The Gorbachev Factor

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An extremely qualified and thorough account, but not easy to read - Rated
I used this book as background for a university paper on the causes of the break-down of the Soviet Union.
From an academic view-point, Brown's book is impressive in terms of the amount of source materiale used, and the thoroughness with which is it analyzed and discussed. As a narrative and explanation of the events that led to, and the causes of the break-down of the Soviet Union, it is extremely well-documented, but also quite difficult to read, due to the many angles and perspectives that Brown presents, the great detail of his study and the many digressions made underway. Certainly, I agree with the previous reviewer that Gorbachev was a great man (in my view, as well as in Brown's, he was the single most important factor, both in the end of the Cold War, and in the transformation of the Soviet Union, which led, both to its break-down, but also to a freer and more democratic Russia, not to speak of the liberation of Eastern Europe), but I could have wished for a somewhat more readable account of the events.
In this connection I would like to recommend the interested reader Gorbachev's autobiography (Gorbachev: Memoirs), which REALLy gives
an insight into Gorbachev's actions and his motivations for them, and which is also deeply touching in its humane message, and Jack F. Matlock's "Autopsy of an Empire", which is an extremely readable and detailed account of Matlock's experiences and observations during his time at US Ambassador in Moscow during Gorbachev's period, and which gives fascinating insights into the workings of international diplomacy as well as the interaction between the different political players during the intense period of histocial transformation of the USSR.

The greatness of a true reformer - and the slog - Rated
If this book has a fault it is in showing us the greatness of Gorbachev and yet making him look somewhat commonplace. These days we all take the collapse of the Leninist model for granted - but it was no accident of history. Real people risked their reputations and more to get there. And the greatest of all these was Gorbachev. Read this book and then raise a glass: there was a man.