Summary
This succinct history book covers Russian history from its ancient beginnings to the end of the Cold War.

Why I read it
I needed to read a primer on Russian history so I would understand better the Russian books I've been reading this month.

Why you should read it
If you are a beginner to Russian history,
If you are interested in having some historical context for reading Russian fiction.

Thoughts
It took me a bit longer than I had anticipated to finish reading this book because there were some days I didn't have time to read. But it's a very accessible and brief account of the whole of Russian history. I already had some knowledge since in high school I had a contemporary Russian history course (the dubious perks of growing up in a communist country). I remember having to learn the consequences of Gorbachev's Perestroika from top to bottom so my country wouldn't make the same mistakes in the future (what a joke!). But I had almost no knowledge of medieval Rus' and the Mongol invasions which was very entertaining to read, especially after reading Arden's Winternight trilogy.