by Michael Kort
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Product Description
Will Russia ever be peaceful, prosperous, and free? Part of the answer to that question lies in the past. Now revised and updated, this most readable and thought-provoking history of modern Russia begins with a brief review of the past that shaped Russia as it entered the twentieth century. The author then focuses on the pivotal events that led in turn to the demise of the tsarist regime, the establishment of the Bolshevik dictatorship, the era of Stalinist totalitarianism, the reforms and counter-reforms of Khrushchev and Brezhnev, and the dramatic changes that swept the country during the Gorbachev years, culminating in the collapse of the Soviet experiment that Lenin and the Bolsheviks so confidently began in 1917. The last part of the book chronicles the triumphs and difficulties that Russia has experienced since the Soviet collapse in 1991, and the attempt to create a Russian-style capitalist democracy under the very different presidencies of Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin. Michael Kort's treatment is deeply informed by new revelations and ongoing debates about the nature of the Soviet regime and its successor, and students respond positively to the author's lively style and moral engagement. This new edition of "The Soviet Colossus" is the most readable, accessible, and judicious short history of modern Russia - an ideal choice for courses on Russian history or politics.
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Average Customer Review:
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
 Good non-academic overview of Soviet history, 2008-03-09
Recommended as an introductory examination upon the paradox that was the Soviet Union. I think this work should have touched a bit on the fundamental problems of industry (covered in a few paragraphs in Castell's 'End of Millennium) and of the regime's constant struggle with the intelligentsia.
I acknowledge that an attempt to document the USSR in a single volume is a formidable task. In making this book friendly to a non-scholar decisive events are mixed with colorful anecdotes and occasional moralizing. (I think most of us do not need to be reminded that the deaths of 20 million people is bad thing.)
A quick read but ultimately I could not find anything in the book to use in my 300 and 400-level Soviet history courses at university.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 5 stars for this baby, 2007-10-27
Bravo Mr. Kort! This was a delightful book to read. This book is accessible to everyone without it having been watered down. The sentences are clear and elegant; I was able to read effortlessly throughout the whole text. I did not detect any biases from the author and he seemed fair and accurate all the way through.
Factually, the book is in sync with other books with related or similar subjects that I have happened to read. I bought a copy of the 5th edition (2001) and I wonder if it is still being updated. The story is riveting. Michael Kort rendered a masterpiece with this book.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
user-friendly guide to the Soviet Union, 2004-07-16
i bought this book for a class (minored in Russian History), and this book is more than a standard history text book.
point-by-point the motivation for the establishment of the Soviet Union is outlined with complete objectivity and very little 20-20 hindsight criticism. Kort explores every facet of the transition from complete autocracy to socialist society with great detail throughout every era from Stalin's failed 5-year plans to Gorbachev's perestroika which actually ended the existance of the USSR.
even for the casual history buff this is a great guide and insightful read.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Not just a textbook, 2003-02-06
Like probably everyone who has read this, I bought it for a class. However, this book is unlike every other textbook I've read, in that it's actually *fun* to read. I'd probably have read it on my own had I known about it before.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
 Very Informative, 2000-11-06
I had to read this for a class that was taught by Kort himself. The book covers a lot of Russian history from the last days of the czars to Yeltsin. If you ever want to know some general history about Russia, then read this book.
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