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Utopia in Power: The History of the Soviet Union from 1917 to the Present
Utopia in Power The History of the Soviet Union from 1917 to the Present Author:Mikhail Heller, Aleksandr M. Nekrich Beginning prior to October 1917 and continuing through 1985 and the rise of Mikhail Gorbachev, this magnum opus has been universally acclaimed as the best history of the Soviet Union available. — From Library Journal: — The authors, both emigres from the USSR, characterize its past as "the history of the transformation of Russia . . . into a ... more »phenomenon such as humanity has never known." This book chronicles that transformation. It is a chilling record, and their concluding judgments as to why the "phenomenon" has survived will not please or convince all Western readers. There is a heavy focus on cultural developments anda welcome inclusionon the three waves of emigration from the USSR since 1917. The survey concludes with the observation that the Soviet system can only survive if it expands: the authors' warning to the West is very clear. This is not a textbook but a highly readable, passionate, and scholarly critique of the Soviet experiment and its effect upon the peoples of the USSR. R.H. Johnston, History Dept., McMaster Univ., Hamilton, Ontario
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.« less