At Stalin's Side: His Interpreter's Memoirs from the October Revolution to the Fall of the Dictator's Empire

I met Mr. Berezkhov in March 1998 at the Stalin Conference hosted by UC Riverside. His book is one of the best that I have read, and to hear him bring events to life was very intriguing. A basic knowledge of events at that time is definitely recommended, but those who know what was going on at the time will find this book appealing.

I took a class from Professor Berezhkov while he was teaching here in Claremont. This book was one of our texts. The only thing more thrilling than hearing Professor Berezhkov speak was reading the book. If anyone has an interest in Soviet politics or the inner machinations of World War II politics, this is the book to read. It pre-supposes some knowledge, but if one has an interest, and has a good general knowledge, I would definitely read this book. He tells things from an insider's point of view that I haven't found anything else to compare to. The prose gets dense in parts, so I wouldn't reccomend it for a complete beginner.