This engagingly written short history of Russia provides readers with a clear understanding of Russia's long and complex history through the events of 1998. It is the most up-to-date history available. From its beginnings, through the centuries-long reign of the tsars, the Communist revolution, the years under Stalin, the ascent of Gorbachev and the collapse of Communism, and the economic morass in which Russia finds itself today, this account...