Walker reminds the reader with skillfully reconstructed detail of the intricate and delicate emendations of 'sovereignty' already underway in Moscow and the republics before the collapse. * Foreign Affairs *
This is the best available description of how and why the Soviet Union was transformed into fifteen independent states. A terrific book! -- Yuri Slezkine, University of California, Berkeley
An elegantly written, lucid discussion of why the Soviet Union fell apart in precisely the way that it did. The book also offers a convincing explanation of why the autonomous formations within the USSR were unable to achieve independence and international recognition. -- John B. Dunlop, Stanford University
Walker's book blends theoretical sophistication, intimate knowledge of the Soviet system's nature and inner workings, and a real sense of history. It is a highly ambitious and successful effort to grapple with one of the most momentous events of our time. -- M. Steven Fish, University of California, Berkeley
Ned Walker tells a fascinating, compelling story of a cascade of events and decisions that led to an outcome few had anticipated. The scholarship is excellent; the tone, the balance, and the fairness of Walker's judgments are commendable. -- Ronald Grigor Suny, William H. Sewell Jr. Distinguished University Professor of History and Political Science, University of Michigan
The demise of the Soviet Union remains a mystery for both politicians and scholars not only in the West but in Russia as well. Explaining this dramatic event, Edward Walker separates the dissolution of an ethno-territorial state from the death of socialism as a regime type. In his intriguing story, he addresses the deep causes of the breakup and shows the shortcomings of the Soviet ethno-federal system. Walker's compelling analysis of Gorbachev's efforts to save the collapsing is convincing. This book is a first class scholarly contribution to the study of one of the most perplexing events of the 20th century. -- Vitaly Naumkin, International Center for Strategic and Political Studies
[This book] draws deserved attention to a set of factors all too often neglected in studies of Soviet disintegration. Walker's account remains balanced throughout. . . . This fine little volume combines an enviable grasp of the issues with a lucid theoretical framework and a readable style. Advanced scholars and graduate students alike will benefit from a close reading. * The Russian Review *
Edward Walker has produced an excellent book that makes a unique contribution to the large and growing literature on the downfall of the Soviet Union. In focusing attention on the importance of notions of sovereignty in a concise, readable way, Walker's book is well suited not only for the edification of expert readers but also for assignment in university courses on Soviet history and issues related to nationalism and federalism. * Journal of Cold War Studies *
