Mastering Twentieth-Century Russian History (Palgrave Master Series): 1 (Macmillan Master Series)

For daughters study found great help in highlighting some areas background

Great book. A wealth of knowledge on a country i knew little about. Recommended reading to any budding historian. Great

Well organised and detailed.

This is an excellent introduction to modern Soviet and Russian history. As with so many books of this nature, there is more detail on the early years (up to 1953) than the later years but it does provide a very clear narrative, and complex information and concepts are presented in a manner which is understandable and readable. I think that the sections on the Soviet Union during the war are very useful for A level/undergraduate students and the sections on Khrushchev and Gorbachev also provide a useful introduction. The weakest section is that on Brezhnev which is too much of an overview to be very helpful. I will confess to not having made much use of the earlier sections of the book, as there is so much else written on the Revolutions and Stalin before the War, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone studying the USSR 1941-91, before they go on to study the period in greater depth. If these later sections are anyting to go by, then the pre-War chapters are likely to be very readable too.  Mastering Twentieth Century Russian History (Palgrave Master)

Norman Lowe has managed to pack this book with a wealth of information, no easy task considering the size of the subject. He has started with a useful glossary of important terms followed by an equally useful chronology of all the important events during this period. In the main body of this book Lowe examines the major historiographical debates around this era and looks at some of the controversies that have arisen. Major figures such as Tsar Nicholas and Lenin through to Yeltsin and Putin are examined and their actions discussed.The text is divided into easily navigated chapters, which in turn are subdivided into topics making it easy to find any particular subject you may wish to look at. The author has also included an extensive, in depth list of further texts for the reader wishing to take their studies further.Lowe has a writing style that is easy to read with no heavy prose to bore the reader. Coupled with his extensive use of primary source material, photo's, maps and charts, he has produced a book that is not only an invaluable study aid but is also a pleasure to read. Although primarily aimed at the undergraduate and `A' level student this book should also appeal to the casual reader with an interest in Russian history. This is an excellent text and well worth purchasing.