The Unquiet Ghost: Russians Remember Stalin

When I reviewed Mr. Hochschild's ealier book King Leopold's Ghost I found it wonderfully researched and written, and I couldn't put it down, nor could I foret it. I believe he has done it again. There are many reviewers here who have done a terrific job of describing this book in detail.However,what I find fascinating about Mr. Hochschild's writing is his ability to, in the main, allow the reader to make his own judgments about these horrifying subjects. I appreciate that opportunity- too many writers bludgeon us with their own judgments and moralizing.

This is a very important subject that Hochschild writes about with an engaging clarity and objectivity. He eloquently generalizes his observations on Russian attempts to confront its Stalinist history to remarks about human nature in general. His searing criticism of Western leaders who toured the Soviet Union during Stalin's time and found all to be well is made all the more credible given Hochschild's own liberal background. Indeed, excluding the occasional, regrettably subjective references to American politics, the reader would be hard pressed to guess Hochschild's political orientation. An important book relevant not just to Russian history but also to understanding the dark potential of human nature.

I guess for us in the West, the fall of the Communist regime in Russia was the end of an era, which simply meant that the Cold War was over and there was no more Soviet Union--and not much more. But for the people of Russia, who struggled to survive through all the irrationalities, terror, and oppression, the memories of life under Communism cannot be forgotten. This book is about some of those Russians who are, in varying ways, trying to come to terms with the past, and the stories are truly remarkable. Hochschild is an excellent writer, and anyone who has an interest in post-Communist Russia will find this book very informative.

Every once in a while, you read a book that teaches you so much. This is such a book. I learned so much about Stalin and life in Russia under Stalin. Also you see how Stalin effects life in Russia to this day. This is a great book!

Hochschild examines the harsh reality of people living with the legacy of Stalinism. Russia is a country that rests on buried corpses, and as Hochschild relates, their ghosts are no longer silent. As Russians attempt to confront the past, many find it too painful to face the truth about their loved ones and even themselves. But for some, the deeply buried memories of the horror of Stalinism is surfacing. Hochschild causes the reader to ask "Would I have done any differently?" Hochschild's book is an important tool in helping understand the great problems that face the people of Russia today. His book causes the reader to ask if, indeed, there is a little Stalin in all of us