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Writer's picturePrayukth K V

Read of the Week - The Last Empire: The Final Days of the Soviet Union


Ten reasons why you should read The Last Empire: The Final Days of the Soviet Union


  1. It gives you a comprehensive view of the events leading to the breakup of the Soviet Union. Explained through a simple yet powerful narrative

  2. The present Ukraine-Russia war owes its origin to a few specific events that occurred in the final days of the USSR. The reader will be able to connect the dots

  3. The author Serhii Plokhy presents an engaging view of history as it unraveled. Plokhy examines each event in isolation and in terms of its impact on the breakup

  4. Various myths about the collapse of the USSR are dispelled with data

  5. The role of key protagonists including Michael Gorbachev, George H W Bush, James Baker, KGB, CIA, and leaders of the states that formed the USSR are documented well with the right contextual references

  6. If you are not a student of history, yet wish to understand how the breakup unleashed a chain of events whose reverberations are still felt and will continue to be felt in the next 100 years or more, this book is for you

  7. While the author has not examined some alternative theories, it still makes for a gripping read simply because of the depth of research and the conversational narrative

  8. The impact on Chernobyl and Afghanistan is covered in detail

  9. A couple of good what-if scenarios have also been discussed by Plokhy in depth

  10. Finally, this book has to be read for Plokhy. This is exactly how a book on history should be written


 

What to watch out for


  • The role of James Baker in trying to pull George H W Bush in another direction

  • The role of Leonid Kravchuk

  • What went behind the scenes during Chernobyl and how that was a body blow to glasnost

  • West Germany’s background role in the last few days makes for a very interesting read


 

To Conclude


MyBookWorks Rating

5/5


Page turner?

Yes


Recommended by MyBookWorks?

Highly


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Book Review by: Prayukth K V, Co-Founder MyBookWorks

Prayukth K V MyBookWorks
Prayukth K V


A published author and speaker, Prayukth is passionate about books and their potential to transform minds.


He is a niche tech marketer by profession and lives to read and travel among other things.


Connect with Prayukth on LinkedIn and Twitter

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