Specially written for the AS/A2 examinations, this book combines extended period cover with detailed focus on exam board-selected topics. The lively, accessible text is supplemented by "Spotlights", providing detailed study of sources on key issues and topics and "Document Exercises", offering opportunities for assessment and exam practice. Covering almost 150 years of Russian history, from Alexander II, through Glasnost, to the present day, a recurring theme is the drive to modernise. The period 1895-1941 is dealt with in depth, with separate chapters on the Russian Revolution, Lenin and Stalin.