Russia Books

Reviewed by Johanna Granville, Clemson University, Clemson, SC USA

James Forsyth's History of the Peoples of Siberia: Russia's North Asian Colony, 1581-1990 is a much needed addition to the extant literature on Soviet history. The policies of glasnost and end of censorship after the 1991 Soviet collapse have led to greater interest in the history of non-Russian nationalities. The dearth of reliable historical information on Russia east of the Urals is becoming increasingly clear as Siberia and the Russian Pacific littoral develop into a significant geopolitical and economic entity. Russia's expansion eastward may have been as defining for Russian society as was the United States' advance westward for American society. Thus, it is surprising that historians are just beginning to concentrate on this vast landscape. This is not to say that Western scholarship has completely overlooked Asiatic Russia, but there is still much work to do. In this ethnohistory of Siberia, Forsyth attempts to "narrate and interpret the stages in the conquest and exploitation of Siberia" (defined as "everything lying east of 60 degrees E and 50 degrees N") and "the place of this process in Russian and world history." Forsyth's narrative tends to emphasize the role of ordinary people--the inhabitants of Siberia--rather than of prominent decision makers. He raises several questions about the indigenous peoples of Siberia (e.g. Buryat Mongols, Yakuts, Tatars, Samoyeds, Tunguses, and Chukchis). What was the role of the native peoples, who up to the 18th century, inhabited Siberia? Who were they, and how did they live before the Russian invasion? How did the Russian invasion affect their lives? Has the fate of the Siberian natives been similar to that of the Indians and Eskimos of North America? Forsyth's main argument is fairly simple: despite the Leninist rhetoric that the Russian occupation of Siberia was a peaceful process and that it brought the indigenous peoples into contact with a "higher culture," the Siberian peoples in reality suffered a great deal from collectivization, "denomadisation," and the consequent destruction of their traditional cultures and occupations. The book is particularly strong on the early Russian conquest of Siberia after 1456 and the folk heroes like Yermak Timofeyevich who emerged in the process. Forsyth attributes the Russian success in subjugating the indigenous tribes to a number of factors: demanding tribute, trading ruthlessly for furs, dominating by superior numbers, spreading disease (especially smallpox), exploiting intra-tribal conflict, and employing superior firepower. For centuries after taking control of a certain Siberian tribes' land, the Russians would exploit that tribe by requiring them to pay "yasak" (a Turkic word meaning tribute). Yasak was often collected in the form of furs, such as sable, fox, and marten---as precious to the Russians as gold to the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico and Peru. Russian Marxist historians have made Yermak and the Cossacks into folk heroes comparable to the pioneers of the American West. (Just as the Soviet media routinely sanitized news about Soviet society, so historians also self-servingly rewrote history.) However, the actual record of the Cossacks and "voyevodys" may be closer to the genocidal campaigns of the Nazis in the occupied regions of Belarus and the Ukraine. According to Forsyth, these interlopers were "courageous but ruthless men-of-action, mainly belonging to the petty nobility." Both tsarist and Soviet regimes abused the Siberian territory and its aborigines. Whereas the tsarist regimes extracted yasak, furs, and minerals, the Soviet regimes built vast projects in the region that disrupted the environment and local way of life. Gold dredging threatened rivers, industrial pollution affected Lake Baikal, and projects such as the Baikal/Amur railway (BAM) caused ecological damage, while the KGB harrassed local people who complained. Overall, the book is grim on the future of Siberia. The native ethnic groups are still minorities in their own land. Forsyth believes that some communities may resort to creating reservations akin to the ones for Indians in Canada and the United States. The book is solid, but not flawless. Although it synthesizes multivolume ethnographic and historical works of German, imperial Russian, and Soviet scholars in one volume, the extensive bibliography will not benefit those who read neither Russian nor German. Moreover, Forsyth apparently has not worked with recently declassified archival documents, and his balance is skewed a bit toward the seventeenth century. Readers may also find the beginning section on geography extremely dry, and the multitude of ethnic groups confusing. Nevertheless, since the scope of this finely produced book is vast, and its subject very timely, it will indeed benefit both nonspecialists and general readers. It contains twelve useful historical maps of the Siberian region and fifteen illustrations.

Johanna Granville, Clemson University

This book may well be the very best history of the native peoples of Siberia and their conquest by the Russians in the past centuries.
Though the title is exaggrating a bit - with Siberia today having an overwhelmingly Russian majority population I don't find it more of a "colony" than the USA, Canada, or Australia, where natives have been even more outnumbered by European settlers - the book itself is very thoroughly-researched, amazingly up to date and is even fair enough to compare the current situation of the Siberian peoples to that of Northern minorities elsewhere.
No doubt, it is a somewhat disturbing read - but then so is the situation of these often diminishing ethinc groups even today.

Like all of John Erickson's work, this book is a valuable resource for understanding the complexity of war on the Eastern Front. The book includes an excellent array of photographs, many of which are not readily available elsewhere, complemented by thoughtful and informed summaries of the major events of the war in the east.

Please do not be deterred by political agendas evident in other reviews. Take a look at the book and judge for yourself.

John Erickson truly is a remarkable historian. Finally, thanks to John, the entire world is able to read the truth about WW2 events on the Eastern Front. Devil's Advocate-Holle (little nazi pumpkin pie) - we (Allies & Russians) have bitten absolute crap out of your beloved nazi Germany .Enjoy the reality.

I enjoyed this book because it described a time and place, Russia from 1905 through 1920, that I knew little about. The author tells the story of her parents' love match -- a young Scottish woman marries a Russian man and moves to his country -- and the family events that followed, including her own birth. Very charming and sad. I'm so glad Ms. Fraser wrote an autobiography instead of trying to turn her story into a novel as so many younger writers from potentially interesting backgrounds are doing today. This way she was able to include various events that were exciting, fun or touching without stretching to find some novelistic reason for including them.

Very interesting book by Mrs. Fraser, who was a child of a Russian-Scottish marriage in pre-revolutionary Russia. This has to be one of the very few detailed accounts of life in the Arkhangelsk region around that time, at least in English. Following a recounting of some of her family's colorful history, the book essentially tracks the pre-war years of her memory through the civil war and her escape from Russia. I had a hard time putting it down and am looking forward to reading her follow-up book dealing with this subject, "The Dvina Remains."

This book is not only an easy read, but it is hard to stop reading once started. It has also made me most grateful for the freedoms we have today. The author has done an excellent job of weaving together many historical facts with the experiences of Mr. Pawluk.

Theodor Pawluk and his family simply want to live their lives as Seventh Day Adventist Christians. However, they must survive in a world where the KGB and Nazis are making people choose one side or another in their war against each other. Faced with this challenging decision, Pawluk and his family instead choose God and trust Him to protect them. They courageously practice their Christian faith in the face of incarceration and potentially death. By God's glory, not only do they survive, but they also witness to others in a time of fear and uncertainty.

I read this book right before I read "Mistaken Identity," and the sum of these people's lives, experiences, reactions, and faith is truly inspirational and life changing. Their impact does not end when you put them down. Rather, the gift of these books is that they stir your soul and challenge you to review your own life and seek God's personal plan for you.

I found this story to be gripping, but easy to read. It is an account written in the late 1950s about the author's time spent as a political prisoner in Russia during the late 1940s-mid 1950s. The author gives an eye-witness account of the atrocities that he endured in a slave labor camp in Siberia and of his and his fellow prisioners' faith in God that sustained him until his release.

John Noble and his family were Americans trapped in Germany during WWII. When the war ended and the Russians came, instead of being liberated and able to return to the U.S., John and his father were arrested and imprisoned for no other reason than the Russians wanted to take over their family owned camera factory. This autobiography covers the nine years John spent in Soviet prisons, how he found God in solitary confinement and how God was with him through the nightmare until his miraculous escape from Siberia. This is by far my favorite non-fiction book.

Eric A. Kimmel retells this classic Russian fairy tale with such lively language that you are immediately drawn in to the story of a noble archer and his adventures with a magical dove. He faces all kinds of perils including a jealous and treacherous czar. He is given some help along the way by Baba Yaga and Grandmother Frog. In the Land of Nine Times Nine he faces Kot Buyan, a huge and monstrous black cat. He solves difficult puzzles and fights impossible battles with his wits and the magical help of I-Know-Not-What. This rich story is told in chapter format and is accented with the wonderfully evocative illustrations of Robert Sauber. The colorful images are filled with folksy charm and the one of Baba Yaga in her house set on chicken feet captures this traditional Russian witch with delightful humor and a pleasant sense of thrill. This is a fun book to read aloud over a period of several nights, taking time to go over the costumes and details of the pictures and to talk about czars and enchantments and magical spells. It is a super book for cultivating a child's imagination.

This is a really good book. The illistrations are beautiful and I keep on re reading this book. It is one of the few books that doesn't bore me if someone reads it out loud.

As indicated in the title, this is a well researched, well written book on a fairly little-known subject. As one who's interested in WW2 aviation and the European theater specifically, i found this book to give a great introduction to both the aircraft and the aircrews of the Soviet Union. The book contains a decent intro to the concept of Russia's ground attack theories and preliminary testing of the Il-2s. Many full color drawings of various planes from the course of the war as well as particular pilot's machines are included. There is a nice balance of personal aircrew stories along with tactics and the larger strategic use of Soviet airpower in the defeat of Nazi Germany. The pilots and gunners of these planes suffered terrible losses in their battles but ultimately won the war. This is a great book for those wanting to understand more about the Russian side of WW2 as well as modelers needing great pictures of Il-2's.

This unique pictorial book brings to us in detail a largely unknown aircraft of World War II that greatly helped defeat Hitler and his invading armies. The Il-2 Shturmovik was the workhorse of the Soviet Airforce and raised havoc with the German and their allied Axis forces invading the USSR and occupying Eastern Europe. One time during the war it was said that one of the factories in the Soviet Union which produced the famous ground attack aircraft fell behind in its production of IL-2's and Stalin himself issued a final warning to them, ordering them to produce their expected level or numbers of production or face dyre consequences. This aircraft was so versatile and their crews became so experienced they were credited with actually shooting down German and other Axis fighters in dogfights, which in military aviation is a miracle. This ground attack aircraft relentlessly followed the Nazi enemy into their capital Berlin, causing them devastating losses. It was also dubbed "The Flying Tank".
I highly recommend this pictorial book to all military aviation enthusiasts and historians. It shows us in detail this previously little known Russian military aircraft.

The Imperfect Spy: The Inside Story Of A Convicted Spy by Andy J. Byers is the incredible biography of the life of one of the Soviet Unions greatest spies during the Cold War. Having suffered through refugee camps at a young age, George Trofimoff miraculously made his way to America. As his citizenship progressed, so did his position the in American intelligence community, giving him ideal placement for an eventual career in espionage for the Soviet Union. Very strongly recommended reading for its highly intriguing content and perfectly twisting plot, The Imperfect Spy is the perfect addition to all Cold War Studies collections for historians, students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in espionage and the Cold War conflict.

This is a true story simply told, but behind the plain narration there's psychological thriller in the Dostoevskian mode. A handsome, narcissic youth, a scion of the old Russian aristocracy, survives the tumult of WW II and goes on to serve in a US Army Intelligence unit. Well-respected professionally, and a hit with the ladies--he runs through no fewer than five wives--he settles in Florida in tranquil retirement. Then comes the fall: he is unmasked as a long-term spy for the Soviets. The reader is left with the realization that he could have avoided arrest by a few simple precautions--as if he had connived in his his own downfall. The account of the FBI investigation and trial are gripping.

I can't express how exquisitely these 4 volumes are packaged. Take a look at the price!!! There is a large case that contains four slender volumes bound in what appears to be handmade paper. Each volume focuses on one of four palaces. Each one contains watercolours with a description paragraph to the left. The watercolours are breathtakingly reproduced -- bright colors, intricate details. Treat yourself to these four, perhaps the most beautiful book ever produce on the subject of Imperial Russia. Go ahead and splurge!

These four volumes are a wonfderful collectionof watercolours and grisailles from the times of Imperial Russia. They would be suitable for anyone with an interestin art, architecture, Russia and St Petersburg. They show the four palaces (sadly there is no volume for other palaces such as Ropsha, Strelna or Oranienbaum) as they were before they were destroyed by the Germans in WWII. The palaces (both interiors and exteriors) as well as their gardens are brought to life by this wonderful collection. They are shown as they exisited throughout the 19th century and are interesting not only for their artistic and architectual merits but also for their intrinsic historic and cultural value. Very strongle recommended.

"In Lubianka's Shadow" is a thrilling and chilling account of Fr. Leopold Braun, AA, who managed to keep the parish of St. Louis des Francais alive during the darkest days of the Soviet Union. His account includes information he knew about the health of the Roman Catholic Church in the Soviet Union at the time, as well as the well-being of the other Christian, Jewish, and Muslim groups. While he concentrates on Catholicism, anyone who studies religion during Soviet times should read this.

Fr. Braun's writing style can be rather difficult at times, as he jumps around quite a bit - some is rather non-linear. However, he manages to cover nearly every aspect of his 12 year existence, literally one block behind the Lubianka, the first island in the Gulag archipelago and home of the KGB. He vividly describes attempting to get around Moscow as one of the few non-diplomats with a car, working to minister to the faithful who lived miles outside of the city, and the harassment he suffered at the hands of the KGB. In addition, his account of his relations with the French and American embassies is extremely enlightening.

Fr. Braun's account is supplemented by an exhaustive forward by G.M. Hamburg, giving information about religion in the Soviet Union, the initiation of U.S.-Soviet relations in 1932, and the detail of Fr. Braun's appointment in Moscow.

What made this book all the more interesting for me was the fact that I purchased it from the parish of St. Louis des Francais and read it in Moscow while attending the parish. While Stalin, the KGB, and the Soviet system did not survive, St. Louis and the Assumptionists did. Its still thriving international and Russian community is a true testament to Fr. Braun's work under Stalin. I encourage any Roman Catholic, resident or visitor to Moscow, or Soviet scholar to visit Moscow and the parish of St. Louis des Francais and read "In Lubianka's Shadow".

Living in Moscow in 2007, as I do, one isn't likely to reflect on what life was like back in the 1930s, under old Uncle Joe Stalin...but if you're at all interested, pick up a copy of this autobiography. The Reverend Leopold Braun, the Catholic priest in the French Assumptionist Order, who was the pastor of St Louis des Francais Church in Moscow near Lubianka prison in the heart of Moscow from 1934-1945, compiled his Memoirs after he returned to the U.S. at the War's end. Completed in 1961, it was just published for the first time last year! Apparently, some in the Catholic Church hierarchy resisted publication after Braun's return, because of the strenuous anti-Soviet tone of the work; then, in 1964, he died unexpectedly and the book disappeared. Recently re-discovered in the archives of the church by an historian, the tale documents the life of one of the only non-Orthodox active churchman in Moscow and most of Russia, during the time when the communist leadership was throwing the clergy into the gulag and rooting out any vestiges of organized religion. While the tone of this fascinating tale clearly reflects the "1950s" mindset of that era, it is a vibrant portrayal of life and hardship in Moscow during the 1930s and World War 2, as well as the anti-religious fervor of the Soviets. Braun also has strong views about Soviet-American cooperation, as well as the American and other ambassadors over the period, whose protection he relied on, most of whom he liked, but one of whom tried to engineer his recall. If you want a snapshot of life "on the economy" in Moscow in the Stalin era, or have any doubts how hard it was to practice religion here then, read this book.