This book actually is about two empires -- the "Inner Empire" of the Soviet Union and the "Outer Empire" of the Soviet Bloc. The book is exceedingly well written and hard to put down. Though it ignores broad swaths of Soviet history (military confrontation with the west, relationship with China, etc), it admits that it doesn't tell all, and, more importantly, tells what it does very clearly.

The crisises of 1956, 1968, and 1980 are examined in detail, and throughout humor is used to get the point across (such at the Kiti-Kat fiasco, and contemporary Soviet and Eastern European jokes about the regime).

If you love trains and history as much as I do you will love this book.

I am a big fan of anything Time Life puts out on World War 2. I found this whole series of books very interesting for the amount of detail, the layout and the overall look of the books. This is the best place to start if you want to learn about World War 2. They are very easy to read with a great deal of corresponding diagrams, maps and photos and really bring the words alive. I think if you are a real die hard World War 2 buff you need to get a copy of these books.

His subjects were vast; his output was prodigious; his vitality seemed unlimited. Not only was Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens considered the leading northern European painter during his day, but his gifts were so great that he also designed tapestries, book illustrations, festival decorations, church decorations, and in later life began a series of over 100 mythological pictures for a hunting lodge.

Thanks to the avaricious acquisitions of Russia's Catherine the Great an impressive assortment of Rubens's work is displayed in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. And, thanks to the bountifully illustrated (175 in color) and precisely annotated volume "Rubens and His Age," these glories are also available to art lovers and armchair travelers.

Many of these artworks belonging to the Hermitage have never before been seen in publication, including the stunning allegory "The Union Of Earth And Water." In addition many art objects which Rubens either owner, designed or commissioned also decorate the pages of this keepsake volume. "Rubens and His Age" is a feast, a sumptuous banquet of magnificent art.

An excellent, clearly written analysis of the events that led up to the February Revolution. A must read for every student of European and Russian history.

Robert Service writes excellently about Russia and this is a great companion to his history of russia in 20th century

Vladimir Brovkin's brilliant work "Russia After Lenin: Politics, Culture & Society 1921-1929" clearly demonstrates that the propaganda claims made by the Bolsheviks were largely incongruous with the views held by a majority of Russians. The author demonstrates that Communist ideas were resisted most strongly by those whom the party was purported to be serving-the proletariat. Brovkin further shows that contrary to revisionist histories, Communism was established in Russia following a military coup led by the mearest fraction of society. Brovkin argues that Stalin's campaign of terrordeveloped directly from Lenin's notion of constant revolution and that this policy of terror was adopted in order to perpetuate the Communist Party's monopoly on political power. Brovkin's work is a must read for those who wish to gain a better understanding of how the Bolsheviks consolidated and maintained their dictatorial authority. "Russia After Lenin" is an outstanding book on politics and history that should be considered equal to the monumental books by Richard Pipes.

General description
'Russia after the Cold War' is a detailed yet accessible overview of the modern day Russia in search for its new identity, and the social, economic and political dilemmas it faces in its pursuit.

Positive aspects
'Russia after the Cold War' has an excellent introductory chapter as a general background to the subject. The book covers a wide range of relevant issues ranging form from political culture and public opinion to Russia's relations with China and Japan, covering political, economic, social and cultural aspects of life in Soviet and present day Russia. The authors look into complex subjects and debates such models of transition and democratisation. The text is written by a number of distinguished academics in various fields discussed, such as Richard Sawka (on Russian nationalism and democratisation) and Mark Galeotti (on crime, corruption and the law). Each chapter is very well written and has a definite structure: 'Introduction' provides a good background, 'Conclusion' sums up ideas. Each chapter is full of facts, data, statistics, charts and tables, while good use of maps, boxes and bullet points illustrating ideas, reviewing main concepts and key personalities enhance its reader-friendliness. Although each chapter is written by a different author, it is easy for the reader to read on from one chapter to the next. The balance between issues discussed is impressive. Many viewpoints are put forward in a critical, yet objective way.

Negative aspects
While 'Russia after the Cold War' does a good job both describing and explaining events with a view from the top, and almost totally ignores a perspective from the bottom of the social ladder. More individual case studies could have been included - individuals, small enterprises. The book lacks illustrations, so a beginner in the subject (who the book is primarily intended for) may finish reading without being familiar with any of the faces in the life of Russia. The text also lacks a comparative perspective. Like many other texts in the field it needs to be updated more regularly to take into account more often to take into account recent developments in Russia and Former Soviet Union, such as Putin's presidency.

Conclusion
'Russia after the Cold War' is ideal for anybody interested in the subject of modern day Russia. While providing a comprehensive coverage of main issues and debates, it does so in accessible and lively style requiring no prior knowledge in the topic, though the text could benefit from more perspectives and illustrations.

I purchased this book and found it very useful to get the information I needed on this whole Russia-Chechnya issue. If you are doing a report on this subject or just want to become educated about it, I encourage and recommend that you purchase this book.

Robert English makes a compelling case for the utility of ideas in changing national policy, which one hopes might have relevence to the current international crisis. National identity, English maintains, is not immutable. He argues that intellectuals play a key role in creating new identities -- they are "storytellers" who can be agents of belief change even in countries "where the state controls discourse over history and politics, imposing an identity from above through its monopoly over education, the media, and scholarship." Taking on those on the right who embrace the idea that Reagan and SDI won the war as well as those on the left who don't believe containment had an effect, English offers a narrative that seems far more convincing. Ideas and intellectuals, he argues, matter.