Stalin and Stalinism

This historical volume on Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and Stalinism is part of series "designed to bridge the gap between current research and debate, and the broad, popular general surveys that often date rapidly." It thus attends to current debates among historians and recently available historical resources but also includes materials not found in specialist monographs: a chronology of events, a glossary of terms, brief biographies of key figures, and bibliographical essays on particular subjects. The text discusses the Russian revolution and the establishment of the Soviet state; the politics, culture, and foreign policy of the Soviet Union in the 1930s; the Stalinist purges; the Great Fatherland War (World War II); and the policies of "High Stalinism" (1945-1953). It also provides assessments of Stalin's personality, the nature of his hold on power, and his legacy. The volume includes some 40 pages of documentary materials. Annotation c2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Martin McCauley is former Senior lecturer in Politics at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University of London. An extremely accomplished author, his previous titles include:The Khruschev Era, Russia, America and the Cold War and two trade history books for Longman History: Bandits, Gangsters and the Mafia and Afghanistan and Central Asia.