Synopses & Reviews
In Russia, both rulers and ruled long endeavoured to transform their country, each in their own forcible way. Their efforts never quite seemed to bring the results hoped for, and despite reform and revolution some things changed very little. This book sets out to relate Russian tradition and circumstances to the events of history and to encourage readers to seek their own explanation of the country's paradox.
For this fifth edition of Endurance and Endeavour J. N. Westwood has completely revised the text and bibliography to incorporate recent research and findings from formerly closed archives, and has added a new chapter covering the Yeltsin years.
Review
"John Westwood's survey of Russian history in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is probably the finest single volume of its type. Its approach is balanced and informed ... elegant, lovely, and eminently readable. As an introduction to the subject, it cannot be recommended too highly."--
Journal of European Studies"In this new fourth edition J.N. Westwood has brought up to date his outstanding introduction to Russian and Soviet history. As a survey of modern Russian history it has many merits, always striving to be objective, realistic without being cynical yet also lively, with many apt extacts from contemporary sources."--Central Asian Survey
"An excellent textbook--in general, it possesses the proper balance of detail, analysis, and broad synthesis. Its treatment of historiographical controversies is also sensible. The bibliography is especially useful."--Girish Bhat, State University of New York at Cortland
"You just took a fine text and made it better with this edition. Bringing the volume up to date is just what it needed, nothing more. I like the balanced coverage of all aspects of history, and the obvious scholarship that marks the treatment of those aspects. Clearly an expert's work, both in the subject matter and in the way that subject matter is handled. I wish all textbooks were written this well."--Arnold Koekkoek, Dordt College
Praise for earlier editions:
"This history of Russia should become the standard work on the period it covers, and no student of the period can afford to be without access to it....It is well written, balanced and sensible in all its judgments, and beautifully presented....A fascinating and thought-provoking book."-- Assistant Masters Association
"Attractively presented and very carefully published in the best Oxford tradition....Intelligent, judicious, fair, and eminently readable."--Nicholas Riasanovsky, The Russian Review
"A valuable survey of Russian history in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that deserves to be widely read."--American Historical Review
"As an introductory text [the book] has much to recommend it."--The History Teacher
"A serious and useful introduction to modern Russian history."--Soviet Studies
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. [554]-597) and index.
Synopsis
In Russia, both rulers and ruled have long endeavoured to transform their country, each in their own forcible way. Their efforts have never quite seemed to yield the results hoped for, and despite reform and revolution, some things have changed very little. Yet Russia has never lacked able individuals, as the rich history of its art, science, and scholarship can testify. Nnow fully updated, this book relates Russian tradition to the events of history and encourages readers to seek their own explanations of the country's paradox.
Synopsis
In Russia, both rulers and ruled long endeavoured to transform their country, each in their own forcible way. Their efforts never quite seemed to bring the results hoped for, and despite reform and revolution some things changed very little. This book sets out to relate Russian tradition and circumstances to the events of history and to encourage readers to seek their own explanation of the country's paradox.
For this fifth edition of Endurance and Endeavour J. N. Westwood has completely revised the text and bibliography to incorporate recent research and findings from formerly closed archives, and has added a new chapter covering the Yeltsin years.
Table of Contents
1. Eighteen Twelve and After
2. Zeal Overcomes All
3. The Tsar Emancipator
4. Reformers and Revolutionaries
5. Alexander III
6. Expansion in Asia
7. 1905
8. Russia in 1914
9. The Empire's Last War
10. 1917
11. Civil Wars
12. Disputes and Decisions
13. Foundations of Stalinism
14. The Great Patriotic War
15. Stalin and Sclerosis
16. The Krushchev Transfusion
17. Brezhnev and the Long Wait
18. Gorbachev's Transformation
19. Shocks and Therapies
Annotated Bibliography
Maps
Tables
Index