The rapid and unexpected collapse of the Communist systems of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe continues to mystify scholars and citizens alike. The recent flood of books on this topic (many of them excellent) poses special problems for librarians, who will need to choose carefully not only as to quality but also coverage. Stokes's work, which covers Poland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania, can be recommended as a coherent, well-written history that defines its time frame well, provides sound coverage, makes prudent judgments, and wears its analysis lightly. The book |