history at a turning point in the century that made the modern world.
Mesmerizing from the very first page to the final, breathtaking end, The Bronze Horseman brings alive the story of two indomitable, heroic spirits and their great love that triumphs over the devastation of a country at war.
Download Description
"Special PerfectBound e-book exclusive feature! Paullina Simons's tribute to her still-living grandparents, survivors of Russia's twentieth century from World War I and the Russian Revolution through the siege of Leningrad and the regimes of Lenin and Stalin. From the author of the international bestseller Tully comes an epic tale of passion, betrayal, and survival in World War II Russia. Leningrad, 1941: The European war seems far away in this city of fallen grandeur, where splendid palaces and stately boulevards speak of a different age, when the city was known as St. Petersburg. Now two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha Metanov, live in a cramped apartment, sharing one room with their brother and parents. Such are the harsh realities of Stalin's Russia, but when Hitler invades the country, the siege of its cities makes the previous severe conditions seem luxurious. Against this backdrop of danger and uncertainty, Tatiana meets Alexander, an officer in the Red Army whose self-confidence sets him apart from most Russian men and helps to conceal a mysterious and troubled past. Once the relentless winter and the German army's blockade take hold of the city, the Metanovs are forced into ever more desperate measures to survive. With bombs falling and food becoming scarce, Tatiana and Alexander are drawn to each other in an impossible love that threatens to tear her family apart and reveal his dangerous secret--a secret as destructive as the war itself. Caught between two deadly forces, the lovers find themselves swept up in a tide of history at a turning point in the century that made the modern world. Mesmerizing from the very first page to the final, breathtaking end, The Bronze Horseman brings alive the story of two indomitable, heroic spirits and their great love that triumphs over the devastation of a country at war."
Customer Reviews:
The best book ever!.......2007-07-19
I cant not express how much I love this book. I have read this book at least six times. I also begged my friend to try it and she also fell in love with it. Paullina simons manages to pull you in and you feel like your right there with the characters. She has made the "perfect man" in Alexander and their love story is amazing...all the stuggles they go through is heartbreaking. I don't want to give away the story but this is a must read!!!
GREAT!!!!.......2007-05-15
I loved this book. I had a friend recommend it to me. I could not put it down. I was dissappointed at the ending until I read the reviews saying there is a sequel, now I can't wait to get that book.
LOVED IT.......2007-03-09
I really loved this book. I could not put it down. At first, do not be intimidated by the Russian Cities and names. It is a page turner. One of those books you think about for days after you read it... like the events really happened and you dwell on them. What is even better is the sequel "Tatiana & Alexander".
Loved this amazing story!!.......2007-03-01
This book is truly one of a kind. I couldn't put it down! Also, just wanted to let everyone know there is a sequel to this called Tatiana and Alexander.
The Bronze Horseman.......2007-01-11
This book you could not put down and I read it every free minute I had. It was a cliff hanger of sorts with plenty of detail that was necessary and not boring. It made you stop to realize how lucky we are to be in the USA with freedoms unknown to those in Communist countries. It was a romantic, historical, passionate book well told that will make you cry toward the end of this book. I ordered "Tatiana and Alexander " and can't wait to read on. The next book is patiently awaited called " The Summer Garden ".
Average customer rating:
- Opening the past and the mind of Joseph Brodsky
- Through His Glasses, Face to Face
- Photographic masterpieces
- remarkable book
- Lemkhin's photography replies to Brodsky's verse.
|
Joseph Brodsky, Leningrad: Fragments
Susan Sontag , and
Czeslaw Mitosz
Manufacturer: Farrar Straus Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Photographers, A-Z
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Photo Essays
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Europe
| Travel
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Artists, Architects & Photographers
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Russia
| Asia
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Foreign Languages
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Art Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Biographies
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Reference Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Travel Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0374158312 |
Customer Reviews:
Opening the past and the mind of Joseph Brodsky.......2002-11-10
JOSEPH BRODSKY, LENINGRAD: FRAGMENTS succeeds on every level. For those not familiar with Brodsky's brilliant poetry I would recommend that you spend time with WATERMARKS, his tribute to the city of Venice, before coming to this book. Once the gentle subtleties of his poetry are in mind, then spending time perusing this pictorial essay of Brodsky's face and the scenes of Leningrad (the old name for St. Petersburg is used because that was the city's Soviet name used when Brodsky lived there) will form a complete picture of this amazing expatriate. Mikhail Lemkhin addresses not only the pictorial influences on the poet, but also adds some words of wisdom. The tribute at the end of the photographs, in some of Sunsan Sonntag's most eloquent writing, is a fitting closure to this very lovely book. Highly recommended.
Through His Glasses, Face to Face.......2000-06-20
If an appreciation of the personal perspective of the poet can deepen the experience of his words, then Lemkhin's photographic tribute to Brodsky's beloved home belongs on our bookshelves alongside the poetry books and essays of the Nobel laureate. Except for an intimate foreword by Milosz, a moving afterword by Sontag, and brief postnotes in which Lemkhin provides background details on several of the images, the message of this book is delivered entirely through black-and-white images. The voice of those visions comes through most clearly when one imagines viewig through the eyes of the poet himself, not only in the streets and the statues, the skies and the stories of Leningrad, but in the mirror of the close-up snapshots of Brodsky himself placed throughout the collection of pictures. Even the mediocre artistic quality of some of the individual snapshots can be forgiven as the soft footsteps of the poet can be heard stepping through his own lines in the movement of these deeply personal worlds of his own home.
Photographic masterpieces.......1999-08-10
I greatly enjoyed the two books by Mikhail Lemkhin: "Missing Frames" and "Fragments". I am especially moved by portraits. There is something about the portraits that make them very different from most others. The pictures are not posed, but don't seem to be too candid either. I get the impression that the subject is aware of the photographer, but is not posing for him, at least not physically. It is as if the subject is exposing his/her inner soul to the camera. The photographs work, in deeply satisfying way, very well. I know I will look at them again and again.
remarkable book.......1999-08-02
Mikhail Lemkhin's book is a book in the fullest sense: not an album of exquisite photo studies, but a composition which transcribes a train of thought. The pages roll like clouds across the sky: Look, this is what we cherished in our lives, this is what happens to people, to stone, to memory, thanks to a little acid rain, that most noiseless rain, they call it - `time`. This is an experience of the `literature of silence`. Like a telepathic séance. The Covetous Knight's soliloquy over a chest of devaluated bank notes. Poor Knight! Over a hundred shots taken at the speed of 1/100 - in all, why that's just around a second! Someone else's story, made up mostly of the same things or signs as mine or yours, only linked in a different way to yield a personal fate. In particular, or rather, most importantly, it included a City which inspired a dream about the meaning of existence, and a Contemporary who succeeded in rendering the tonality of that meaning. But the second has passed, having absorbed almost all that could be held dear. The light wanes. The sound is off. And a question arises: Out of that which man has lost forever, is there anything that he possesses for eternity? The gaze, seasoned with peppery essence of silver, shows irony, pain, and tenderness.
Samuil Lurie, Neva Magazine (St.Petersburg, Russia)
Lemkhin's photography replies to Brodsky's verse........1998-11-25
Photography informs the poetics of Joseph Brodsky, photographer's son and himself no novice to the camera. Mikhail Lemkhin's double homage to the recently deceased poet and the city of his -- and Lemkhin's -- birth should be thought of as photography's own reply to Brodsky. Lemkhin calls his _Joseph Brodsky, Leningrad_ a photo-poem; to this one might only add that it is a particularly Brodskian photo-poem -- Brodskian not in its type of montage but in its predilection for montage, not in its sensibility but in the realities it conveys. To imitate Brodsky is to traduce Brodsky. Lemkhin understands that Brodsky's prime legacy is intellectual independence; his photography engages Brodsky's poetry rather than illustrates it, works with, rather than within, its visual counterparts of Brodsky's speech. The end-result belongs on the bookshelf as much as it does on the coffee-table.
Book Description
The twentieth century in Russia has been a cataclysm of rare proportions, as war, revolution, famine, and massive political terror tested the limits of human endurance. The results of this assault on Russian culture are particularly evident in ruined architectural monuments, some of which are little known even within Russia itself. Over the past two decades William Craft Brumfield, noted historian and photographer of Russian architecture, has traveled throughout Russia and photographed many of these neglected, lost buildings, poignant and haunting in their ruin. Lost Russia provides a unique view of Brumfield’s acclaimed work, which illuminates Russian culture as reflected in these remnants of its distinctive architectural traditions.
Capturing the quiet, ineffable beauty that graces these buildings, these photographs are accompanied by a text that provides not only a brief historical background for Russian architecture, but also Brumfield’s personal impressions, thoughts, and insights on the structures he views. Churches and monasteries from the fifteenth to the twentieth century as well as abandoned, ruined manor houses are shownâravaged by time, willful neglect, and cultural vandalism. Brumfield also illustrates examples of recent local initiatives to preserve cultural landmarks from steady decline and destruction.
Concluding with photographs of the remarkable log architecture found in Russia’s far north, Lost Russia is a book for all those concerned with the nation’s cultural legacy, history, and architecture, and with historic and cultural preservation generally. It will also interest those who appreciate the fine art of exceptional photography.
Customer Reviews:
Sad but poinent.......2007-07-10
This book not only met my expectations, but exceeded them. The author took me to places i will never get to see, as well as provide me amazing pictures of these sites for my artistic reference library. as well as explaining about the sites themselves. Most saddeinig is the state of dissrepair of these historical sites, and the lack of funding to keep them up.
This book held many a haunting image, weither you buy this to learn about architecture of a past Russian time, or photographic reference, or the state of these amazing landmarks fallen into disrepair... or if you have an explorer's streak within.. you will not be dissapointed. Worth every penny.
Books:
- Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles
- How to Build Your Own Aviary, Cages, Nestboxes, Etc. and $ave a Bundle: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide
- I Want to Believe (The Official Guide to the X-Files, Vol. 3)
- Innocent in Death
- Interactive TV Standards: A Guide to MHP, OCAP, and JavaTV
- Its All Your Fault: How To Make It As A Hollywood Assistant
- LL Cool J's Platinum Workout: Sculpt Your Best Body Ever with Hollywood's Fittest Star
- Mastering Unreal Technology: The Art of Level Design
- Media Programming: Strategies and Practices
- Media Promotion & Marketing for Broadcasting, Cable & the Internet, Fifth Edition
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels
- My New Baby And Me: A First Year Record Book For Big Brothers And Big Sisters
- Godzilla: A Junior Novelization
- Family Trusts & Trustors
- International Financial Management
- Over the Moon
- London
- Management Control in a Voluntary Organization: Accounting and Accountants in Organizational Context
- Financing Higher Education: Answers from the UK
- Lady with the Little Dog and Other Stories, 1896-1904
The Russian Way, Second Edition: Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes, and Customs of the Russians
Wedded Strangers: The Challenges of Russian-American Marriages
Consuming Russia: Popular Culture, Sex, and Society since Gorbachev
Roots of the Russian Language: An Elementary Guide to Wordbuilding (NTC Russian Series)
The Russian's World: Life and Language, Third Edition
