Leonid Brezhnev was leader of the Soviet Union for almost two decades when it was at the height of its powers. This book is a reappraisal of both Brezhnev, the man, and the system over which he ruled. By incorporating much of the material available in Russian, it challenges the received wisdom about the Brezhnev years, and provides an insight into the life and times of one of the 20th century's most neglected political leaders.