America and Russia, from the Vikings to Iraq
The American road to Baghdad started when
the first English settlers landed in Virginia
determined to impose their values on everyone
they encountered. Simultaneously the first
Russians crossed the Urals and the two empires
that would dominate the twentieth century
were born. Empires Apart traces the
remarkable parallels in American and Russian
histories up to the Cold War and beyond.
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Endorsements
I have read Empires Apart with great enjoyment.
Brian Landers has written a piercing account
of American history from its colonial beginnings
to its present role as an unacknowledged
empire that bestrides the world. Concerned
as he is to expose the myths that nations
create about themselves, he bases his analysis
upon a revealing comparison of American and
Russian expansion through the centuries.This
technique forces the observer to recognise
similarities identity differences and question
why both similarities and differences exist.
In a sense, then, the reader gets two books
for the price of one, Russian history as
well as American.
Andreas Whittam Smith
A most enjoyable and intelligent book. Brian
Landers constructs a tightly argued analysis,
and never loses a beguiling narrative drive.
Tim Waterstone
Simply staggering in vision, depth, development
of ideas and detailed research. And it's
also very readable and approachable. The
analysis along the way is very revealing
and a challenge to accepted thinking.
Sir Roger Martin
The American and Russian Empires deserve
a Rough Guide – and Brian Landers’
book is that, and more.
Mark Ellingham
