Russia's recent past has encompassed revolution, civil war, mass terror and two world wars, and the country is still undergoing huge change and upheaval. In his acclaimed history, now updated to 2009, Robert Service provides a superb panoramic viewpoint on Russia, exploring the complex, changing interaction between rulers and ruled from Nicholas II, Lenin and Stalin through to Gorbachev, Yeltsin, Putin and beyond. This new edition also discusses continuing economic and social difficulties, Russia's determination to restore its major role on the world stage and how, despite the recent years of de-communization, the seven decades of communist rule which penetrated every aspect of life still continue to influence Russia today.