The recent declassification of a substantial portion of Stalin's archive has made possible this fundamental new assessment of the controversial Soviet leader. Leading international experts accordingly challenge many assumptions about Stalin from his early life in Georgia to the Cold War years--with contributions ranging across the political, economic, social, cultural, ideological and international history of the Stalin era. The volume provides a more profound understanding of Stalin's power and one of the most important leaders of the twentieth century.

Rising from sandbars on the Platte River with clarion calls, the sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) feels the urgency of spring migration. Elegant, noble, and spiritual, the sandhill crane is one of the most ancient of all birds. More than a half-million strong, flying in squadrons, these majestic creatures point northward to their Arctic and sub-Arctic breeding ranges. Theirs is an epic story of endurance through the ages.With 153 stunningcolor photographs, On Ancient Wings presents sandhill cranes in their wild but increasingly compromised habitats today. Over the course of five...

This is the first fully comprehensive survey and analysis of masted structures and covers examples that have evolved during the past three decades.Masted Structures are one of the most interesting developments in post-war architecture resulting from a combination of technology, structural engineering theory and a collaboration between architects and engineers. This is an essential guide for architects to the structural and constructional implications of masted forms in relation to space enclosure, patterns of loading and use of differing materials and techniques. This useful volume will...

A new and original explanation of Stalin's Terror, showing how Soviet leaders developed a grossly exaggerated fear of conspiracy and foreign invasion, and created a Terror that was wholly destructive, not merely in terms of human life, but also in terms of the interests of the Party that managed it.