Russia Books

This book is a collection of interviews with recent Russian immigrants to the US. The authors have organized the book in sections according to the reason for migration or the immigrant's occupation in either the Soviet Union or the US, including Privilege Lost, God and Religious Dissent, Artists, Scientists and Engineers, Entrepreneurs, and the Gray Zone (sex industry workers). The very first interviewee, Georges Nakhitchevansky actually came to the US from France, but he provides a very insightful overview of the historical waves of Russian immigrants to the US, from the first refugees of the Bolshevik regime, to the Cold War immigrants, and the modern wave. He also notes how little communication or understanding there is between these groups once they arrive in the US. In the first few sections of the book, most of the focus is on the immigrants' motivation for leaving the Soviet Union, and there is relatively little reflection on life for Russians in the US. In later sections, however, a few interviewees make interesting observations about how life differs in the US and how they have had to struggle to survive here. One point mentioned over and again is how much harder people work at their jobs in America. On the other hand, some interviewees note that the average worker back home seems better educated and more capable than the average person here, yet we still seem to get more out of our workers here than they do in Russia. With its deeply personal interviews, this book shines a light on many aspects of the lives of recent Russian immigrants.

A thoroughly enjoyable read. Well written, well structured. Extremely moving.

Many of the experiences of the new Russian imigrants captured in this book read like short stories with a beginning, a middle, and a moral. Essentially all of the stories are compelling even when the character is not sympathetic. The human struggle to persevere in the modern world is no where better captured than in the experience of leaving everything you have ever known to start again in a new country. As these are contemporary stories, many resonate.

1.2 million German soldiers needlessly perished in Soviet war captivity under Stalin. This book tells of one of the fortunate men who survived this terrible ordeal.

Georg Schinke was a very intelligent, organized, and highly motivated individual. He was an attorney and very knowledgeable in history which makes this book so much more interesting. He gives a broad overview of the Soviet system in addition to his observations. I will describe the book by relating a bit about some of the chapters it has. Homecoming tells about Georg's return through the eyes of his daughter. Hammer and Sickle gives an excellent synopsis of how Stalin ruled Russia. Onward gives a basic beginning from Georg's birth to his becoming a POW. From there on the reader is rewarded with a rich account of Georg's experiences. What makes the reading so enjoyable is the broad scope that Georg relates to in addition to his daily life in the camps. The only `shortcoming' of the book is that the reader is left wanting to know more about Georg and his pre and post war life. (All good books leave you wanting more) It is my opinion that Georg was a modest man, and chose not to concentrate so much on himself or his accomplishments so he chose to stick to his main purpose, describing life in the Red Cage. He was a first lieutenant (Oberleutnant), yet he never bragged or thought himself above others. Georg's humor nicely spices up the book, as does his writing style.

The book is sold on Amazon by Georg's daughter and includes a personalized, signed sticker, which adds to the book's appeal. I am delighted I purchased the book, which was delivered with outstanding service.

This book is spell binding, and others, who read it too, cannot lay it aside, but must finish reading from cover to cover. Not many people were capable to write about their experiences of being captivated by the enemy and kept behind barbed wire for endless years. Most soldiers, who fall prey to this kind of reprisal remain quiet, trying to forget. But can they? And what will happen to many after the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon? Soldiers will be sent again to do their duty.....

It is hard to read a book like this without anger swallowing my soul. For some the war did not end in 1945... it was just beginning. So it was for one german soldier named Georg Schinke and millions of other axis soldiers. Their crimes? They served their country. They fought for what they believed in. They lost the war.

Sadly Mr. Schinke has left us for eternity... but his daughter Gerborg took his memoirs in her very loving and capable hands and gave them shape and cohesion, keeping their context intact for the new generations. One of the few accounts available about the Gulag experience in the english language and it is a sobering experience. Those of you who belong to the new generations and find it hard to understand why we fought for Hitler should read this tome. Those of us who took part in The Great European Crusade Against Bolshevism know the dark side of the russians very well. Those axis soldiers that survived not only 4-5 years of brutal fighting on the eastern front but also 10 years of enslavement afterwards are the true heroes of the war, about which endless tomes should have been written; unfortunately it's the big shots who get all the credit in history books. I know first hand that our officers and those of the German armed forces were always (for the most part) at the front leading by example, men like Theodor Eicke of the 3rd SS Totenkopf who, rifle in hand would fight beside his troops, shared the same rations as them and refused preferential treatment.

Mr. Schinke's account is one of triumph under the most desperate conditions. These men shared one enduring quality that was the key component that allowed most to endure and survive those ten long years; camaraderie, that eternal soldierly brotherhood bonded from common suffering, sacrifice and unselfishness. A soldier learns to chip away at the unessential elements of existence to such a degree that they find it impossible to worry about the petty needs of daily existence. When you look death in the face on a daily basis you learn to love every minute of your existence like it's your last. Mr. Schinke and his comrades knew.

Huge memorials have ben built in the west to perpetuate the lies and honor the alleged victims of our horror. Yet, perhaps someday these brave axis soldiers too will have their memorial erected to honor their sacrifice for love of folk and nation, a nation that unfortunately turned it's back on them... refusing them veteran's pensions, placing them on trial for alleged crimes against humanity, persecuting their families and blaming them for all the evils wwii brought about. Sounds so much like the Vietnam veteran's sad retribution unfortunately. But as for now they each have their own very simple memorial... one built in the hearts of their loved ones, a memorial that is undying and that burns with the intensity of but one desire... to never forget who the true heroes are and honor them within the confines of our soul... and Mr. Schinke's literary homage to his and their suffering does just that.

I have always wondered how these men who came back faced a completely transformed world; transformed in every sense of the word... a world devoid of all the values these men had shed their blood for, without leaders of the same mettle as Hitler, DeGrelle, Rudel, Franco; a world which had crimininalized them, their actions, their institutions (while they were imprisoned and unable to defend themselves) and made them into a sort of resident evil for the new generations.

In war a soldier has the warriors chance, the capacity to survive battle by means of his soldierly skills. In captivity there is no such warrior's chance. Yet oddly enough this is a time when man reaches for substenance beyond the physical sphere into another realm... known but to him.

Raimund Fonseca

_The Rulers of Russia_ is an examination of some of the Bolshevik leaders and Russian party chiefs who created the Soviet disaster and attempts to show how these forces are linked to international finance and various Judaic elements. Rev. Denis Fahey contends that the modern world is headed in the direction of greater servility, communism, and "naturalistic" supplantation of true religion. Opposed to this tendency stands the great tradition of Christ's Catholic Church. The author examines some dictatorships such as Hitler's Germany which attempted to oppose international finance based on a false religion of racial worship. Against this the author proposes that we must return to the mystical Body of Christ in an effort to achieve a truly Christian society. This essay is also interesting for its discussions of banking, the gold standard, and the role of international finance and racial idolatry in the affairs of the modern world.

_The Rulers of Russia_ by Rev. Denis Fahey, an Irish Catholic priest, is about the Jewish government of Russia imposed by the Bolshevik takeover of Russia after the overthrow of Nicholas II. It was originally published during the Second World War as a supplement to Fahey's main book concerning the conflict between the Roman Catholic Church and Judaism, _The Mystical Body of Christ_. Ever since Christ's Crucifixion, explains Fahey, the "supernatural order" of Christ has been opposed by the "natural order" deriving from the race/religion of the Jews and various offshoot cults such as the Freemasons. The Jews are in a conspiracy to overthrow the Mass and the authority of the Church in all areas of the world. The reasons for this conflict is because the Jews rejected Christ as the supernatural Messias and seek of their own will the "natural" Messias, who will place the world under the power of international Jewry. Various anti-Christian campaigns have been launched to further this plan. International finance and liberal, capitalist democracies and republics are controlled from above, which are apparently opposed by radical, communist and socialist revolutionaries from below. The trick is Jews and the demonic force behind them control both sides of this conflict.

This book is rather unique because it is anti-Nazi as well as anti-Jewish. Fahey divides the powers of the world into two categories: the "Judeo-Masonic" democracies (including the Soviet Union) that have their economies under the thumb of Jewish bankers versus the reactionary fascist nations of Germany, Italy and Japan. These fascist countries were free from Judeo-Masonic control of their economies, and Nazism in Germany was militantly anti-Jewish. What is unusual about German National Socialism is it followed the same "naturalistic" principle, which is behind Jewish world power. Nazism seeks to supplant the Christian view of the world with the deification of the Aryan race. Furthermore, mention is made of the secret occult lodges that sought to emulate the heretical Knights Templar and that formed the Nazi movement based on the 19th century German Idealist philosophers. Although Hitler made statements in public that the Third Reich was not persecuting Christians, in particular Catholics, Fahey quotes high ranking Church officials who attest to the Nazi deception of Christians. Fahey remarks that the Third Reich and Herr Hitler are doomed in the face of overwhelming hostility from the combined might of Jewish finance which has the arsenal of Great Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union at its disposal. The only countries for whom Fahey has much sympathy are Francisco Franco's Spain and Poland's Catholic nationalism, which resisted both Nazi and Soviet encroachments, despite Poland's being a pawn of the Britain and France to stir up trouble with Germany. The conclusion to this pamphlet is a traditional Catholic take on democracy. The current "Judeo-Masonic" democracy in America is illegitimate because it does not rest on God for its ultimate authority, but instead refers to the "common will" of the people as if it was infallible. Regrettably, no mention is made of Orthodox Christianity itself inside Russia in the face of Bolshevik persecution.

This outstanding and remarkable book written by Father Dennis Fahey is a «classic» among the literature related to Jewish plans for World domination... On his work, the author pointed out the real rulers of Russia since the bolchevism revolution of 1917 have been the jews... showing proofs of all types in order to get to his thesis: names of komintern and politburo figures, comissairs, ambassadors, and tracking the jewish origin of people such as K. Marx (Mordekai), V. I. Lenin (Ulianov Blank), Trotsky, etc. etc. Moreover, the book deals with the question about jewish naturalism and how far it can ruined christian society; as for many centuries history facts have been demonstrated... To sum up, and following Catholic Doctrine, Father Dennis Fahey show us the only way the world should be rule is under the principles of Christ the King, joining his Mystical Body. Reading this book will find you all the time wasted not learning about the jewish danger all over the world!

Auther Leon Aron (resident scholar and director of Russian studies, American Enterprise Institute) presents Russia's Revolution: Essays 1989-2006, an in-depth history, examination, and critique of the transformations that have beset Russian government and society in modern history. From the birth of a new business ethic, to the tragedy of the wars in Chechnya, to the tenacity of the draft despite public's bitter opposition (and Russia's grim history of conscripting soldiers, training and equipping them poorly while subjecting them to brutal horrors and flagrant incompetence of the higher levels of command), and the darker side of the "Putin Restoration" that threatens to reverse the progress that has been made, Russia's Revolution as guarded in its outlook for the future as it is thorough in its analysis. An absolute "must-read" for students and scholars of modern Russian history, and enthusiastically recommended for public and college library shelves.

After years of devouring Russian literature, including translated classics of Vasily Grossman and Andrei Platonov of the Soviet era, I was feeling despondent and more than a little irritated. As gorgeous and compassionate as these books were, to my shame I was beginning to believe in the Russian "slave soul".

Then one night: CSPAN's Book TV and Leon Aron. Writing (and speaking) in superb English (like Joseph Conrad, another eastern European writing in a language not his own), Aron took journalist nay-sayers to task for their shallow critiques--and their forgetful memories. These essays, written from 1989 to the present, constitute not only an argument for patience and vigilance (citing the West's thousand years of gradually-developing property and human rights law). They also reflect the author's hopes and fears as history unfolded around him.

Do you remember those days, when miracles happened? When the wall came down, and the secret police fled? When marches and elections happened nearly every day? Aron not only reviews how far Russia and her victimized satellites have come, he also increasingly worries about its Putin-controlled future. In twenty-one tight little essays, he covers the still-brutal army (and the political party it spawned), the rise and cleansing of the "oligarchs", poor democracies and their natures. He details the extraordinary connection between Russia and its literature, and introduces us to a new literary hero for the people. He waxes poetic about food, and the burgeoning middle class who eat it (do NOT read this essay hungry).

Aron covers the quasi-"capticalistic" state and its current grabs for power ("restoration"), the arrests of key business leaders, and what this means. His essay on Chechnya alone should be read by anyone in government, and certainly by anyone who cares about terrorism. Oil, weapons, information, land and law--all are covered in a style so lucid it astonishes

It may be years beore Russia reaches economic parity with the West. Aron asserts that success in the former USSR has less to do with economics and everything to do with emotional and moral maturity--throwing off the mental yoke of the past. Only a heartbeat ago, hundreds of millions of people were corrupted or destroyed by their State--a state that claimed to speak for the people. And if Russia's torturors are once again rousing themselves, then so, Aron says, are their former victims. We can count on Mr. Aron to keep us posted on their condition, and by extension, our own.

Leon Aron was a young man of 24 when he came to the United States from Russia in 1978. He received his Ph.D. from Columbia in 1985 and is a biographer of Boris Yeltsin. He is also a great admirer and supporter of what Yeltsin did to help its revolution away from Soviet totalitarianism in its early years.

This book is a collection of essays that begin in 1989 with the storms unleashed by Glasnost and Perestroika. I found Aron's analysis of why they were so striking to Russians and their historical traditions to be quite fascinating. He takes us into the early years of Russian "Capitalism" and how the culture's complete lack of preparation for such a thing (it didn't have either the proper laws or social traditions) led to state sanctioned theft on a massive scale.

His essays looking at the social aspects of the new revolution are among the most enjoyable in the book. I loved the essay on the return of Russian eating - dining out and such. The look at freedom, the middle class, and the construction of a "self" in the new society is quite intriguing.

There is then a group of essays looking at Yeltsin and what he meant or might have meant to the rebirth of Russia. Aron then has a group of essays on Putin. He tries to show us the new strongman in light of Russian history and does not subscribe to the threat some see in him. Of course, the essays end in 2006 and we shall see how the Putin years end. Or will they?

Essentailly, this book provides great analysis on the current state of the Russian Airforce. Since the fall of Communism in 1990, the country has gone into an extreme debt. Due to that debt the Russian Airfoce has been forced to endure extreme budget cuts and upgrades to existing aircraft. Most development programs are now only research and development for scientific purposes. Many of the more advanced aircraft such as the Mig 1.42, S-37a or SU-47, and SU-37 will never see combat service. The history behind these planes, however, is fantastic. Huge recommendation for any Cold War fans. This is way better than Popular Mechanics on individual jets.

This book represents a remarkably successful attempt to present the aviation elements of the numerous branches of the Russian armed forces and their equipment. Although detailed accounts of the latest Russian aircraft have been available for years, this lavishly illustrated volume succeeds in presenting these impressive aeronautical achievements in the context of the operational requirements and national strategy of Russia. Tactics and weapons are thoroughly discussed and major shortcomings, especially in training and maintanance are dealt with as well. The organisations themselves are presented in some detail; however, the reader who expects a detailed "order of battle" of these organisations will be disappointed.
The outstanding achievement of this volume is that it combines the russian perspective on airpower with some unknown aspects of Russian operations, e.g. Russian army UAVs, the two Chechen campaigns as well as fascinating future developements.

Yefim Gordon is one of the top aviatian journalists in the world today, especially in regards to Soviet and Russian aircraft and designs. Being Russian, he offers an insider's view on the history, design, manufacture, and development of all major Soviet/Russian aircraft programs. Together with co-author Alan Dawes, Gordon has created the ultimate study of the modern Russian Air Force. The book analyzes and details the various air forces from the Soviet Union (Long Range Aviation, Frontal Aviation, Transport, Air Defense, Naval,etc) to today and gives an up-to-date breakdown on the current usage including squadrons, aircraft types, and airbases.

Lavish with full color pictures and rich with detail from an insider's perspective, Russian Air Power is a must have for any aviation enthusiast and well worth the money.

Having thoroughly enjoyed Brooks' biography of Donna Gracia Nasi (THE WOMAN WHO DEFIED KINGS), I was looking forward to her new book very much. I was not disappointed - this is a terrific read, full of historical details, romance, suspense, irony, real tragedy, and all carried off by Brooks with intelligence, wit and style.
I cannot recommend this book too highly!!!!

Andree Brooks has created a fascinating book. Her observations about people and human nature are alarmingly astute. She teaches about a little-known, but important, period in history, but she does not lecture the reader who is far too engrossed in the tragic relationship of Marc and Bluett to realize that he/she has learned something along the way. This is a book that you will gobble up in one sitting (not often said about a book drenched with history) -- and will linger with you for days to come.

Author Andree Aelion Brooks renders the story of Bluet Rabinoff and Marc Cheftel so compellingly that one is tempted to read the book in one sitting -- not only to find out what happens next in this story of a great love, but also to appreciate the meticulously researched details of a turbulent era in world history. Whether the setting is the opulent world of the arts that Bluet inhabits in New York City in the late 1920s, or the day-to-day bleak subsistence and terror of Stalinist Moscow in 1931, Brooks creates a sense of immediacy and urgency -- a true "you are there" quality.

In addition to chronicling the joys and perils of a great passion between two unique people, the book also serves as a cautionary tale about the unintended consequences of idealogy and nation-building. Moreover, it makes clear how historical events affect the most personal of issues: love, friendship, parenthood, loyalty. In sum, an excellent book, well worth reading.

This is one of two volumes of Russian fairy tales, lavishly illustrated with full color reproductions of lacquer miniature paintings. This volume gives a fairly detailed description of the process of creating this folk art form, beginning with the fabrication of the papier-mache' box or plaque, through the mixing of the egg-tempura or oil paints, to the fine details of the miniature masterpieces. All four Villages, or styles, of the art are represented, featuring the works of world-reknowned Masters. For any collector of fine lacquer art from Palekh, Kholui, Mstera, and Fedoskino; or for anyone who enjoys Russian folk tales; this is a wonderful, high-quality book. It also makes a very nice gift.

This is the second of two volumes of Russian fairy tales, illustrated with stunning color reproductions of "lacquer-miniature" masterpieces. The art of miniature oil painting began in Fedoskino centuries ago, and today features realistic renderings of village life, portraits, and archetecture. The villages of Palekh, Kholui, and Mstera were long the center for ikon painting, with successive generations following the tradition of apprenticing with Masters. Ikons were painted with the extremely durable egg-tempura paints, utilizing natural dyes. After the Bolshevik Revolution, iconography was discouraged, and painters from these three schools began depicting pagan folk tales, troikas and village life, heroic legend, history, and "inspirational" revolutionary themes. Traditional iconic style distinguishes the works of these little rural villages, whose artists still use the ancient techniques and materials. Many of today's Masters are currently working to restore treasured ikons damaged under Stalinist decree. The beautiful glossy photos in these volumes represent some of the best work of Russia's Master painters. For collectors of this appealing art, or for those who appreciate intricate Russian folk tales, the Lucy Maxym series is a wonderful addition to your library.

Lucy Maxym has written two authoritative books on the subject of Russian fairy tales and the beautiful laquer art that depicts these folktales. This is one volume of a two volume set. Unfortunately there is no cover art available online to show the magnificent scene shown from Voron Voronovich or The Raven. When the book is opened up it shows the complete panel that is the actual size. There are over one hundred full color plates that are beyond description with their delicate intricacy and unsurpassed attention to minute detail. The precise tempura egg based brush strokes are unbelieveable. They are in a word, exquisite. I've enjoyed this book for years and have it handy for quick and easy inspiration. Many of the color illustrations are actual size which allows the viewer to appreciate the intricate finesse involved in the small works of art. Sometimes a magnifying glass helps to appreciate the fine detail. The subtlety and skill in producing these works of art is nothing short of amazing. The actual text is complete, concise and explains the nineteen Russian legends and fairy tales chosen. My own interest grew out of a collection of plates I have from some of these folktales where I wanted to know more about the story behind the magnificent laquered plates. I found this book to be helpful to understanding the tales and was even more pleased by the art work included. If you like Russian folktales or the miniature lacquer paintings this book will bring much joy throughout the years, year after year. Get both volumes for a double treat.

Spacesuits should be of renewed interest with the upcoming private space tourist ventures.

I bought this book after I had the opportunity to examine, hands-on, a Russian SOKOL rescue suit. What struck me was the sheer simplicity of the design and I wanted to know more about this suit.

This book provides much of that background, plus that of the famous Orlan EVA suits and others in the history of the Russian space program.

Compared to the related books on US Spacesuits (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration), it is remarkable how different Russian suits are, and how much more conservative their designs are. Russian suits, like their spacecraft are relatively stable designs undergoing incremental improvements, probably in response to the much fewer resources available to them for development.

The book covers the development well, although I did not notice any mention of ideas borrowed from US suits, whereas the book on US spacesuits has a wry mention of the remarkable similarity of some US suit components to Russian ones.

As with the US spacesuit book, the same comments on the lack of color illustrations and technical details apply.

In Russia, the need for suits to be worn in the upper atmosphere, developed in the 1930:ies, engendered the suits to be used in spacecrafts, outside spacecrafts and on the Moon. Naturally, the use of a protective garment inside the space cabin was the first usage, Juri Gagarin wore such a garment on his historic flight. Even today the protective garment is the iconic spacesuit, which we see Cosmonaut wearing as their uniforms for the trip off the Earth. Suits for extravehicular activities, EVA, are quite different. The Soviet Union, of course, never made it to the lunar surface, but had a cosmonaut, probably Alexei Leonov, made a landing, he would have been dressed for the occasion. After all, the first Space Walk ever was also a first testing of a garment to be worn on the Moon, by the man who was supposed to wear it!
The space suit technology, as developed in the Soviet Union, was even applicable to our canine friends, some of which did ballistic flights into space dressed more or less like the dog Milou in Hergés "Tin-Tin on the Moon". Thus we know where to turn if we want to walk our dogs on the Moon.
When Westerners started to fly in space alongside the Soviets, later Russians, in Saljut, Mir and International Space Station, it was as had inhabitants from different planets met. Now we may appreciate all those differences in technical culture as exemplified in the space suits of the Cosmonauts. There is, of course all the common ground resulting from like problems demanding like solutions, but overlying we see these subtle differences arising from different technical and engineering usages of two different cultures.
The book is co-authored by some of the actual developers of space suits in the then Soviet Union, later Russia, and thus as authoritative on the subject as can be. Fascinatingly, also, the historical developments inside the Soviet Union/Russia and internationally, reflect in much that the space suit developers had to contend with.
The scope of common activities betveen the Russians and the West European ESA was news to this rewiewer. We also note, that the Chinese "taikonauts" wear protective suits designed by the nowadays "Zvezda Development and Production Company". We also read of the challenge of rendering original technical texts in Russian into readable English, and concomitant difficulties inherent in the fact that, not only is translation of language required, but even the transliteration from one system of letters, i.e. Cyrillic, into our Roman alphabet poses its own problems and pitfalls. On the whole, the endeavour has been crowned with success. The system of measurements are, thankfully, the same on both sides of this barrier of language and glyphs.
All in all fascinating facts from a space program now slowly opening itself to inquisitive Western eyes. Great hopes for the future is embodied in the prospects of joint developments of the advanced spacesuits for space station EVA and the lunar and martian surfaces.

This is an excellent book with details not before shown outside the formerly closed confines of the old Soviet space program, except in various technical society papers. It has many excellent b&w photos and diagrams of Russian spacesuits from the SK-1, used for Vostok, up to the most modern Russian investigations of Mars EVA suits. The text is somewhat general in content though well written. It is also done in the typical style of Russian/English transliteration. Readers in the West, if they have not previously read any Russian technical papers, may find the transliteration hard to follow at times; but, this does not detract from the value of Mr. Ibramov's good work. If I had any complaint about the book it would be two items. First, the book lacks some technical detail in specific areas, so it sometimes creates more questions than it answers. If I did not already have a background in pressure suits some explanations would have confused me. The inclusion of a few explanatory drawings could have avoided this. Second, while the book gives credit, for the first time, as to which designers at Zvzeda created various general concepts, it does not often shed light on specific contributions, or the dynamimics involved in individual contributions. Nevertheless,I recomend this book. It is a MUST for your library. If the reader wants a technical look at Russian spacesuits I recommend "Pressure Suits and Systems For Work In The Open Cosmos" by Abramov, Severin, Stoklitsky and Sharipov. It is, however, a nearly impossible to find textbook.

Russian Symbolism seems to be a peculiar literary movement at first glance. But Russian Symbolists inherited very much from German romantics. I'm also a student of Russian Symbolism, especially of Ivanov's heritage, like the author. I was captivated by this book. This fascinating book has become for me a model of my research (especially the chapter 10 is splendid!): a "mirror" of what I think about Ivanov. An excellent book both for specialists and for simple literature lovers.

A trenchant investigation of an essential subject. Rarely have I encountered such a profound treatment of this highly intriguing subject. The book is a must for anyone interested in German-Russian literary relations.

Russian Symbolism seems to be a peculiar literary movement at first glance. But Russian Symbolists inherited very much from German romantics. I'm also a student of Russian Symbolism, especially of Ivanov's heritage, like the author. I was captivated by this book. This fascinating book has become for me a model of my research (especially the chapter 10 is splendid!): a "mirror" of what I think about Ivanov. An excellent book both for specialists and for simple literature lovers.

Following a pair of disappointing titles from the late 70s that tinkered with the conceptual premise of the character and series, "The Scorpion Signal" not only stands as a return to form for Elleston Trevor's embittered agent Quiller, but works to further delve into the fears and motivations of its principle players. Trevor himself (writing as Adam Hall) brilliantly delivers a continually taut, believable plot that will keep readers genuinely interested. In a way, it has always been Quiller's fallibility and flaws that has kept the character believable, if not fascinating. Quiller remains tough, professional, and even funny sometimes, but is neither a superman nor a comic caricature. Never before has his fallibility been so prevalent and it is a credit to Trevor's abilities that this ninth entry seems as fresh as his earlier titles.

Story-wise, Quiller is called upon to work inside Soviet Moscow to investigate the abduction of one of his friends and fellow executive, Shapiro. This time around, the imposing atmosphere of having to work inside an enemy police state richly adds to the suspense. Likewise, among a cell of agents whom he has never worked with, Quiller is faced with being handed over to the KGB by a "Judas" and ends up being taken to the infamous Lubyanka prison for interrogation. In other words, the more superficial architecture of the story provides an environment that is uniquely ripe for suspense. As with the other Quiller books, the really intriguing aspect though is how Quiller introspectively reasons his way through one spot after another and how, in spite of his best rationale, circumstances often work against him. Quiller's ultimate encounter with the "Judas" who has betrayed him is an amazing highlight. Similar scenarios have been played out elsewhere, but few have offered such emotive details.

I offer a couple minor notes of criticism, however. First, there is a bit of an over-reliance on car crashes this time out and at least one is superfluous. Second, the character Ignatov straddles between deadly professional and innocent victim of blackmail. As always, the concept of blackmailing someone into committing crimes they have little stake in seems quite silly. These are, however, minor quibbles that are not worthy of detracting from this masterful work as a whole.

Probably the best (but certainly one of the best) in Hall's Quiller-series. It tackles a number of issues & just in the right proportion. We learn the most about Quiller, his personality, sense of honour from this book: the scene in Lyublyanka is quite enlightening. The agent who's ready to die for the Bureau, but kills for his sense of pride; and who wouldn't betray his word to his (ex)-friend not even to save his own life. The perfect mixture of adventure, plot and the tackling of existential questions.

I must declare an interest: This book is dedicated to me. It's the eighth of 19 brilliant escapades starring the lean and mean Quiller, about whom reviewers have observed, "the ultimate pro, cynical, hard and master of the double-think ... businesslike, low-keyed, nondescript."

An Englishman, Adam Hall - real name Elleston Trevor - died at his Arizona home in 1996, one day after completing "Quiller Balalaika", scandalously still not taken up by an American publisher. However, the In Memoriam tributes from writers and reviewers around the world set in motion reprints of all his earlier works, including those under his various noms-de-plume (many of which have been misleadingly rejacketed as Adam Hall titles, thus giving the impression of a post-humous cache of new Quillers).

"The Scorpion Signal" is Hall at his tense and entertaining best, opening with Q in foul mood with his employers and actually turning down the mission before the full gravity of the situation sinks in: A fellow agent - another top executive in the field - has been put through interrogation at Lubyanka, escaped, and been *re-captured*. And he knows everything about one of British intelligence's most valuable Moscow-based cells, enough to blow the agency sky high. Quiller's job: To get into the KGB fortress and out again with his target intact. Only Adam Hall could conceive such a suicidally improbable mission for his man and succeed so convincingly. Even with the change of political climate and the demise of that whole genre of cold war thrillers, the Quiller canon continue to crackle on the page for their sheet storytelling excitement and what one reviewer spotted as Hall's "scholar's way of relishing the finer points of his discipline for their own sake." One of the doyens of this trade is no longer with us but his hero lives on to keep new readers on the edge of their seats and to show newcomers how it's really done. If you don't know Q, start with the equally capable "Quiller Memorandum" and work up, and I envy you the pleasures in store.