Was updated after the failed coup by Russian expert Hedrick Smith. You'll see how present day Russian devolved from the Soviet Union and what the key factors were. Smith writes clearly. Just good recent history...or could be used as extra reading for those studying Russian History either in the classroom or as an avocation. Important story told well.
Hedrick Smith puts Gorbachev up among the great leaders of the world (Churchill, Bismarck). Of course, the Soviet Union disappeared 40 days after this book came out, and Gorbachev became irrelevant.
I read it years after its release, but Smith provides superb, meticulous narrative about the Soviet Union and the impact that Gorbachev had (and didn't have) on his country. The speculations and action near the end bogged down the flow, especially since change was accelerating and uncertain of direction. Smith's skill as a journalist created a story worth following, despite the daunting unfamiliarity the Western readers have with the politics and society. Definitely worth the investment of time to have a balanced appreciation of this hidden world.
