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Gun That Changed the World by Mikhail Kalashnikov (2006, Hardcover)

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Language: English. Number of Pages: 224. Weight: 0.85 lbs. Publication Date: 2006-10-27. Publisher: Polity Press.

About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherPolity Press

ISBN-100745636918

ISBN-139780745636917

eBay Product ID (ePID)51704715

Product Key Features

Number of Pages224 Pages

Publication NameGun That Changed the World

LanguageEnglish

SubjectCultural Heritage, Russia & the Former Soviet Union, Military / Weapons, Military / General

Publication Year2006

TypeTextbook

AuthorMikhail Kalashnikov

Subject AreaBiography & Autobiography, History

FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height0.8 in

Item Weight14.7 Oz

Item Length8.7 in

Item Width5.9 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceScholarly & Professional

LCCN2007-296205

Reviews'Mikhail Kalashnikov's autobiography is an intriguing look into the life and mind of a self-taught weapons designer who believed in what he did and for whom he did it. In plain language, this simple man straightforwardly tells of the adversity he surmounted as a youth to achieve the pinnacle of success as an adult. Though he ascribes the success in his life to fate, his innate vision and talent for the mechanics of weapon design show through unmistakably. A Stalinist, communist and patriot to the end, his life story is a valuable lens through with to view the history of the USSR and Russia from revolution to the present. ' Roger Reese 'Mikhail Kalashnikov 's "assault rifle " bridged the gap between the slow but accurate rifle and the fast but inaccurate sub-machine gun, and thus brought us in the 1940s to the point where armies still stand today. Readers of this delightful book will wonder why he ever bothered. Purged by Stalin and exiled to Siberia as a boy, Kalashnikov later accepted the Stalin Prize for his work on the AK-47. This fascinating book is an enthralling journey into the Soviet arsenal and mind. ' Geoffrey Wawro 'This book has pace, passion and a number of unusual insights into the weird mindset of at least one section of the Soviet ruling classes. It is a human story: a "rags to riches " or "poor boy makes good " story and occasionally even a tear-jerker. It also contains some pretty good jokes. ' Paddy Griffith 'A commanding portrait of a man who lived through the best and worst treatment at the hands of the Soviet regime.' Tribune, "This intruiging autobiography opens doors on life in the once closed military town of Izhevsk, and provides revealing insights into the not-so-closed mind of a Soviet gunmaker." Times Literary Supplement "A commanding portrait of a man who lived through the best and worst treatment at the hands of the Soviet regime." Tribune "Mikhail Kalashnikov's autobiography is an intriguing look into the life and mind of a self-taught weapons designer who believed in what he did and for whom he did it. In plain language, this simple man straightforwardly tells of the adversity he surmounted as a youth to achieve the pinnacle of success as an adult. Though he ascribes the success in his life to fate, his innate vision and talent for the mechanics of weapon design show through unmistakably. A Stalinist, communist and patriot to the end, his life story is a valuable lens through with to view the history of the USSR and Russia from revolution to the present." Roger Reese, Texas A&M University "Mikhail Kalashnikov's 'assault rifle' bridged the gap between the slow but accurate rifle and the fast but inaccurate sub-machine gun, and thus brought us - in the 1940s - to the point where armies still stand today. Readers of this delightful book will wonder why he ever bothered. Purged by Stalin and exiled to Siberia as a boy, Kalashnikov later accepted the Stalin Prize for his work on the AK-47. This fascinating book is an enthralling journey into the Soviet arsenal and mind." Geoffrey Wawro, University of North Texas "This book has pace, passion and a number of unusual insights into the weird mindset of at least one section of the Soviet ruling classes. It is a human story: a 'rags to riches' or 'poor boy makes good' story - and occasionally even a tear-jerker. It also contains some pretty good jokes." Paddy Griffith, freelance military historian and publisher, 'Mikhail Kalashnikov's autobiography is an intriguing look into the life and mind of a self-taught weapons designer who believed in what he did and for whom he did it. In plain language, this simple man straightforwardly tells of the adversity he surmounted as a youth to achieve the pinnacle of success as an adult. Though he ascribes the success in his life to fate, his innate vision and talent for the mechanics of weapon design show through unmistakably. A Stalinist, communist and patriot to the end, his life story is a valuable lens through with to view the history of the USSR and Russia from revolution to the present. 'Roger Reese'Mikhail Kalashnikov 's "assault rifle " bridged the gap between the slow but accurate rifle and the fast but inaccurate sub-machine gun, and thus brought us - in the 1940s - to the point where armies still stand today. Readers of this delightful book will wonder why he ever bothered. Purged by Stalin and exiled to Siberia as a boy, Kalashnikov later accepted the Stalin Prize for his work on the AK-47. This fascinating book is an enthralling journey into the Soviet arsenal and mind. 'Geoffrey Wawro'This book has pace, passion and a number of unusual insights into the weird mindset of at least one section of the Soviet ruling classes. It is a human story: a "rags to riches " or "poor boy makes good " story - and occasionally even a tear-jerker. It also contains some pretty good jokes. 'Paddy Griffith'A commanding portrait of a man who lived through the best and worst treatment at the hands of the Soviet regime.'Tribune, & 'Mikhail Kalashnikov's autobiography is an intriguing look into the life and mind of a self-taught weapons designer who believed in what he did and for whom he did it. In plain language, this simple man straightforwardly tells of the adversity he surmounted as a youth to achieve the pinnacle of success as an adult. Though he ascribes the success in his life to fate, his innate vision and talent for the mechanics of weapon design show through unmistakably. A Stalinist, communist and patriot to the end, his life story is a valuable lens through with to view the history of the USSR and Russia from revolution to the present. & 'Roger Reese& 'Mikhail Kalashnikov & 's & "assault rifle & " bridged the gap between the slow but accurate rifle and the fast but inaccurate sub-machine gun, and thus brought us & in the 1940s & to the point where armies still stand today. Readers of this delightful book will wonder why he ever bothered. Purged by Stalin and exiled to Siberia as a boy, Kalashnikov later accepted the Stalin Prize for his work on the AK-47. This fascinating book is an enthralling journey into the Soviet arsenal and mind. & 'Geoffrey Wawro& 'This book has pace, passion and a number of unusual insights into the weird mindset of at least one section of the Soviet ruling classes. It is a human story: a & "rags to riches & " or & "poor boy makes good & " story & and occasionally even a tear-jerker. It also contains some pretty good jokes. & 'Paddy Griffith'A commanding portrait of a man who lived through the best and worst treatment at the hands of the Soviet regime.'Tribune, 'A commanding portrait of a man who lived through the best and worst treatment at the hands of the Soviet regime.'Tribune'Mikhail Kalashnikov's autobiography is an intriguing look into the life and mind of a self-taught weapons designer who believed in what he did and for whom he did it. In plain language, this simple man straightforwardly tells of the adversity he surmounted as a youth to achieve the pinnacle of success as an adult. Though he ascribes the success in his life to fate, his innate vision and talent for the mechanics of weapon design show through unmistakably. A Stalinist, communist and patriot to the end, his life story is a valuable lens through with to view the history of the USSR and Russia from revolution to the present.'Roger Reese, Texas A&M University'Mikhail Kalashnikov's "assault rifle" bridged the gap between the slow but accurate rifle and the fast but inaccurate sub-machine gun, and thus brought us - in the 1940s - to the point where armies still stand today. Readers of this delightful book will wonder why he ever bothered. Purged by Stalin and exiled to Siberia as a boy, Kalashnikov later accepted the Stalin Prize for his work on the AK-47. This fascinating book is an enthralling journey into the Soviet arsenal and mind.'Geoffrey Wawro, University of North Texas'This book has pace, passion and a number of unusual insights into the weird mindset of at least one section of the Soviet ruling classes. It is a human story: a "rags to riches" or "poor boy makes good" story - and occasionally even a tear-jerker. It also contains some pretty good jokes.'Paddy Griffith, "A commanding portrait of a man who lived through the best and worst treatment at the hands of the Soviet regime."Tribune"Mikhail Kalashnikov's autobiography is an intriguing look into the life and mind of a self-taught weapons designer who believed in what he did and for whom he did it. In plain language, this simple man straightforwardly tells of the adversity he surmounted as a youth to achieve the pinnacle of success as an adult. Though he ascribes the success in his life to fate, his innate vision and talent for the mechanics of weapon design show through unmistakably. A Stalinist, communist and patriot to the end, his life story is a valuable lens through with to view the history of the USSR and Russia from revolution to the present."Roger Reese, Texas A &M University"Mikhail Kalashnikov's"assault rifle" bridged the gap between the slow but accurate rifle and the fast but inaccurate sub-machine gun, and thus brought us- in the 1940s- to the point where armies still stand today. Readers of this delightful book will wonder why he ever bothered. Purged by Stalin and exiled to Siberia as a boy, Kalashnikov later accepted the Stalin Prize for his work on the AK-47. This fascinating book is an enthralling journey into the Soviet arsenal and mind."Geoffrey Wawro, University of North Texas

Dewey Edition22

TitleLeadingThe

IllustratedYes

Dewey Decimal623.4424

Table Of ContentAcknowledgements. Foreword to English edition: The history and workings of the AK-47. Preface - The Terror and the Glory. 1. Treading a path of pain and sorrow. Son of a kulak. Farewell to Siberia. 2. 'Arise, great country! Arise to mortal fight!' The last but one. My university - the hospital. 'You must help Sergeant Kalashnikov!' 3. The birth of the AK. The 'Mikhim' dossier. 'Up until 2025, and even beyond....' 4. A unique weapon. The standardization of firearms. One more step. 5. 'He was a god, he might rise again.' Daily life of a deputy in the Supreme Soviet. Behind the walls of the Kremlin. 6. 'At home and abroad.' Izhevsk. Better late than never. 7. Odds and ends. Notes. Glossary. Biographical details. Select bibliography and filmography. Index.

SynopsisThe Russian word that is most frequently spoken throughout the world isn't Lenin, gulag or perestroika, it's 'Kalashnikov'. The reason for this is simple: there are 80 million Kalashnikovs in circulation on five continents. Once invented, the AK-47 assault rifle became the most widely used weapon in the world: from Vietnam to Palestine, from Cuba to Iraq, it was at the heart of conflicts and struggles everywhere. It is the only firearm that has ever been depicted on a national flag - that of Mozambique, where it symbolizes liberation. Mikhail Kalashnikov himself, who was born in 1919, here tells his life story, with the help of Elena Joly, for the first time: his deportation to Siberia with his family while still a child; his time as a soldier in a tank regiment; his invention of the world's most famous weapon and his turbulent life under Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Gorbachev and Yeltsin. This is a remarkable portrait of a man of ingenuity and vitality in the context of the often frightening and terribly unforgiving Russia of the twentieth century., The Russian word that is most frequently spoken throughout the world isnt Lenin, gulag or perestroika, it s Kalashnikov . The reason for this is simple: there are 80 million Kalashnikovs in circulation on five continents. Once invented, the AK-47 assault rifle became the most widely used weapon in the world: from Vietnam to Palestine, from Cuba to Iraq, it was at the heart of conflicts and struggles everywhere. It is the only firearm that has ever been depicted on a national flag that of Mozambique, where it symbolizes liberation. Mikhail Kalashnikov himself, who was born in 1919, here tells his life story, with the help of Elena Joly, for the first time: his deportation to Siberia with his family while still a child; his time as a soldier in a tank regiment; his invention of the world s most famous weapon and his turbulent life under Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Gorbachev and Yeltsin. This is a remarkable portrait of a man of ingenuity and vitality in the context of the often frightening and terribly unforgiving Russia of the twentieth century., The Russian word that is most frequently spoken throughout the world isn't Lenin, gulag or perestroika, itrs" s ls" Kalashnikovrs" . The reason for this is simple: there are 80 million Kalashnikovs in circulation on five continents. Once invented, the AK-47 assault rifle became the most widely used weapon in the world: from Vietnam to Palestine, from Cuba to Iraq, it was at the heart of conflicts and struggles everywhere. It is the only firearm that has ever been depicted on a national flag that of Mozambique, where it symbolizes liberation. Mikhail Kalashnikov himself, who was born in 1919, here tells his life story, with the help of Elena Joly, for the first time: his deportation to Siberia with his family while still a child; his time as a soldier in a tank regiment; his invention of the worldrs" s most famous weapon and his turbulent life under Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Gorbachev and Yeltsin. This is a remarkable portrait of a man of ingenuity and vitality in the context of the often frightening and terribly unforgiving Russia of the twentieth century., Mikhail Kalashnikov himself, inventor of the famous assault rifle, here tells his life story for the first time. The result is a remarkable portrait of a man of ingenuity and vitality in the context of the often frightening and terribly unforgiving Russia of the twentieth century., This is the autobiography of Mikhail Kalashnikov, the inventor of the world s most famous gun, the AK-47. Offers a fascinating history of the weapon s development and spread throughout the world, as well as a window into the turbulent history of Russian in the twentieth century.

LC Classification NumberUD395.A16

As told toJoly, Elena