Emphasizing sweep and manifold perspective, Professor Orwin marshals an impressive array of materials depicting the impact of war over time on the Russian consciousness. With attention to context and to content, including in the main original English translations, she traces the legacy of war from ninth-century Kievan Rus to twenty-first century Chechnya. The result is an intriguing and enlightening assemblage of testimonies from practitioners, witnesses, observers, and victims, the sum of which is sure to spur further speculation and investigation.

Bruce W. Menning, University of Kansas, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, USA

In this unique anthology, which traces the Russian experience of war from medieval epic superheroes to current Ukrainian combatants, Orwin encourages her readers to grapple with thorny issues such as Russian culture's impact on warfighting versus war's influence on Russian culture.

Brigadier General (U.S. Army, retired), Rick McPeak, Professorial Lecturer at George Washington University, USA