Tracy McDonald is an associate professor in the Department of History at McMaster University.

‘Tracy McDonald's excellent book offers both authentic details and an illuminating set of important general conclusions drawn from close observation of a fascinating layer of rural experience in the early Soviet Union…. Face to the village will appeal to a broad array of students and scholars interested in early Soviet political and social history and peasant studies.’ - Brian Bonhomme (The Russian Review vol. 71:01:2012) ‘Tracy McDonald’s rich monograph focusses on transitions in village culture and relations between the state and local society in the 1920s in Riazan’ province…Face to the village is an illuminating examination of the still more Russian peasant dominated than Soviet controlled countryside of the 1920s.’ - Cathy A. Frierson (Slavic Review, vol 71:02:2012) ‘A thoughtful, penetrating, and important contribution to our understanding of the Soviet village during NEP ( New Economic Policy) and collectivization.’- James W. Heinzen (American Historical Review vol 118:03:2013) ‘This book presents a fascinating insight into the intricate world of the Central Russian peasant in the years before the violent imposition of collectivization… This engrossing study will be of great value to researchers and students interested in the relationship between state and society in the wake of tumultuous events and in understanding the world of the pre-collectivization Soviet peasantry.’ - Christopher Lash (Europe-Asia Studies vol 65:08:2013) ‘Tracy McDonald’s book presents a fascinating insight into the intricate world of the Central Russian peasant in the years before the violent imposition of collectivization … the book is an engrossing study which will be of great value to researchers and students interested in the relationship between state and society in the wake of tumultuous events and in understanding the world of the pre-collectivization Soviet peasantry.’- Christopher Lash (Europe-Asia Studies) ‘This rich study has a great deal to say about the rural background to collectivization, and about the way that party leaders responded to, and were frustrated by, peasants’ actions and attitudes … This is a thoughtful, penetrating, and important contribution to our understanding of the Soviet village during NEP and collectivization.’- James W. Heinzen (American Historical Review)

• List of Illustrations and MapsWord Choice and TranslationAcknowledgmentsIntroduction Part One. The Battle for Space: What Physical and Virtual Space Reveal about the Countryside 1. The Setting2. The Police3. The Courts4. The Rural Soviet Part Two. The Battle for Resources: What Non-Violent Crime Reveals about the Countryside 5. T axation: Talking with the Taxman about Subsistence; or, Feeding the Proletarian Cat6. The Forest: Wood, Warmth, and RepairPart Three. The Battle for Souls: What Violent Crime Reveals about the Countryside 7. Bandit Tales: The Steam of the Still and the Lure of Easy Profit8. Hooliganism: Toward the Cultured Life9. Rough Justice: The Village Disciplines Its Own10. PitelinoConclusionAppendixGlossaryNotesBibliographyIndex

Tracy McDonald is an associate professor in the Department of History at McMaster University.

‘Tracy McDonald's excellent book offers both authentic details and an illuminating set of important general conclusions drawn from close observation of a fascinating layer of rural experience in the early Soviet Union…. Face to the village will appeal to a broad array of students and scholars interested in early Soviet political and social history and peasant studies.’ - Brian Bonhomme (The Russian Review vol. 71:01:2012) ‘Tracy McDonald’s rich monograph focusses on transitions in village culture and relations between the state and local society in the 1920s in Riazan’ province…Face to the village is an illuminating examination of the still more Russian peasant dominated than Soviet controlled countryside of the 1920s.’ - Cathy A. Frierson (Slavic Review, vol 71:02:2012) ‘A thoughtful, penetrating, and important contribution to our understanding of the Soviet village during NEP ( New Economic Policy) and collectivization.’- James W. Heinzen (American Historical Review vol 118:03:2013) ‘This book presents a fascinating insight into the intricate world of the Central Russian peasant in the years before the violent imposition of collectivization… This engrossing study will be of great value to researchers and students interested in the relationship between state and society in the wake of tumultuous events and in understanding the world of the pre-collectivization Soviet peasantry.’ - Christopher Lash (Europe-Asia Studies vol 65:08:2013) ‘Tracy McDonald’s book presents a fascinating insight into the intricate world of the Central Russian peasant in the years before the violent imposition of collectivization … the book is an engrossing study which will be of great value to researchers and students interested in the relationship between state and society in the wake of tumultuous events and in understanding the world of the pre-collectivization Soviet peasantry.’- Christopher Lash (Europe-Asia Studies) ‘This rich study has a great deal to say about the rural background to collectivization, and about the way that party leaders responded to, and were frustrated by, peasants’ actions and attitudes … This is a thoughtful, penetrating, and important contribution to our understanding of the Soviet village during NEP and collectivization.’- James W. Heinzen (American Historical Review)

• List of Illustrations and MapsWord Choice and TranslationAcknowledgmentsIntroduction Part One. The Battle for Space: What Physical and Virtual Space Reveal about the Countryside 1. The Setting2. The Police3. The Courts4. The Rural Soviet Part Two. The Battle for Resources: What Non-Violent Crime Reveals about the Countryside 5. T axation: Talking with the Taxman about Subsistence; or, Feeding the Proletarian Cat6. The Forest: Wood, Warmth, and RepairPart Three. The Battle for Souls: What Violent Crime Reveals about the Countryside 7. Bandit Tales: The Steam of the Still and the Lure of Easy Profit8. Hooliganism: Toward the Cultured Life9. Rough Justice: The Village Disciplines Its Own10. PitelinoConclusionAppendixGlossaryNotesBibliographyIndex

Tracy McDonald is an associate professor in the Department of History at McMaster University.

‘Tracy McDonald's excellent book offers both authentic details and an illuminating set of important general conclusions drawn from close observation of a fascinating layer of rural experience in the early Soviet Union…. Face to the village will appeal to a broad array of students and scholars interested in early Soviet political and social history and peasant studies.’ - Brian Bonhomme (The Russian Review vol. 71:01:2012) ‘Tracy McDonald’s rich monograph focusses on transitions in village culture and relations between the state and local society in the 1920s in Riazan’ province…Face to the village is an illuminating examination of the still more Russian peasant dominated than Soviet controlled countryside of the 1920s.’ - Cathy A. Frierson (Slavic Review, vol 71:02:2012) ‘A thoughtful, penetrating, and important contribution to our understanding of the Soviet village during NEP ( New Economic Policy) and collectivization.’- James W. Heinzen (American Historical Review vol 118:03:2013) ‘This book presents a fascinating insight into the intricate world of the Central Russian peasant in the years before the violent imposition of collectivization… This engrossing study will be of great value to researchers and students interested in the relationship between state and society in the wake of tumultuous events and in understanding the world of the pre-collectivization Soviet peasantry.’ - Christopher Lash (Europe-Asia Studies vol 65:08:2013) ‘Tracy McDonald’s book presents a fascinating insight into the intricate world of the Central Russian peasant in the years before the violent imposition of collectivization … the book is an engrossing study which will be of great value to researchers and students interested in the relationship between state and society in the wake of tumultuous events and in understanding the world of the pre-collectivization Soviet peasantry.’- Christopher Lash (Europe-Asia Studies) ‘This rich study has a great deal to say about the rural background to collectivization, and about the way that party leaders responded to, and were frustrated by, peasants’ actions and attitudes … This is a thoughtful, penetrating, and important contribution to our understanding of the Soviet village during NEP and collectivization.’- James W. Heinzen (American Historical Review)

• List of Illustrations and MapsWord Choice and TranslationAcknowledgmentsIntroduction Part One. The Battle for Space: What Physical and Virtual Space Reveal about the Countryside 1. The Setting2. The Police3. The Courts4. The Rural Soviet Part Two. The Battle for Resources: What Non-Violent Crime Reveals about the Countryside 5. T axation: Talking with the Taxman about Subsistence; or, Feeding the Proletarian Cat6. The Forest: Wood, Warmth, and RepairPart Three. The Battle for Souls: What Violent Crime Reveals about the Countryside 7. Bandit Tales: The Steam of the Still and the Lure of Easy Profit8. Hooliganism: Toward the Cultured Life9. Rough Justice: The Village Disciplines Its Own10. PitelinoConclusionAppendixGlossaryNotesBibliographyIndex