Book List: Read Up on Russian History

Peace of mind, from a rewind.

A certain former Secretary of Defense we know has been known to say, “Real leaders in the real world don’t use political science or economics. The discipline they make use of is history.” That’s exactly what we were going to say, so in a “cabinet members, they’re just like us” moment, we’re following suit. While we may not reside in the halls of power, we do find that a deeper understanding of world events confers some sense of agency to onlookers like ourselves. In the case of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we reached out to Fiona Hill, former Senior Director for European and Russian Affairs on the National Security Council, to ask what books we should *add to cart.* 

Mr. Putin: Operative in the Kremlin (Geopolitics in the 21st Century)

When it comes to understanding Russia’s path since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Hill literally wrote the book. This is an essential primer, offering insight into the events and ideologies that have shaped the thinking of Vladamir Putin. It also clarifies what we’ve misunderstood about his worldview and his aims. 

The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America

Yale historian Timothy Snyder has been another go-to for understanding present times with books like On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, but in this contemporary history he traces Russian consolidation of power from the 2014 invasion of Ukraine to its meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, and how what once seemed a victory for liberal democracy was undone by Putin.

Putin’s World: Russia Against the West and With the Rest and The Limits of Partnership: US Russian Relations in the 21st Century

Hill recommends reading both these titles from author Angela Stent. In Putin’s World, she explores Russia’s role on the world stage as seen through its key relationships, highlighting how Russia’s past has informed Putin’s ambitions for his country. The Limits of Partnership focuses on the rocky bilateral relationship between the US and Russia up until the annexation of Crimea and the 2014 invasion of Ukraine.

Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate

It’s likely that in recent reporting of Putin’s chief grievances, you might have heard his long-held belief that the US promised NATO would move “not one inch” eastward (unsurprisingly, Washington disputes this account). In a sort of geopolitical anatomy of a break-up, author Sarotte details the years between the fall of the Berlin Wall and Putin’s rise to power.