Ten reasons why you should read The Last Empire: The Final Days of the Soviet Union
It gives you a comprehensive view of the events leading to the breakup of the Soviet Union. Explained through a simple yet powerful narrative
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
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
Various myths about the collapse of the USSR are dispelled with data
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
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
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
The impact on Chernobyl and Afghanistan is covered in detail
A couple of good what-if scenarios have also been discussed by Plokhy in depth
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
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.