Brezhnev biography amazon

“Following Stalin's reign of terror and Khrushchev's erratic reforms, Leonid Brezhnev tried to stabilize the Soviet system. Brezhnev, his first full and in-depth portrait, draws on long-secret sources to chronicle his rise, his rule, and his contributions both to the growth of Soviet power and the USSR's eventual disintegration, along with his own.” ―William Taubman, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Khrushchev: The Man and His Era (2003), and of Gorbachev: His Life and Times (2017)

“A compelling new view of Brezhnev, demythologizing his early life and career, and using recently-opened archival materials to present his two decades in power as Soviet leader in an unfamiliar light.

Schattenberg shows him introducing a new style of 'caring' interactions with colleagues as well as consolidating the long-promised Soviet welfare state at home and striving for détente abroad. But his decline in his last years (from addiction to sedatives, it turns out, not just old age) marred his legacy.”