Khrushchev Remembers: The Glasnost Tapes

by Jerrold L. Schecter and Vyacheslav V. Schecter, Jerrold L. & Luchkov

Book Overview

When the tapes dictated by Nikita Khrushchev in retirement first made their way to the West, there were key gaps in the narrative. Khrushchev himself had authorized the deletions, for apparent political reasons. Two decades would pass before those gaps could be filled.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316472972
• ISBN13: 9780316472975
• Release Date: January 1990
• Publisher: Little Brown and Company
• Length: 219 Pages
• Weight: 1.34 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Khrushchev Remembers-The Glasnost Tapes-by Jerrold Schecter

The book is an historical compendium from the perspectiveof Khrushchev in his retirement years. He discusses hisfamily and chance rise to power within the bureaucraticmaze of Soviet politics during the Stalin era. The work providesan important perspective for future generations of historians.He relates the details of a potential land deal involving Russian territories offered to Hitler during the War. The bookcontains many pictures of political figures in the previouscentury. Importantly, Khrushchev recited some regrets.For instance, he regretted not supporting Pasternak." ... I feel sorry that I didn't support Pasternak. I regret that I had a hand in banning his book and that I supportedSuslov. We should have given the readers the opportunity to reach their own verdict. Judgments should depend on the readers.I'm truly sorry for the way I behaved toward Pasternak. My onlyexcuse is that I didn't read the book."The book contains a very detailed history of Khrushchev's careerin the Appendix. This work is a "must read" for seriousstudents of world history. It will be read for years to comeby historians throughout the world. Fortunately, the United Statesprevailed in the Cold War. It will take generations tounscramble the rumblings throughout the world as a result ofthe Cold War and the aftermath of the reconstruction efforts.

Rare look at a man we once feared

When Comrade Nikita was ousted from being the head of the USSR, he did not just quietly "fade away." He lived many more yeas, and dictated his thoughts and memoirs for future generations to understand what he had experienced. In this, the last of the three books of his memoirs, he opens up on several subjects which were too politically sensitive before Gorbachev's time to publish.The events of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and other events that were tinged with controversy make their way to publication here, and therefore offers a great chance to get some idea of Khrushchev's opinion and motivations in some major issues.