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Encyclopedia of Russian History. Ed. by James R. Millar. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2003. 4 vols. $475 (ISBN 0-02-8656938).
Ambitious in scope, the Encyclopedia of Russian History aims to "help dispel the mystery of Russia" by providing accessible, clearly written entries for more than 1,500 topics. It claims to be the first encyclopedia in the English language to "comprehend the entirety of Russian history, from ancient Rus to the most recent events in post-Soviet Russia." And while there are some small faults that keep it from being perfect, this four-volume set meets its goals very well.
Aimed at general readers and students, the majority of entries provide an excellent starting point from which to begin a study, or, in many cases, to learn enough about a topic to satiate their interest. From quarter-page entries for lesser figures like Viktor Barannikov to multipage coverage...