Russian banking is 'inventing' a new Russian social process for individual and small group entrepreneurial pioneering and providing people with new pathways for economic growth. Every decisive step in the history of economic development ha been the result of deliberate decisions to open up space and enable people to pioneer. This deliberate incubation of the free enterprise of ordinary people has always worked to produce great results. This is not nostalgic, not romantic, not greed. It is the simple principle of applying "opportunity" to the great driving hunger of millions of people to transcend their inadequate past

A far better description of the actual situation in Russia than what is available in the U.S. or Russian Press, or other alternative sources. Opened my eyes to what I should be aware of.

I found this book provided a clear description of possibilities for collaboration and cooperation with Banks in America. Our methods and practices differ but Dr. van de Waal-Palms explains the common denominators.

Amazing.

The author comes from a family of Russian emigres who fled to the West as a result of the Russian Revolution. Before the Revolution, they were part of the minor nobility that supplied the Tsars with military officers in time of war and high- and mid-level government officials in time of peace. The book is mainly about how this family lived through the tumultuous period before, during and after the Revolution. The descriptions of Russian life during this period are vivid and engaging. The family portraits of people struggling to serve and save their country (and ultimately suffering the cruelest repudiation by it) are poignant. And the pages sparkle with objective analysis and insight. In spite of his family background, he does not grind axes or pine away for what was lost. And yet, although much was lost, his love for Russia and its people is clear. He sees clearly that the old order that was swept away in 1917 had its shortcomings, shortcomings that he warns may yet undermine contemporary Russia's latest experiments with constitutional democracy.

Serge Schmemann has written a terrific book about his ancestors on his Mother's side, the aristocratic Osorgin family. He traces the estate in Sergiyevskoye (now Koltsovo) that Mikhail Osorgin acquired in a card game in 1843 to the present day. It is a facinating tale interspersed with a history of the country from monarchy to communism to today. Schmemann, the son of an noted Russian Orthodox priest, is emminently qualified to write such a book. He spent many years in the Soviet Union as a reporter for the New York Times prior to winning a Pulitzer for his reportage on the fall of the Berlin Wall. The book is well researched and balanced with little tears shed over how his family lost everything to the successors of Lenin. This is his first book and it is written as what one would would expect from a newspaperman. The balalaikas do not strum and the book does lack the flavor that a book writer would bring. Never-the-less, it holds ones interest for all 333 pages. Unfortunately, Schmemann is currently an editor at the Times, so one misses his excellent columns. We look forward to his next book.

The first half of this book is both leisurely and entertaining, giving us a rich and at the same time penetrating look at the life of a wealthy family, its estate, and the villagers who were their neighbors. The second half, concentrating as it does on post-Bolshavik experiences, both in the rural village area and elsewhere, including a gulag on the White Sea, cannot be more riveting. It's hard to remember that all this really happened; it is no fiction, or creative dramatization. At the same time, there is the sweep and intellectual vision that one does associate with the great Russian novelists of the early part of this century and before. I have sent this extraordinary book to friends of mine, and I am its ardent publicity agent!

Simply stated, I was profoundly affected by this book and will never look at the world the same way again.

Everyone should read it, maybe the Earth would become a better place.

If I made a list of books everyone should read, this one would right now be number one. Everything that has happened in the last 10,11 years since the breakup of the Soviet Union, is in here- East Germany, Liberia, Somalia, Rwanda, Bosnia- each story told in the context of the lives of one or a few people, which makes these stories so vivid and real. You'll remember the newspaper headlines, and the stories, but in this book it's like you are experiencing it all for the first time, and personally. Fritz is a terrific writer, I promise you won't be bored. Finally it has very special meaning for Americans. Fritz keeps referring to us a s "the world's only superpower", a concept that hasn't really sunk in for most of us, or most of our "leaders" either. So we really need to do a lot of heavy thinking about what we do, how we act, in fulfilling this historicaly unique role. Buy it!

Fritz' repertorial skill and novelistic approach make a less-than-palatable subject read like a gripping detective novel.

His eye for detail and empathy with the people - and the voices - of those tortured souls literally "Lost On Earth" make this book an invaluable document for our fragmented times.

Dean LeBaron has crafted an insightful volume that is part travelogue, part cultural analysis, and part memoir. The resulting book will bring you up-close and personal with the forces that shaped the two great cultures of Russia and China. The text is adorned with vignettes, anecdotes, parables and humor that keep the read as entertaining as it is weighty. We from getAbstract strongly recommend this book to anyone looking to understand two countries that have greatly influenced the last century of human history and will play a central role in the next.

This first-hand account of some of the most momentous events of the twentieth century is an extremely compelling read. The account is lucid and engaging, but it's the analysis that takes it over the top. It was a pleasure to read.

I'm a graduate student, earning my MBA at Stanford, and I just have one point to make: Dean LeBaron deserves all of our attention and respect. Here's a man who risked his (considerable) reputation to help transform the economies of Russia and China. And unlike the most folks these days (dare I mention Enron), he wasn't in it just for the money. LeBaron is a thoughtful, insightful, highly original analyst. Read this book and you will discover, as he writes, that "nothing is as contrary as reality." I can't wait for his next book.

First published in 1988, Orest Subtelny's Ukraine: A History has again been newly updated in a third edition. This 736 page volume spans from the earliest times to the modern day, covering everything from ancient Greek colonization to the recent Ukraine diaspora. Orest Subtelny (Professor of History and Political Science at York University) goes into extreme depth and detail with a text that is significantly enhanced with maps, tables, and the occasional black-and-white photograph. Highly recommended for its lucidity, meticulous attention to detail, and scholarly precision, Ukraine: A History is a "must" for anyone who wants to learn about this fascinating land and its people.

Mr. Subtelny's "Ukraine: A History" rates a notch above Mr. Magosci's. Well-written and very readable. This is the volume one reaches for when facts on the Ukrainian history are required.

Orest Subtelny's book on Ukrainian history is intelligently written and very readable, among the growing number of books on Ukraine. It's at the top of the list. A must for any Ukraine enthusiast!

In the most unlikely of places love grows. In New York at the beginning of Stalin's reign, Tatanya's love cannot be bought in this historical novel about Russian immigrants who have to make it by their wits in their new homeland. Meanwhile, Tatanya's brother is trying to survive in Stalin's Russia when love slips upon him and flourishes in spite of poverty, oppression, and his sometimes waning faith. From the beginning of this story when the Russian soldiers crash into the peaceful everyday lives of Tatayana, her parents, and her brother, Yuri, I could not put this love story down.

If you've hesitated to even nibble at the edges of historical fiction, the Sowers Trilogy should be your first taste! You are guaranteed a gourmet feast with Bonnie Leon's sharp imaging and heart stopping gift of holding tension. Journey with Yuri and his sister Tatyana on their separate quests as they are assaulted by emotional and physical tests and temptations. You will go along not as a spectator, but as a participant.

You will cringe as Yuri confronts the danger of survival in a Russia gone mad with the lust for supremacy. You will weep as he is immersed in the devastating results of a country's passion turned sorid. And you are sure to stand and cheer as obstacles are overcome and enemies of body and mind are defeated.

You will ache with Tatyana as she struggles to survive against odds of her own making. Rejoice at her amazing good fortune in a new, untamed country. Live with her in the pristine frontier of a burgeoning Pacific Northwest. Laugh, love and weep with her as she grasps at memories of Yuri and her beloved Russia while she balances on the edge of letting go.

Bonnie Leon is a master storyteller. Go ahead. Treat yourself.

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see more of Reynolds, Elena and Yuri. The book had a lot of realism for the hardships people in the concentration camps have. I can't wait to see if Yuri and Elena find each other again, and if Reynolds finds himself, and someone to love. I was very happy with te way the book ended and Tatyana and Dimitri's love. But the book didn't talk much about not marrying unbelievers.

This book is not only a very pleasant read about the Russian conquest of the Caucasus, and thus good background for understanding the current problems there. It's also a source from which Frank Herbert drew heavily when writing his science fiction novel *Dune*. Such terms as chakobsa, kanly and kindjal are not unique to Blanch's book, but they certainly resonate with Herbert's fans.
Highly recommended and very readable.

The reviews I've read so far fail to emphasize that this book, while it certainly covers much of the history of the Caucuses in the latter half of the 19th century, is in no small part a biography of Imam Shamyl, "The Lion of Dhagestan", and his role as the leader of what was referred to as "The Mureed Wars". Shamyl was a legendary, charismatic leader who, through the power of his Islamic faith, and with the added dimension of being son-in-law of one of the great Shaykhs of the Naqshbandi Sufi order (Jamaluddin Ghumuqi), united the various tribes and peoples of this region to fight off the great Russian Bear for nearly 25 years. It is an epic tale of heroism and tragedy on a personal and cultural level, and will grip the reader as they follow the exploits and the battles that are still to this day legendary in the Caucuses.

The reviews I've read so far fail to emphasize that this book, while it certainly covers much of the history of the Caucuses in the latter half of the 19th century, is in no small part a biography of Imam Shamyl, "The Lion of Dhagestan", and his role as the leader of what was referred to as "The Mureed Wars". Shamyl was a legendary, charismatic leader who, through the power of his Islamic faith, and with the added dimension of being son-in-law of one of the great Shaykhs of the Naqshbandi Sufi order (Jamaluddin Ghumuqi), united the various tribes and peoples of this region to fight off the great Russian Bear for nearly 25 years. It is an epic tale of heroism and tragedy on a personal and cultural level, and will grip the reader as they follow the exploits and the battles that are still to this day legendary in the Caucuses.

Very nice children's book. Good story, outstanding illustrations. Makes me long for Alaska, the Tanana Valley and State Fairs and the sunny summer nights. The Moose's Cabbage Soup Recipe was yummy!

Entertainingly written by Cherie B. Stihler and delightfully illustrated by Jeremiah Trammel, The Giant Cabbage: An Alaska Folktale is a playful story about a hard-working moose who is determined to enter the biggest and best cabbage he can grow into the Giant Cabbage contest. But the cabbage he grows is so big it can hardly be moved - what is everyone to do? The Giant Cabbage is an upbeat, whimsical and enthusiastically recommended picture book tale which will have special appeal for children ages 3 to 8.

Truly a charming book that children ages 3-8 will enjoy. Moose has a problem. He grew a huge cabbage but cannot get it to the fair. It is just too BIG! Fortunately, Moose has some very special friends who are more than happy to lend a helping hand. When everyone pushes the cabbage, they accomplish a HUGE feat. They move the cabbage onto the truck and take it to the fair.

Fortunately, Moose's friends have ENORMOUS hearts too and so does Moose when he shares his cabbage after the fair. This is a great book about friendship and helping others. The illustrations are wonderfully sweet. The text is easy to read and children will appreciate the repetitive words that make this story fun to read.

I have yet to travel the Trans-Siberian, but when/if I do, I will take this along. It is well organized and has good basic info on both the planning particulars of the train (visas, tickets, weather) and points of interest along the way. My only complaint is that it has quite a few grammatical and spelling errors, which make me wonder about their attention to detail on more important facts.

I found this book to be of great help in planning my Trans-Siberian trip. It is organized and contains information that will definitely be indispensible along the way: basic translations of common terms, general info on departure cities other than Russia and things I would never think of adding to a travel guidebook.
I would recommend this guide to anyone aspiring to travel by train in Russia.
J

It does not cover adequately the dangers of the Mongol/Russian boarder that I'm told is a paradise for the bandit hybred race of bandit/Khan/Slav comprising the area that I will be visiting in seven days. Good luck fellow travlers! May you find what I hope to.

". . . it isn't often one gets the chance to be around when a man comes back from the dead" (From the Introduction).

This is Father Ciszek's odyssey from class bully to rough- hewn, intrepid minister inside and out of the best accommodations the Soviet Union had to offer for their political prisoners: the best KGB interrogators, the best watered-down soup, the best concrete bunks, the best mix of sociopathic criminals mixed in with the prisoners of conscience, the best conditions guaranteed to reduce the expense of maintaining an extensive number of prisoners who, however inadvertantly, irritated the authorities.

There are few spiritual insights--this isn't a letter from Saint Paul, nor Alexsandr Solzhenitsyn--but his experiences speak for themselves. Fr. Ciszek endured the rigors of intense interrogations followed by five years of imprisonment in cells, both isolated and crowded, within Moscow. He endured another ten years in worker camps inside the Arctic Circle.

In spite of the hardships, he managed to minister to a captive audience supplied by the Russian authorities. He heard confessions and said Mass with provisions supplied by the prisoners themselves, such as fermented raisins for sacramental wine, and a paten made of nickel.

There were some minor disappointments. He had his picture snapped at Lenin's tomb days before he was airlifted from the national prison Lenin founded. For all the suffering he endured out of love for the people of the Soviet Union, I overlooked his touristy affectation. Besides, he DOES offer a prayer for Lenin's soul: "He was a man, after all, . . . and he may be in need of more prayers than he's getting here."

Also, I would have appreciated a few pages relating how he readjusted to life back home.

This memoir should sit next to other prison crucibles, such as "The Gulag Archipilago by Alexsandr Solzhenitsyn, "When Hell Was In Session" by Jeremiah Denton and "Against All Hope" by Armando Valladares.

Born in Pennsylvania and growing up as a tough guy on the street, Father Ciszek surely blundered into one of the toughest ministries ever. He had the worst case of historical myopia this reviewer has ever seen, but such a trait may have been required to lead him to his prison ministry. He gets a fixed idea that he must minister in Russia. In seminary in Poland when the Russians overrun it, he decides on his own to enter Russia, obtaining reluctant approval at the last minute. When does he enter? You guessed it - after the Germans invade Russia. He picks a Polish pseudonym and heads for the front! Naturally, the NKVD arrests him for espionage, but after thorough investigation are totally stymied by the good father. They offer him a ministry at the front, but he turns it down, at a time when 40 million people are dying and the Russians are fighting for the right to exist at all. So, he goes to the camps. There he keeps the flicker of faith alive among the hopeless. Miraculously, at the end of his working ministry, he gets to be repatriated and retire in the U.S.

I read this book back in 1987 while a patient in a local Veteran's Hospital. A priest had stopped in to visit and offered it to me for something to pass the time. It was one of those books that once you started to read it, you couldn't put it down. I read the book in a week, and it really touched me as to the testament of a person's faith in a time of struggle. I regard it as an honor to of been afforded the opportunity to of been given this book to read in a time of need.