Anyone who wants to understand the movies of the Soviet Union should start with this book. It is very thorough and written in a lively, bright style that is free of academic jargon.

Kenez begins with the pre-Revolutionary film industry and shows how it broke down and was built back up by the Soviets. He pays equal attention to the "high art" films that were famous in the West for decades (those of Eisenstein and Pudovkin) and the entertainment films that attracted the average Soviet citizen (such as the musical comedies of the 1930s, like "Volga-Volga.") He shows how Soviet movies responded to the imposition of Socialist Realism, World War II, and the cultural freeze of the late Stalin era.

The only problem with this book is that it is TOO SHORT. Upon reaching the end, the reader wants to see Kenez tackle the films of the Khrushchev Thaw and the Brezhnev era. However, one should be thankful for what one has, and in this volume, one has a truly indispensible book.

Peter Kenez outlines all of Soviet history succintly yet completely. He argues that the Soviet "golden age" during the NEP (New Economic Policy) was doomed to failure because the Bolshevik state, by definition, could only function as a one-party, authoritarian power.

Indeed, Kenez argues that the Soviet Union was always authoritarian, with the exception of Stalin's reign, when it was a totalitarian state. Stalin ruled with power that was so absolute that the Communist Party was deemed insignificant, no other figured gained lasting influence in government, and all were potentially subject to his terror.

The Soviet Union met its demise and fall because the the regime could not reform itself and still remain in existence. The flawed, top-down structure of the economy, particularly the constant failures of collectivized farms, assured that the Soviet Union could never see economic prosperity comparable to the West.

Kenez's ideally-sized history offers an intriguing, and critical, history of the Soviet Union. It is anti-Soviet, but still objective: for example, Kenez argues that the Cold War Soviet Union had neither the desire, nor the capacity, to promote worldwide revolution. The one glaring flaw of this book is its sparse treatment of Cold War diplomacy, as it argues that the Soviet crises were almost entirely from within.

The book is an effortless read. Its most gripping effect is that you likely walk away convinced that Josef Satlin was doubtlessly one of most evil men in recorded history.

This is a brief but complete history of Communism in the Soviet Union from the days of the October Revolution to its recent collapse. It's main focus is on politics and economics but other topics (including even cinema) are discussed. A little dry at times but always readable. Does not require any real background in history to enjoy. Higly recommended for anyone seaking an overview of this fascinating subject.

While mostly confined to the movie posters that the Stenberg Brothers produced in the early years of the Soviet Union, this book still includes enough general history to help the reader view them in the context in which they were produced. Well-illustrated (most illustrations are in full color) with easy to comprehend text, this would be a valuable volume for anyone interested in graphic design. It will also appeal to students of the Constructivist movement.

There have been many great graphic artists in the past several decades. In my opinion, The Stenberg Brothers produced some of the finest graphical works of art in this Century. The Stenberg Brothers lived and produced their Art in 1920's...and 1930's. Fueling the Soviet propaganda machine. Look beyond the thorns of the Soviet era propaganda machine. If you are a true graphic artist, you will definately appreciate the fantastic talents of the Stenberg Brothers and Soviet-era art. The Stenbergs were Masters of the Graphic Arts. This book should not be listed as a "book". Rather, it should be listed as an artists' portfolio. This "portfolio" of Soviet artwork is a MUST for everyone with an interest in appreciating the graphic arts. The Stenberg Brothers were truly MASTERS of their medium. This BOOK is packed FULL of high quality, premium-paper-stock reproductions of the best works these brothers have ever produced. I recommend it wholley!