Khrushchev on Khrushchev: An Inside Account of the Man and His Era, by His Son

Rating:
Summary: Unique reading on 'Mr. K'
Review: Nikita S. Khrushchev was perhaps the most interesting leader the Soviet Union ever had, and was certainly one of the most intriging characters of the 20th century. A strange mix of the wise and the foolish, he tried, but could not significantly change, the U.S.S.R. for the better. In some ways, Gorbachev was the "Khrushchev" of this time, and not the other way around.

I read this book in grad school and could not put it down. As the son of, as the Americans called him, 'Mr. K,' Sergei Khrushchev had a special perspective on this man and his time, and this is a must-read for anyone interested in the subject. The younger Krushchev certainly loved his father, and it shows in the book sometimes to access, but by and large the account is objective.

There are several touching and personal passages in the book, too numerous to mention here. I was particularly taken with the episode in which the younger Krushchev found out about the coup that was about to overtake his father and warned him that (rough transcription): "X is setting up a coup against you." He then got the shock of his life when his father came home from the Politburo the next day ranting (rough transcription again): "You silly boy! I just spoke to X today. He says there's no coup going on!" Classic Nikita S. Khrushchev.

Sergei N. Khrushchev has succeeded in producing a sensitive, illuminating account of a special time in our world. The book is an easy and concise read, yet the reader will come out with a very deep understanding of so many of the people and forces that shaped that time. This is what good reading is supposed to be. Bravo!