OT: Need a book recommendation

[sachmo71]

Does anyone know of a good book covering the end of the cold war/fall of communism in the Soviet Union?

[DaddyTorgo]

Sachmo - As a guy with a recent History B.A. with a strong concentration on Russian history, especially 20th century Russian history, I have an extensive list of books for you. Unfortunately they're at work, but look for the full list tonight. It might be helpful to shorten the list a bit (from like 30 books down to just a few) if you let me know what sort of thing you're looking for. Are you looking for a chronology of the events? For an economic analysis? For a social analysis? For a 25 page paper I wrote about how Afghanistan was the beginning of the end and how that affected it? For a study of communism and why it failed? Give me some...better idea of what you want to read about, so I don't have to list all of my books and I can narrow it down a bit for you. List will follow...oh...8pm EST or so.

[sachmo71]

Sachmo - As a guy with a recent History B.A. with a strong concentration on Russian history, especially 20th century Russian history, I have an extensive list of books for you. Unfortunately they're at work, but look for the full list tonight. It might be helpful to shorten the list a bit (from like 30 books down to just a few) if you let me know what sort of thing you're looking for. Are you looking for a chronology of the events? For an economic analysis? For a social analysis? For a 25 page paper I wrote about how Afghanistan was the beginning of the end and how that affected it? For a study of communism and why it failed? Give me some...better idea of what you want to read about, so I don't have to list all of my books and I can narrow it down a bit for you. List will follow...oh...8pm EST or so.

I'm looking for something about the events that took place when communism "fell" in the Soviet Union, preferable from a personal standpoint. Maybe a personal account from someone who was present (like a US ambassador or a government official) recounting how events took place, but with a broader view included if possible.

Anything like that would be great. The inspiration for this was an upcoming interview on NPR of the US ambassador to the SU at the time of the "fall".
I was thinking that I really have no idea why everything unraveled so fast up there at the end. I remember a coup, and the wall coming down, and talk of reforms, but I have no recollection of how the events came together.

And thanks for your help with this!

[DaddyTorgo]

Well, in terms of personal accounts, my teacher always highly recommended Gorbachov's autobiography, but I suspect that's a bit long for what you have in mind. Long and dense. Alright, I'll take a look at my collection tonight and see what there is that comes close to what you want. I know I don't have any autobiographies, but I'm sure I've got more than enough that something will spark your interest. No problem, happy to help.

[DaddyTorgo]

Due to wireless-networking problems eating up the entirety of my night basically sachmo, the list of books that fits your criterion is going to have to wait until tomorrow. Well that and I'm really good about procrastinating stuff like that. But I promise I'll do it first thing when I get home tomorrow.

[HornedFrog Purple]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0679751254/qid=1091629937/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-2006927-7024805?v=glance&s=books

Lenin's Tomb by David Remnick. Awesome book from the perspective of a American news reporter in Russia at the time.

[sachmo71]

Thanks, HFP!

[Crapshoot]

The quick and dirty story is pretty damn amazing.

[DaddyTorgo]

Good one HPF. I know we didn't have that in any of my classes, but I feel like my teacher talked about it, or gave us excerpts from it or something, cuz it sounds really familar, or at least the reporter's name does, and she was very fond of just, tossing out tons and tons of book names.