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Ukraine: A History, Fourth Edition Paperback – Illustrated, November 10, 2009

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 44 ratings

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In 1988, the first edition of Orest Subtelny's Ukraine was published to international acclaim, as the definitive history of what was at that time a republic in the USSR. In the years since, the world has seen the dismantling of the Soviet bloc and the restoration of Ukraine's independence - an event celebrated by Ukrainians around the world but which also heralded a time of tumultuous change for those in the homeland.



While previous updates brought readers up to the year 2000, this new fourth edition includes an overview of Ukraine's most recent history, focusing on the dramatic political, socio-economic, and cultural changes that occurred during the Kuchma and Yushchenko presidencies. It analyzes political developments - particularly the so-called Orange Revolution - and the institutional growth of the new state. Subtelny examines Ukraine's entry into the era of globalization, looking at social and economic transformations, regional, ideological, and linguistic tensions, and describes the myriad challenges currently facing Ukrainian state and society.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

'An excellent history of Ukrainians.'―Paul Robert Magocsi, Journal of Ukrainian Studies
'Orest Subtelny's
Ukraine: A History is the standard work on the subject... Enormously readable and eminently "useable" in many educational contexts, [it] is required reading for anyone interested in the emergence of a Ukrainian territory, identity, and state.'―Myroslav Shkandrij, Canadian Book Review Annual
'Highly recommended for its lucidity, meticulous attention to detail, and scholarly precision,
Ukraine: A History is a "must" for anyone who wants to learn about this fascinating land and its people.'―Midwest Book Review
'The best history of Ukraine in English.'―
World Affairs Report

About the Author

Orest Subtelny is a professor in the Departments of History and Political Science at York University.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Toronto Press; fourth edition (November 10, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 888 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1442609915
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1442609914
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.56 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 2 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 44 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
44 global ratings
Previous Praise still Pertinent:Best History, Excellent, the Standard, Highly Recommended, Required Reading, Enormously Readable
5 Stars
Previous Praise still Pertinent:Best History, Excellent, the Standard, Highly Recommended, Required Reading, Enormously Readable
Critically acclaimed when first published in 1988 and subsequently translated into Ukrainian and Russian, this fourth (2009) edition of Dr. Orest Subtelny's Ukraine: A History is updated with forty-eight additional pages of insightful analyses, two extra photos covering Ukraine's history from 2000 through 2009, and is available on Kindle. Focus is on the Kuchma and Yushchenko presidencies and the "dramatic political, socio-economic and cultural changes that occurred."Dr. Subtelny's analyses include: "developments in the political sphere, particularly covering the Orange Revolution and the institutional growth of the new state." Discussions are on the following: Domestic Policies (the Kuchma Years, the Orange Revolution, and the Yushchenko Years); International Relations (Relations with the West, Enter NATO, Poland, Russia, Yushchenko's Policies, and the Ukrainian-Russian Gas War); State and Nation Building (State Building, Nation Building, Regionalism); Economy; and, Society (the New Middle Class, the Fading Intelligentsia, Other Urban Dwellers, the Declining Village, Corruption, Demographics, Emigration, and Religion).Looking at the handsome cover, the color orange is outstanding and reminiscent of the Orange Revolution; and, rightly so, since the Orange Revolution is one of the topics covered and discussed in the latest addition to Part Five entitled `The Age of Globalization.' The cover illustration is Cossack Mamai, canvas, oil, early 19th century. Hradizhsk, Kremenchuk District, Poltava Oblast, Ukraine. Courtesy of the National Art Museum of Ukraine.Thirty full-page maps enable the reader to follow events as they are chronicled. Ninety-seven black and white illustrations and photos (usually full page, sometimes as duos or panoramas) enhance the text visually and are throughout the book in groups of eight segments.While this fourth edition is published by the University of Toronto Press in 2009 (Ukraine is independent), the first edition was published in 1988 (Ukraine was in the USSR and known as Soviet Ukraine). In his Preface to the Fourth Edition, Professor Subtelny adds a technical note: "among Ukrainians the preferred spelling of their capital's name is Kyiv. I have adopted this version. However, because this book first appeared in 1988, before the Ukrainian version was adopted, the old version, Kiev, will, unfortunately, have to be used in this publication."A Preface to each of the four editions gives an outline of that edition's analyses. Following the main chapters are extensive Notes on each of the thirty-one chapters (pgs. 677-693); a one-page list of Abbreviations; a one-page Glossary; Illustration Credits listed on one page; Selected Readings in English (pgs. 700-734); and, an extensive Index (pgs. 735-784).Ukraine: A History was published with the help of a grant from the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences through the Aid to Scholarly Publications Programme, using funds provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Financial assistance was also received from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP).A brief curriculum vitae of the author follows. Orest Subtelny is a professor in the departments of History and Political Science at York University. A Canadian historian of Ukrainian ancestry, his Ph.D. is from Harvard University. Grants include the following: CBIE grant for curricular restructuring in the history faculty of University of Kiev-Mohyla Academy, Kiev, Ukraine (1996). Association of Universities and Colleges grant for organization of conference on Ukraine between NATO and Russia (1997). Faculty of Arts grant for archival research on post-World War II partisan warfare in Ukraine (1997). Professor Subtelny has recently taught classes on Modern Ukrainian History and Selected Problems in Modern Russia.Papers and lectures by Professor Subtelny include: "The Historiography of Russian Tsarist Expansion" - Conference of the Association for the Study of Nationalities, Columbia University, 25-26 April 1996. "Explaining Empire: An Overview of Recent Theories," Research Seminar, Ukrainian Free University, Munich, 15-16 July 1996. "The Preconsular Phenomenon in Russian Imperial Expansion," Annual Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, Boston, 15-17 November 1996. "Ukrainian Population Transfers in 1944-1948," Conference on Population Transfers in Eastern Europe, Gliwice, Poland, 17-20 December 1997.Some of Dr. Subtelny's recent publications are: "Cossacks" - The World Book Encyclopedia (1997); "Ukraine" - Encarta Encyclopedia (1997); and, "Ukraine: The Imperial Heritage" - Briefing Papers of the Canadian Bureau of International Studies, 1996.Besides Ukraine: A History, Professor Subtelny has authored the following: Domination of Eastern Europe; The Mazepists: Ukrainian Separatism in the 18th Century; The Letters of Ivan Mazepa; Habsburgs and Zaporozhian Cossacks (with L. Wynar); and, Ukrainians in North America: An Illustrated History. Please see my review of Ukrainians in North America: An Illustrated History.Very definitely five stars plus--Ukraine: A History is very heartily recommended for personal and public libraries worldwide!Addendum: Readers, you're invited to visit each of my reviews--most of them have photos that I took in Ukraine (over 600)--you'll learn lots about Ukraine and Ukrainians. The image gallery shows smaller photos, which are out of sequence. The preferable way is to see each review through my profile page since photos that are germane to that particular book/VHS/DVD are posted there with notes and are in sequential order.To visit my reviews: click on my pseudonym, Mandrivnyk, to get to my profile page; click on the tab called review; scroll to the bottom of the section, and click on see all reviews; click on each title, and on the left-hand side, click on see all images. The thumbnail images at the top of the page show whether photos have notes; roll your mouse over the image to find notes posted.Also, you're invited to visit my Listmania lists, which have materials sorted by subject matter.
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2009
Critically acclaimed when first published in 1988 and subsequently translated into Ukrainian and Russian, this fourth (2009) edition of Dr. Orest Subtelny's Ukraine: A History is updated with forty-eight additional pages of insightful analyses, two extra photos covering Ukraine's history from 2000 through 2009, and is available on Kindle. Focus is on the Kuchma and Yushchenko presidencies and the "dramatic political, socio-economic and cultural changes that occurred."

Dr. Subtelny's analyses include: "developments in the political sphere, particularly covering the Orange Revolution and the institutional growth of the new state." Discussions are on the following: Domestic Policies (the Kuchma Years, the Orange Revolution, and the Yushchenko Years); International Relations (Relations with the West, Enter NATO, Poland, Russia, Yushchenko's Policies, and the Ukrainian-Russian Gas War); State and Nation Building (State Building, Nation Building, Regionalism); Economy; and, Society (the New Middle Class, the Fading Intelligentsia, Other Urban Dwellers, the Declining Village, Corruption, Demographics, Emigration, and Religion).

Looking at the handsome cover, the color orange is outstanding and reminiscent of the Orange Revolution; and, rightly so, since the Orange Revolution is one of the topics covered and discussed in the latest addition to Part Five entitled `The Age of Globalization.' The cover illustration is Cossack Mamai, canvas, oil, early 19th century. Hradizhsk, Kremenchuk District, Poltava Oblast, Ukraine. Courtesy of the National Art Museum of Ukraine.

Thirty full-page maps enable the reader to follow events as they are chronicled. Ninety-seven black and white illustrations and photos (usually full page, sometimes as duos or panoramas) enhance the text visually and are throughout the book in groups of eight segments.

While this fourth edition is published by the University of Toronto Press in 2009 (Ukraine is independent), the first edition was published in 1988 (Ukraine was in the USSR and known as Soviet Ukraine). In his Preface to the Fourth Edition, Professor Subtelny adds a technical note: "among Ukrainians the preferred spelling of their capital's name is Kyiv. I have adopted this version. However, because this book first appeared in 1988, before the Ukrainian version was adopted, the old version, Kiev, will, unfortunately, have to be used in this publication."

A Preface to each of the four editions gives an outline of that edition's analyses. Following the main chapters are extensive Notes on each of the thirty-one chapters (pgs. 677-693); a one-page list of Abbreviations; a one-page Glossary; Illustration Credits listed on one page; Selected Readings in English (pgs. 700-734); and, an extensive Index (pgs. 735-784).

Ukraine: A History was published with the help of a grant from the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences through the Aid to Scholarly Publications Programme, using funds provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Financial assistance was also received from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP).

A brief curriculum vitae of the author follows. Orest Subtelny is a professor in the departments of History and Political Science at York University. A Canadian historian of Ukrainian ancestry, his Ph.D. is from Harvard University. Grants include the following: CBIE grant for curricular restructuring in the history faculty of University of Kiev-Mohyla Academy, Kiev, Ukraine (1996). Association of Universities and Colleges grant for organization of conference on Ukraine between NATO and Russia (1997). Faculty of Arts grant for archival research on post-World War II partisan warfare in Ukraine (1997). Professor Subtelny has recently taught classes on Modern Ukrainian History and Selected Problems in Modern Russia.

Papers and lectures by Professor Subtelny include: "The Historiography of Russian Tsarist Expansion" - Conference of the Association for the Study of Nationalities, Columbia University, 25-26 April 1996. "Explaining Empire: An Overview of Recent Theories," Research Seminar, Ukrainian Free University, Munich, 15-16 July 1996. "The Preconsular Phenomenon in Russian Imperial Expansion," Annual Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, Boston, 15-17 November 1996. "Ukrainian Population Transfers in 1944-1948," Conference on Population Transfers in Eastern Europe, Gliwice, Poland, 17-20 December 1997.

Some of Dr. Subtelny's recent publications are: "Cossacks" - The World Book Encyclopedia (1997); "Ukraine" - Encarta Encyclopedia (1997); and, "Ukraine: The Imperial Heritage" - Briefing Papers of the Canadian Bureau of International Studies, 1996.

Besides Ukraine: A History, Professor Subtelny has authored the following: Domination of Eastern Europe; The Mazepists: Ukrainian Separatism in the 18th Century; The Letters of Ivan Mazepa; Habsburgs and Zaporozhian Cossacks (with L. Wynar); and, Ukrainians in North America: An Illustrated History. Please see my review of Ukrainians in North America: An Illustrated History.

Very definitely five stars plus--Ukraine: A History is very heartily recommended for personal and public libraries worldwide!

Addendum: Readers, you're invited to visit each of my reviews--most of them have photos that I took in Ukraine (over 600)--you'll learn lots about Ukraine and Ukrainians. The image gallery shows smaller photos, which are out of sequence. The preferable way is to see each review through my profile page since photos that are germane to that particular book/VHS/DVD are posted there with notes and are in sequential order.

To visit my reviews: click on my pseudonym, Mandrivnyk, to get to my profile page; click on the tab called review; scroll to the bottom of the section, and click on see all reviews; click on each title, and on the left-hand side, click on see all images. The thumbnail images at the top of the page show whether photos have notes; roll your mouse over the image to find notes posted.

Also, you're invited to visit my Listmania lists, which have materials sorted by subject matter.
Customer image
5.0 out of 5 stars Previous Praise still Pertinent:Best History, Excellent, the Standard, Highly Recommended, Required Reading, Enormously Readable
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2009
Critically acclaimed when first published in 1988 and subsequently translated into Ukrainian and Russian, this fourth (2009) edition of Dr. Orest Subtelny's Ukraine: A History is updated with forty-eight additional pages of insightful analyses, two extra photos covering Ukraine's history from 2000 through 2009, and is available on Kindle. Focus is on the Kuchma and Yushchenko presidencies and the "dramatic political, socio-economic and cultural changes that occurred."

Dr. Subtelny's analyses include: "developments in the political sphere, particularly covering the Orange Revolution and the institutional growth of the new state." Discussions are on the following: Domestic Policies (the Kuchma Years, the Orange Revolution, and the Yushchenko Years); International Relations (Relations with the West, Enter NATO, Poland, Russia, Yushchenko's Policies, and the Ukrainian-Russian Gas War); State and Nation Building (State Building, Nation Building, Regionalism); Economy; and, Society (the New Middle Class, the Fading Intelligentsia, Other Urban Dwellers, the Declining Village, Corruption, Demographics, Emigration, and Religion).

Looking at the handsome cover, the color orange is outstanding and reminiscent of the Orange Revolution; and, rightly so, since the Orange Revolution is one of the topics covered and discussed in the latest addition to Part Five entitled `The Age of Globalization.' The cover illustration is Cossack Mamai, canvas, oil, early 19th century. Hradizhsk, Kremenchuk District, Poltava Oblast, Ukraine. Courtesy of the National Art Museum of Ukraine.

Thirty full-page maps enable the reader to follow events as they are chronicled. Ninety-seven black and white illustrations and photos (usually full page, sometimes as duos or panoramas) enhance the text visually and are throughout the book in groups of eight segments.

While this fourth edition is published by the University of Toronto Press in 2009 (Ukraine is independent), the first edition was published in 1988 (Ukraine was in the USSR and known as Soviet Ukraine). In his Preface to the Fourth Edition, Professor Subtelny adds a technical note: "among Ukrainians the preferred spelling of their capital's name is Kyiv. I have adopted this version. However, because this book first appeared in 1988, before the Ukrainian version was adopted, the old version, Kiev, will, unfortunately, have to be used in this publication."

A Preface to each of the four editions gives an outline of that edition's analyses. Following the main chapters are extensive Notes on each of the thirty-one chapters (pgs. 677-693); a one-page list of Abbreviations; a one-page Glossary; Illustration Credits listed on one page; Selected Readings in English (pgs. 700-734); and, an extensive Index (pgs. 735-784).

Ukraine: A History was published with the help of a grant from the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences through the Aid to Scholarly Publications Programme, using funds provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Financial assistance was also received from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP).

A brief curriculum vitae of the author follows. Orest Subtelny is a professor in the departments of History and Political Science at York University. A Canadian historian of Ukrainian ancestry, his Ph.D. is from Harvard University. Grants include the following: CBIE grant for curricular restructuring in the history faculty of University of Kiev-Mohyla Academy, Kiev, Ukraine (1996). Association of Universities and Colleges grant for organization of conference on Ukraine between NATO and Russia (1997). Faculty of Arts grant for archival research on post-World War II partisan warfare in Ukraine (1997). Professor Subtelny has recently taught classes on Modern Ukrainian History and Selected Problems in Modern Russia.

Papers and lectures by Professor Subtelny include: "The Historiography of Russian Tsarist Expansion" - Conference of the Association for the Study of Nationalities, Columbia University, 25-26 April 1996. "Explaining Empire: An Overview of Recent Theories," Research Seminar, Ukrainian Free University, Munich, 15-16 July 1996. "The Preconsular Phenomenon in Russian Imperial Expansion," Annual Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, Boston, 15-17 November 1996. "Ukrainian Population Transfers in 1944-1948," Conference on Population Transfers in Eastern Europe, Gliwice, Poland, 17-20 December 1997.

Some of Dr. Subtelny's recent publications are: "Cossacks" - The World Book Encyclopedia (1997); "Ukraine" - Encarta Encyclopedia (1997); and, "Ukraine: The Imperial Heritage" - Briefing Papers of the Canadian Bureau of International Studies, 1996.

Besides Ukraine: A History, Professor Subtelny has authored the following: Domination of Eastern Europe; The Mazepists: Ukrainian Separatism in the 18th Century; The Letters of Ivan Mazepa; Habsburgs and Zaporozhian Cossacks (with L. Wynar); and, Ukrainians in North America: An Illustrated History. Please see my review of Ukrainians in North America: An Illustrated History.

Very definitely five stars plus--Ukraine: A History is very heartily recommended for personal and public libraries worldwide!

Addendum: Readers, you're invited to visit each of my reviews--most of them have photos that I took in Ukraine (over 600)--you'll learn lots about Ukraine and Ukrainians. The image gallery shows smaller photos, which are out of sequence. The preferable way is to see each review through my profile page since photos that are germane to that particular book/VHS/DVD are posted there with notes and are in sequential order.

To visit my reviews: click on my pseudonym, Mandrivnyk, to get to my profile page; click on the tab called review; scroll to the bottom of the section, and click on see all reviews; click on each title, and on the left-hand side, click on see all images. The thumbnail images at the top of the page show whether photos have notes; roll your mouse over the image to find notes posted.

Also, you're invited to visit my Listmania lists, which have materials sorted by subject matter.
Images in this review
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24 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2022
I absolutely love this book. It gives an unbiased depiction and explanation of the events. It does not glorify people or events. I personally found many answers/explanations of why things the way they are in Ukraine.
3 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2018
The book actually does discuss how the Ukrainian nation came to be and the historical roles of different nations in contrast to one of the early reviews. I found the book helpful in particular in understanding the historical role of Russia and its biased views of Ukraine and its people. We are fortunate to have this book that challenges and discusses more than one view of Ukraine’s history. My ancestors spent 200 years as an ethnic minority in eastern Ukraine and the latter years were genocidal at the hands of the USSR. It helped me to understand their predicament better in reading this book.
7 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2020
The book goes into great detail; covering how Ukraine was formed, the various nations that influenced it, religion, and the different classes. Overall the material is there, but could use polish.

Nitpick:
- The book falls a bit short when it approaches modern times. The USSR era section of the book, for example, appears to have been written as it was occurring, and hadn't been updated since.

- Another thing that could have made the book slightly better would have been to intersperse the images throughout the chapters instead of having the black and white photos at the end of the chapter.

- The footnotes would have been better served if they appeared at the bottom of the page instead of in the back of the book

- There are times when the author lists various names, but then never mentions them again. I understand it is important to highlight the artists or poets that were influential during the period, dropping 20 names increases the noise of the text
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2016
This is an excellent text! The authors command of language is fantastic. I am not close to finished, but I am really enjoying what I have read thus far. As a student of Ukrainian language I find this history an excellent supplement to my language study. I only wish that the Ukrainian words were written in Cyrillic instead of being transliterated into Latin characters. I also wish that there was a more current edition including the most recent events of the Maidan and the war in the east of Ukraine. I imagine that the author may be writing this even now. I look forward to the update! Many thanks Mr. Subtelny!!!
10 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2021
Amazing book endorsed by many Ukrainians who are serious about their history. The reveal about Peter the "great" pretending was hilarious and eye opening. Kyiv, and Ukraine as a whole, is so ridiculously ancient and this book makes me feel closer to her.
2 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2012
I'm only on page 75 of this book but this is probably one of the best historical reads I've ever had. I usually get so bored with the mundane details of most history books (especially about countries) but this one does a REALLY excellent job of being detailed without boring the heck out of you. Once I've finished this book, I will edit my review and give more details.
5 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2015
If you want to get a definitive history on Ukraine, without Communist meddling then this history is great, and the Author updates regularly. If you want to know the facts behind Ukraine history then this book is a must have for historians an those whose hearts are in Ukraine.
7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Tania
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic history
Reviewed in Canada on March 17, 2022
Wonderful book. Explains the Ukrainian Peoples history beautifully. Found the book very enlightening. I couldn’t put it down.
Marichka
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read book, if you are interested to understand complex history of Ukraine!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 13, 2024
This is must read book for those who are interested to better understand complex history of Ukraine... Strongly recommend to read it. it is written professionally, has objective facts and explanations. Very useful. Many thanks. I wish that it would be issued again, so that every University library would have it. Slava Ukraini! Heroyam Slava! Glory to Ukraine! Hlory to Heroes!
umberto tunesi
4.0 out of 5 stars Ucraina, un mistero
Reviewed in Italy on June 13, 2014
Ucraina ed i suoi abitanti sono da sempre stati considerati "Russi" da noi Occidentali, mentre essi non si sentono tali: essere Ucraini è un conto, essere Russi, un altro. Questo libro, insieme con "Ogni cosa è illuminata" di Safran Foer Joanathan rende conto di questa profonda differenza etnica, le cui origini sono da cercare nella storia di questo Paese. Un libro certamente da leggere prima di emettere facili - e superficiali - giudizi. Grazie per l'attenzione.
Mim
5.0 out of 5 stars Accurate, Well-written Ukrainian History
Reviewed in Canada on February 15, 2019
Very approachable writing style. It’s easy to understand, well-organized and has summary paragraphs at the end of each chapter.
Mr G
5.0 out of 5 stars An incredibly deep and entertaining account of Ukraine's long and ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 23, 2015
An incredibly deep and entertaining account of Ukraine's long and troubled history. A must read for those interested in his history affects culture...