This newly revised and expanded second edition of The Soviet Union Today provides a comprehensive introduction to contemporary Soviet reality. Written by thirty experts; the book is divided into eight general sections: history; politics; the armed forces; the physical context; the economy; science and technology; culture; and society. The individual chapters; which are intended to respond to the questions most frequently asked about the Soviet Union; are devoted to everything from the Lenin cult to the KGB; from Soviet architecture to Soviet education; from the status of women and ethnic minorities to the question of religion. All of the chapters from the first edition have been updated; and five new chapters—on the Soviet cinema; mass media; foreign trade; arms control; and the legal system—have been added. An annotated list of further reading suggestions and a special "Note for Travelers" enhance this volumes usefulness. Students; teachers; journalists; prospective tourists; and anyone interested in Soviet life will find this new edition of The Soviet Union Today an essential and stimulating guide to understanding the worlds largest country.
#2014080 in eBooks 2015-03-16 2015-03-16File Name: B00R1W9SZS
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Good infoBy Nicki DThe book is nice to add to my collection but its not my favorite. It does however have some good information; its just the pictures appear to be older in style though I dont know its actual printing year. More of a vintage style in polymer which appeals to some just not so much me. However; I got it as a great price and there is some interesting information in it so I am certainly not complaining!57 of 57 people found the following review helpful. Create a Polyclay Impression - a year later.By A CustomerIm pretty sure I own every polymer clay book published save those dealing with sculpture; miniatures and doll making. I have read them cover to cover. For years;there were only a scant handful of books dealing with polymer clay;but the last couple of years has seen a near "boom" in new polymer clay books. I have preorder-ed all of them and eagerly awaited their publications.I intended to write a review of Sarajane Helms book; "Create a Polymer Clay Impression" when it was initially released and for various reasons didnt get it done. Since then; 6 or 7 new polymer clay books have been released and it seemed like a review in light of all of them would be timely.I liked SaraJane Helms book on first reading. It does not follow what has become sort of the formulaic approach of polymer clay books by beginning with a general discussion of polymer clay tools and techniques and following with step-by-step projects. It does indeed have very nice projects with instructions to complete them as well as the standard general information about working with polymer clay. What sets this book apart is that the text is loaded with specific information about materials and techniques polymer clay artists have experimented with; tried and tested since the late 80s or early 90s and have proven good.The exploration of texturing clay and the use of rubber stamps with clay is especially worth mention - it virtually kicks open doors of creativity to a dimension of polymer clay that other books give scant mention. It switched on a little light bulb in my brain - aha! I can combine texture and other techniues and it doesnt have to be either - or.There are three or four books in my "polymer clay library" that I find I go back to over and over for both specific information and creative inspiration and "Create a Polymer Clay Impression" is one of those well used books. I endorse it whole-heartedly.27 of 27 people found the following review helpful. Inspiring CreativityBy Rebecca BergfieldSarajane Helms book was a wonderful jump start to my amateur polymer clay artistic creations. Not only is it well written with easy to follow examples; but the pictures are aesthetically pleasing. I hate books where the examples shown are simply not visually appealing enough for me to try. This is not the case with this book. Kudos to the photographer Bobby Grieser.Each example is created in a way that inspires the reader to use the techniques and to change them to fit the readers needs. Sarajane really inspires creativity with this book. Also; I found there are some fairly new techniques and methods to try that I have not seen in other polymer clay books.Simply put; Creating a Polymer Clay Impression is a book that is inspiring for beginners and advanced artists alike. It is well thought out with visually inspiring examples and techniques. It also offers original ideas that I have not seen elsewhere. I recommend this book to anyone.
