Russia & Former Soviet Union - Political Biography, Soviet History - 1964-1991, 1917 - 1991 (Soviet Union) - History, Russia & Former Soviet Union - Politics & Government, U.S. Politics & Government - 1988-1993
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Overview
In these long-awaited memoirs, Mikhail Gorbachev looks back on a lifetime that mirrors the fate of the Russian people. From the persecution of his family under Stalin to his first political steps, to his extraordinary rise within the Communist Party, Gorbachev recounts the events that led to his own disillusionment, without which the eventual implosion of communism would not have taken place. He casts an equally sharp eye on the policies of both past communist governments and present-day reformers.Editorials
Library Journal
The former Soviet leader looks back on his rise from tractor operator to architect of perestroika, glasnost, and the end of the Cold War. A timely reminder of what made Gorbachev so revolutionary back in 1985, these memoirs offer a detailed but readable chronicle of his achievements at the top, with the domestic and foreign policy aspects of perestroika covered, chronologically, in separate sections that comprise two thirds of the book. Highly educated compared with his predecessors, Gorbachev is remarkably fair, even to political enemies like Yeltsin, and it often seems that being too nice was part of his undoing. Especially revealing are the real or perceived limits on his power, at the top, to carry out reforms at home despite his successes in foreign policy. Longish but absorbing for informed readers, particularly when recounting his humble beginnings, this is strongly recommended for academic and public libraries. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/96.]Robert Decker, Palo Alto, Cal.Book Details
Published
October 1, 1996
Publisher
Doubleday
Pages
720
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780385480192