E.H. CARR, CBE, (1892-1982) was a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. His other books include International Relations between the Two World Wars 1919-1939, The Twenty Years' Crisis 1919-1939, Nationalism and After, The New Society, What is History?, 1917: Before and After, Michael Bakunin, and the fourteen-volume History of Soviet Russia. - R.W. DAVIES is Emeritus Professor in the Centre for Russian and East European Studies at the University of Birmingham.

'Not many books about the past illuminate the present, but this is one of them, and it deserves to be widely read.' - Richard Gott, The Guardian 'An astonishing amount of information, and of thought-provoking ideas, is compressed into a remarkably small amount of space...the standard of accuracy and clarity is very high, the style of presentation admirable. The author should - again - be congratulated.' - Alec Nove, New Society 'In this short and lively account he sets down exactly what he thinks took place, with perfect impartiality...there could hardly be a better introduction to one of the principal subjects in current affairs.' -Economist 'Here we have an absolutely first-class work in its own right...Carr will be remembered and consulted as long as his subject remains interesting, which is likely to be for a fair while yet.' - Ken Coates, Tribune 'Every statement, indeed every sentence is based upon a minute, careful and well documented study.' - H.S. Ferns, Birmingham Post

• October 1917 The Two Worlds War Communism The Breathing-Space of NEP The New Soviet Order The Scissors Crisis Lenin's Last Days The Rise of Stalin The USSR and the West (1923-1927) The USSR and the East (1923-1927) The Beginnings of Planning The Defeat of the Opposition The Dilemma of Agriculture Growing Pains of Industrialization The First Five-Year Plan The Collectivization of the Peasant Patterns of Dictatorship The USSR and the World (1927-1929) The Revolution in Perspective