Gorbachev

In March 1985 without the usual long delay and speculation Mikhail Gorbachev at fifty-four years of age became the youngest Soviet leader since Stalin. Gorbachev belongs to a new generation of Communist leaders a generation that did not experience the suffering and fear that Gorbachevs predecessors did who came to power under Stalin. He is a product of the system not one of its creators. Within a year his vigorous style had made him a well-known political figure throughout the world. In this book Zhores A. Medvedev author of an acclaimed biography of Yuri Andropov and many other books on Soviet history looks at the inner workings of Soviet leadership and at Gorbachev the man and his rise to power. For the paperback edition Mr. Medvedev has provided a new chapter on recent events including the Chernobyl disaster: its long-range effects and what is revealed about Gorbachevs leadership and Soviet decision making.