Russia and the Soviet Union: An Historical Introduction from the Kievan State to the Present
"Comprehensive, balanced, up to date, engaging, and deftly written,Russia and the Soviet Unionis the best brief history of Russia available today. The book is perfectly suited for use in introductory courses on Russian history and for general readers seeking to make sense of Russia over the centuries. Thompson has packed a lifetime of thoughtful reflection, teaching, and distinguished research into this volume."-Donald J. Raleigh, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill"Through a fresh format and effective revisions, John Thompson has rendered still more succinct what was already a very neat, comprehensive and highly readable text. With updated biographies ('Further Reading') in several chapters and some new illustrations, as well as an additional chapter on Russia under the leadership of Vladimir Putin,Russia and the Soviet Unionin its sixth edition remains a superlative text for both students of Russian history and the casual reader."-Vicki Hendrickson Grove, University of Colorado, Boulder"Russia and the Soviet Unionis a superb one-semester text for a course in Russian history from origins to the near-present. Thompson does a judicious job of introducing key debates and does not hesitate to express his own considered opinion where warranted. The balanced coverage of medieval, early modern, modern, and contemporary periods is extremely important for introductory courses, as is the newly revised section of Russia under Putin. Overall, this is a readable, exciting, stimulating book which always has students asking for more."-David W. McFadden, Fairfield University