The Return: Russia's Journey from Gorbachev to Medvedev

The Return traces Russia's transformation from the late Soviet period through the early 21st century, focusing on the tenures of Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin, and Dmitry Medvedev. Daniel Treisman analyzes the political, economic, and social forces that shaped modern Russia during this pivotal period. Drawing on extensive research and firsthand observations, the book examines key events including the collapse of the USSR, the economic reforms of the 1990s, and Russia's emergence as an energy superpower. Treisman's perspective as both an economist and political scientist provides context for the complex interplay between market forces and state power. The narrative follows Russia's path from Soviet communism through democratic experimentation and into the centralized system of the Putin era. The text incorporates insights from Russian officials, business leaders, and citizens to present multiple viewpoints on this transformation. This account offers a framework for understanding Russia's internal dynamics and its evolving relationship with the West. The book suggests that Russia's development has been shaped not by a single master plan, but by the interaction of historical forces, individual decisions, and often unintended consequences.

Readers found the book provided clear analysis of Russia's post-Soviet transformation without excessive academic jargon. Multiple reviews noted Treisman's focus on economic data and policy decisions rather than personality-driven narratives. Likes: - Balanced treatment of complex topics - Strong data and research support - Clear explanations of economic reforms - Detailed coverage of lesser-known 1990s events Dislikes: - Some sections on economic policy too technical - Less coverage of cultural/social changes - Limited discussion of regional politics outside Moscow - Could use more firsthand accounts Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (48 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (26 ratings) Notable reader quote: "Treisman cuts through myths about Russia's transition with hard evidence rather than recycling common narratives about oligarchs and autocrats." - Goodreads reviewer Several academic reviewers praised the book's comprehensive source material but noted it works better as a reference than a narrative history.

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🔹 Though the book covers multiple Russian leaders, its author Daniel Treisman has never met Vladimir Putin in person, despite having interviewed many other key figures in Russian politics during his research. 🔹 The collapse of the Soviet Union, detailed in the book, resulted in the single largest peaceful transfer of nuclear weapons in history, as Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine gave up their arsenals. 🔹 Author Daniel Treisman coined the term "siloviki" (security services veterans in positions of power) which became widely used in analyzing Russian politics and appears frequently in international media. 🔹 The economic transformation described in the book was so dramatic that Russia's GDP per capita rose from $1,771 in 1999 to $11,635 in 2008 - an increase of over 600% in just nine years. 🔹 During the period covered by the book (1985-2008), Russia had four different currencies: the Soviet ruble, the Russian ruble (1991-1993), the new Russian ruble (1993-1998), and the current Russian ruble (1998-present).