Book Description
The remarkable popular protest in Kiev and across Ukraine following the cooked presidential election of November 2004 has transformed the politics of eastern Europe. Andrew Wilson witnessed the events firsthand and here looks behind the headlines to ascertain what really happened and how it will affect the future of the region.

It is a dramatic story: an outgoing president implicated via secret tape-recordings in corruption and murder; a shadowy world of political cheats and manipulators; the massive covert involvement of Putin’s Russia; the poisoning of the opposition challenger; and finally the mass protest of half a million Ukrainians that forced a second poll and the victory of Viktor Yushchenko.

As well as giving an account of the election and its aftermath, the book examines the broader implications of the Orange Revolution and of Russia’s serious miscalculation of its level of influence. It explores the likely chain reaction in Moldova, Belarus, and the nervous autocracies of the Caucasus, and points to a historical transformation of the geopolitics of Eurasia.

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Customer Reviews (4)

All you need to know
This is a detailed -- almost newspaper like -- account of the Orange Revolution.It would do for a textbook and shows the writer's knowledge.

An introduction to Ukraine & the Orange Revolution
'Ukraine's Orange Revolution' was one of the first books written on the much publicized events of late 2004. Wilson does a wonderful job providing a brief history of Ukraine as well as setting the context for the inspiring events.

The book's major strength is its description of what Wilson defines elsewhere as virtual politics. The book graphically shows how the old Ukrainian government used the familiar Soviet devices (e.g. electoral fraud, black PR, & assassination attempts)to 'win' victory for the chosen successor.

But the regime - before, during, and after the campaign - went too far. It was the government's outrageous tactics that largely drove the population to revolution. `Ukraine's Orange Revolution' is a good introduction to the events that inspired a nation to fight for democracy.

Taking the first steps toward true democracy
You'll be lucky if you can keep all the names straight, and the author provides plenty of them, but it's a good look behind the scenes of a modern, peaceful revolution. It can be a bit dry at times and the author's writing style and word usage sometimes left me curious as to exactly what he meant but push through it and you'll finish the book with a reasonable understanding of the challenges faced and overcome by people who wanted a new, responsive government. They've still got a lot of work ahead of them but let's hope they succeed.

Orange Revolution
Excellent analysis, must read to see the chaos that is now democracy in Ukraine ... Read more

Book Description
Halil Inalcik, the acknowledged dean of American Ottoman studies, has contributed a stunning new study of economic life of the Black Sea under Ottoman Rule. Caffa was Crimea's most important port and every nationality and religion of the Black Sea littoral resided there. The customs register provides important evidence about the economic activities of these parties, as well as detailed insight into the everyday life of the people of the region. All those interested in the Ottoman period and Black Sea history will find this to be a signal publication. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Canadian Ethnic Studies Journal, published by Canadian Ethnic Studies Association on September 22, 1999. The length of the article is 5675 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: What is Told in the Green Library: History, institutions, language.(portrayals of the ethnic Ukrainian community in Canada and the United States)
Author: Maxim Tarnawsky
Publication: Canadian Ethnic Studies Journal (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 1999
Publisher: Canadian Ethnic Studies Association
Volume: 31Issue: 3Page: 104(11)

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Product Description
William Henry Chamberlin was a Christian Science Monitor correspondent in the Ukraine during World War II. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Winnipeg Free Press, published by Thomson Gale on June 30, 2007. The length of the article is 1078 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Ancient Ukraine, where history speaks volumes.(Travel)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Winnipeg Free Press (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 30, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: e6

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Book Description
This bitter war between Russia and Turkey, aided by Britain and France, was the setting for the stuff of legends. This book details the gallant yet suicidal Charge of the Light Brigade, now immortalised in film: in the words of Tennyson, 'Into the Valley of Death rode the Six Hundred'. It relates the reports made by the first real war correspondant, William Russell of the London Times - reports which served only to highlight the army's problems - and memorialises the heroic deeds of Florence Nightingale, who struggled to save young men from the most formidable enemy in the Crimean War: not the Russians, but cholera. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

An adequate portrayal of an overlooked war
While this isn't the best 'Essential Histories' I've come across, it is far from the worst.Adequate descriptions of the key battles on the Crimean peninsula and thought-provoking insights into the causes and effects of the war make for an interesting read.

The Crimean War is one of the more obscure major wars involving European nations at the height of their power.This conflict between the Allies (Britain, France, and Turkey) and Russia was the result of Western European reaction to Russian aggression in the Black Sea, which threatened Constantinople and trade routes to India.While the war ended in a sort of stalemate, the Allies were successful in maintaining the status quo of the region and halting the expansion of Russian power (for a time).Major historical figures and events came out of the Crimean War, including the Charge of the Light Brigade and Florence Nightingale (both of which are covered adequately in this volume).Perhaps most significantly, this war resulted in the reorganization and increased efficiency of the British military, after the horrors and wastefulness of the war effort were reported by front line newsmen (the first in history).

There are a couple of minor complaints I have about this volume.First, I was disappointed in the maps for each of the major battles.They were placed 4-5 pages away from the text describing the battles and contained no references with which to position them in relation to Sevastopol, making for a rather confusing read.Additionally, the entire book is told from a primarily British perspective, glaringly not mentioning the fact that the famous Russian author Leo Tolstoy (WAR AND PEACE) was involved as an officer in the Battle of Chernaya and the defence of Sevastopol.

Overall, an adequate portrayal of this little-known (but interesting) war.

A Pretty Good Summary of a Forgotten War
John Sweetman does a nice job of condensing this war down to its essential elements.This is no easy feat and he should be commended for a job well done.As with all books in the "Essential Histories" series, this one is no different.It is ninety-two pages long and contains numerous drawings of significant battlefield events.Regarding the various commanders, the author provides sufficient detail so that the reader clearly understands their specific level of participation in the war.The section on the fighting is done in a chronological order.Thus, the chapters flow in a logical progression.

The main weakness of this book can be found in the maps.This weakness, however, is minimal at best.Several of the battle maps are improperly located within the book. For example, the map of the Battle of Balaclava is located a few pages ahead of that specific narrative.The map of the Battle of Inkerman is placed amidst the text of the Battle of Balaclava.The result is that the reader must go back several pages to locate the map that pertains to the applicable battle.Also, the book would have benefited from a mid level map of the area around Sevastopol.The battles of Balaclava, Inkerman, and Chernaya all occur in the same general area.Each of the battle maps have one of two geographic features that are also located in the other battle maps.Unfortunately, there is no mid level map that displays all three battles in relation to the city of Sevastopol.

The book provides information on two interesting people.First, the author made an excellent selection of Captain Nolan as the focus of the chapter on "Portrait of a Soldier."Captain Nolan participated in the charge of the Light Brigade; the most famous action of the entire war.His focus on Captain Nolan provides another viewpoint of this part of the Battle of Balaclava.The second person is Florence Nightingale.Although she is discussed, the author does not spend much time on her activities.Historically speaking, she was probably the most famous person to come out of this conflict.

The author's end of war analysis appears to be very insightful.He discusses how this war illuminated the deteriorating state of the Ottoman Empire.Many of the newly independent states could not peacefully co-exist.In some small way, this conflict may have laid the groundwork for World War I.The biggest winner of the war was the British Army.This conflict pointed out the shortcomings of the British medical and logistical services.Sorely needed reforms were implemented because of the suffering endured by the British servicemen.Bottom line: this is a well-written book that covers all the important aspects of the war.The reader should not be disappointed.

Good, but too Anglo-Centric
Sandhurst historian John Sweetman provides a useful summarized history of the Crimean War in Osprey's Essential Histories #2. Although the author provides a primarily British perspective on the war, this volume is well-written and is useful for readers who desire a quick summary of the war's key moments, with some added insight and analysis. This is a good, if conventional, effort.

Opening sections in the volume describe the theater of war, the opposing forces and how the war began. While short, these introductory sections include the key facts needed to set the stage. The description of the actual war covers about 47 pages. The two sections, `portrait of a soldier' and `portrait of a civilian', although well-written and interesting are marred by a flaw that has afflicted much of the Essential History series, namely overt British chauvinism (of the three volumes on WW1, all focus on British individuals). The authors picks Captain Nolan of `charge of the Light Brigade' fame as his model soldier, which is unfortunate since this is a very controversial individual who has been picked apart by generations of historians. The two civilians portrayed are both British wives. After reading this volume, the reader may have a difficult time remembering that British forces comprised only about 15% of the Allied troops in the Crimea or that there were Russians in the war, too. The author missed a great chance to include a Russian viewpoint from none other than Leo Tolstoy, who was serving with the garrison in Sebastopol. The denouement of the war is covered rather hastily in a few pages and the reader will come away with the impression that the Allies gained nothing from their `victory,' but in fact, the Russian Black Sea Fleet was all but disbanded for a generation and the Russians were forced to raze all the fortifications in the Crimea. By demilitarizing the Crimea for a 20-year period, Russian pressure on Turkey was eased, thus avoiding a wider war at that time.

This volume also includes seven maps (Turkey and the Crimea; area of operations; the Battle of the Alma; the Battle of Balaklava; the Battle of Inkerman; Battle of Chernaya; Sevastopol, June 1855). The bibliography is very weak, with only seven references provided (including one by the author). Despite the fact that the French carried the brunt of the war effort, not one French source is listed in the bibliography. The photographs and illustrations are a bit bland and almost totally represent the Allied viewpoint.

Overall, the main problem with this volume is its Anglo-centrism, with too much focus on the small British forces at the expense of the other participants. While the author details British problems with medical and transport services, he fails to note that the Russian army had considerable logistic problems of its own. Aside from noting the poor command abilities of several of the Russian senior generals, the Russian army is virtually overlooked. Nor do the French get much better treatment, despite the fact that their army performed fairly well (for once) in the Crimea. I wanted to like this volume, since it is always intriguing to read about controversial battles such as Balaklava, but I couldn't escape the fact that the author was leading the reader down the well-worn grooves of Crimean War historiography that British historians have imposed upon us for over a century. It's time to get out of that groove and look at more than just the `thin red line' and look at the experiences of all the participating sides.

Crimean War by Sweetman
While this book contained some good information, it was an overall dissappointment.To start, Sweetman begins by saying that the Crimean War was fought in other places besides the Crimean peninsula; however, not once does he mention any other battle, skirmish, or action between the allies and Russia.
I don't know if is the nature of this series to hit only the highlights of a conflict but, this book did exactly that.Sweetman wastes 4 pages writing about Captain Nolan but only 3 paragraphs about the historic 'Charge of the Light Brigade' and then he left out how that charge ended.I assume the British left the field but, that is never made clear by Sweetman.He also spends 5 pages talking about the women in the war (mostly the lives of 2 army wives).
There were also plenty of pictures in the book.These were good eye candy but, I would have rather had more text.
The last item I found distainful was the maps of major engagements (at least the ones Sweetman decided to write about).The maps were placed, on average, 4 pages before the related text rather than in the chapter/section that they related to.Also, all of the maps were mistitled and misdated.It took me about 15 minutes of confused page flipping to figure out that the battle depicted in the map did not match up with the text that described the battle.
After reading this book, I would advise anyone looking for an overview of the ENTIRE war to look elseware. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Canadian Journal of History, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2005. The length of the article is 834 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Harvest of Despair: Life and Death in Ukraine under Nazi Rule.(Book review)
Author: Jean Levesque
Publication: Canadian Journal of History (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 40Issue: 3Page: 538(3)

Article Type: Book review

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Book Description
Canadian immigration from the Russian Empire is often portrayed as consisting entirely of non-Slavic minorities and religious refugees. Vadim Kukushkin shows that a large number of immigrants were peasants from Russia's Ukrainian and Belarusan provinces attracted by Canadian wage-earning opportunities, unlike their neighbours from Austrian-ruled Ukraine who searched for land. Written from the migration systems perspective, From Peasants to Labourers places the migration of Ukrainian and Belarusan peasant-workers within the context of Old- and New-World economic structures and state policies. Through painstaking analysis of thousands of personal migrant files in the archives of the Russian consulates in Canada, Kukushkin fills a void in our knowledge of the geographic origins, spatial trajectories, and ethnic composition of early twentieth-century Canadian immigration from Eastern Europe. From Peasants to Labourers also provides important insights into the nature of ethnic identity formation through an exploration of the meaning of "Russianness" in early twentieth-century Canada. ... Read more

Book Description

The question of where Russian history ends and Ukrainian history begins has not yet received a satisfactory answer. Generations of historians referred to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, as the starting point of the Muscovite dynasty, the Russian state, and, ultimately, the Russian nation. However, the history of Kyiv and that of the Scythians of the Northern Black Sea region have also been claimed by Ukrainian historians, and are now regarded as integral parts of the history of Ukraine. If these are actually the beginnings of Ukrainian history, when does Russian history start?

In Ukraine and Russia, Serhii Plokhy discusses many questions fundamental to the formation of modern Russian and Ukrainian historical identity. He investigates the critical role of history in the development of modern national identities and offers historical and cultural insight into the current state of relations between the two nations. Plokhy shows how history has been constructed, used, and misused in order to justify the existence of imperial and modern national projects, and how those projects have influenced the interpretation of history in Russia and Ukraine. This book makes important assertions not only about the conflicts and negotiations inherent to opposing historiographic traditions, but about ways of overcoming the limitations imposed by those traditions.

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Canadian Journal of History, published by Thomson Gale on September 22, 2007. The length of the article is 1132 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Letters from Heaven: Popular Religion in Russia and Ukraine.(Book review)
Author: Robert H. Greene
Publication: Canadian Journal of History (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 22, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 42Issue: 2Page: 293(3)

Article Type: Book review

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Book Description
There has long been a need in historiographical studies for a reliable guide to and summary of the major interpretations of the Ukrainian past. This is the task undertaken in the present work, in which Dr. Stephen Velychenko reviews more than two hundred specialized monographs in Ukrainian history. He examines not only the works of prominent scholars but also the textbooks that determined the images of the Ukrainian past held by successive generations of students and general readers. Dr. Velychenko argues on the interpretations presented in textbooks and survey histories, whose basic conceptual schema were determined by social factors, political events, and prevailing intellectual trends.

The book is particularly valuable for its comparative perspective. The author treats the main corpus of Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian historical scholarship about Ukraine, concentrating on significant episodes in relations among these nations and showing how their interpretations in historical writing contributed to each nation's image of Ukraine and Ukraine's image of them.

National History as Cultural Process is illustrated with plates and maps and includes detailed bibliographies of works cited, as well as an index of names. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is a journal article from Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, published by Elsevier in 2004. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
The broad and flat valley of the upper Dnister in western Ukraine is characterized by a complex setting of ecotopes and a relatively natural state of floodplain dynamics. Excellent geo-archives-extended peat bogs and postglacial river terraces-document late Quaternary landscape evolution with special regard to changes in fluvial morphodynamics, vegetation and human impact. The terraces were studied by detailed geomorphological mapping as well as sedimentological and pedological analyses in connection with information from historical maps. Vegetation history was studied by palynological methods in combination with radiocarbon dating. Two Late Pleistocene (NT1 and NT2) and seven Holocene (H1-H7) river terraces are evident. The ecological transformation during the period of climatic warming at the end of the last glacial maximum (LGM) caused the most significant change in runoff and sediment load, as well as in the vegetation cover. The Dnister changed from a braided to a meandering river system. It was soon after the spreading of postglacial forests with an increasing dominance of broadleaved trees that the pollen diagrams reflected the first signs of anthropogene influence. Intensified agricultural land use since the Iron Age is mirrored in the increasing amount of herbaceous pollen as well as the rise of fluvial sediment redeposition. Modern hydraulic engineering on the Dnister has caused visible transformations. Because of these impacts, the stability of the upper Dnister ecosystem has decreased significantly and is now highly sensitive to environmental change. ... Read more

Book Description
A collection of twenty-three essays by the late Ivan L. Rudnytsky, a leading historian of modern Ukraine noted for his original interpretation. ... Read more