The Ukrainians, New Edition: The Story of How a People Became a Nation

by Dr. Andrew Wilson Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki

Overview

Now in its fifth edition, this book is the most acute, informed, and up-to-date account available today of Ukraine and its people. This new edition includes two new chapters covering 2014 to the present war.

Andrew Wilson focuses on the complex relations between Ukraine and Russia and explains the different versions of the past propagated by Ukrainians and Russians. He also examines the continuing debates over identity, culture, and religion in Ukraine since its independence in 1991.

As in many postcommunist states, politics in Ukraine revolves around the issue of national identity. Ukrainian nationalists see themselves as one of the world's oldest and most civilized peoples, as “older brothers” to the younger Russian culture. Yet Ukraine became independent only in 1991, and Ukrainians often feel like a minority in their own country, where Russian is still the main language heard on the streets of the capital, Kiev.

This book is a comprehensive guide to modern Ukraine and to the versions of its past propagated by both Russians and Ukrainians. Andrew Wilson provides the most acute, informed, and up-to-date account available of the Ukrainians and their country.Concentrating on the complex relation between Ukraine and Russia, the book begins with the myth of common origin in the early medieval era, then looks closely at the Ukrainian experience under the tsars and Soviets, the experience of minorities in the country, and the path to independence in 1991.

Wilson also considers the history of Ukraine since 1991 and the continuing disputes over identity, culture, and religion. He examines the economic collapse under the first president, Leonid Kravchuk, and the attempts at recovery under his successor, Leonid Kuchma. Wilson explores the conflicts in Ukrainian society between the country's Eurasian roots and its Western aspirations, as well as the significance of the presidential election of November 1999.

Editorial Reviews

NOVEMBER 2022 - AudioFile

Listeners will notice the skepticism in Stefan Rudnicki’s voice as he narrates some beliefs about Ukrainian history, like the theory that Attila the Hun was Ukrainian. The story illustrates the wide range of conflicting views that exist about the nation’s past. Mostly, his deep voice clearly navigates about a thousand years of history, with author Andrew Wilson paying special attention to art, literature, and religion. Rudnicki’s tone becomes less formal as Wilson shifts into a more detailed history of post-Soviet Ukraine. Rudnicki’s voice rises with the author’s admiration for the protesters who stood up to political violence and corruption. There is a lot of information, so Wilson’s summaries at the ends of chapters are helpful. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940175875493
Publisher:	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Publication date:	11/08/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged

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