by Anna Reid

Author Information: Anna Reid holds a master’s degree in Russian history and reform economics from London University’s School of Slavonic and East European Studies. She was the Kiev correspondent for the Economist and the Daily Telegraph from 1993 to 1995. Her first book, Borderland: A Journey through the History of the Ukraine, was published to wide acclaim in 1997. Ms. Reid lives in London. (Walker Books Bio)

Book Description: In this beautifully written and penetrating book, Anna Reid combines research and her own experiences to chart Ukraine's tragic past. Talking to peasants and politicians, rabbis and racketeers, dissidents and paramilitaries, survivors of Stalin's famine and of Nazi labor camps, she reveals the layers of myth and propaganda that wrap this divided land. From the Polish churches of Lviv to the coal mines of the Russian-speaking Donbass, from the Galician shtetlech to the Tatar shanty-towns of Crimea, Reid explores Ukraine's struggle to build itself a national identity, an identity that faces up to a bloody past and embraces all the peoples within its borders. The paperback edition is fully updated to include recent events in Ukraine, including the presidential election in October of 1999. (Powell's review)

Dan's Moderate Recommendation: I must say it isn't top of my list, but it's a good option in a slim (258 page) history that can provide the basics to interested outsiders. It's history for mortal folks without the time to read through Subtelny's comprehensive monster tome.

Granted, many people have much more sparkly reviews of the book, including Orange Ukraine reader Florence Tonk: "It's funny, beautifully written and mixes personal experiences with seriously researched history, travel stories and political analysis. I only wish she'd update it to cover the events of the past few years."

Book Links