Potential Russia

Reviews / Votes

"Potential Russia offers an in-depth exploration of Russian life during the First World War. Richard Washburn Child sympathetically describes the plight of refugees, the isolation of the royal family, and the state of the war effort, while insisting that deep patriotism will prohibit a separate peace or revolutionary upheaval. Lee Farrow's excellent introduction makes this firsthand account of a pivotal era accessible to all." - Alison Rowley, Department of History, Concordia University (Montreal) "This is an excellent primary source that provides insight into wartime Russia. Child's discussions with individuals from all aspects of Russian society present diverse views regarding the country's social, political, and economic structures. Farrow's introduction and explanatory notes readily enable readers to understand the context in which Child recorded his observations." - Cadra Peterson McDaniel, Associate Professor of History, Texas A&M University-Central Texas "Richard Washburn Child's 1916 account provides a mixture of thoughtful insights, common stereotypes, enthusiastic optimism, and substantial miscalculations. This book deserves to be read over a century later to observe how one American reflected on Russia's social, political, economic, and military development on the eve of the revolution. Lee Farrow presents a clear and concise introduction." - Matthew Lee Miller, PhD, Professor of History, University of Northwestern - St. Paul, St. Paul, Minnesota, Author of The American YMCA and Russian Culture: The Preservation and Expansion of Russian Orthodoxy, 1900-1940