Bandits, Gangsters and the Mafia: Russia, the Baltic States and the CIS Since 1991

by Martin Mccauley

Release Date: 29 November, 2001

Edition: Hardcover

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stinks

This book was lacklustre. Just more of the attitudes you find in the Economist.

Unless you want a case study of wearisome prejudice and crazy theories, give it a pass.

Waste of Money

I got this book thinking I could get some objective insights into Russia's severe economic difficulties throughout the 90s. Instead, I got a long rant against everything Russian. Particularly dubious is McCauley's sympathy for the Wahhabi bin Laden-sponsored Islamofascists in Chechnya who have been responsible for all kinds of atrocities. I guess their suicide bombings are justified, because they kill evil Russians and not members of the English Royal Family? Oh well. Sergio Vieira de Mello was an apologist for Islamofascists too, but they still murdered him regardless.