"This is a reminder of how vast was [Gorbachev's] achievement in allowing in the light of freedom. Where his contemporary, Nelson Mandela, was great beyond the whites' deserts in building a post-apartheid nation, Mr Gorbachev was great beyond the deserts of the Soviet Union (and perhaps even of the west, which could barely understand or trust him) in proposing a way for the despotic world to aspire to democratic governance, freely organised civil society and rule of law. That he failed, he keenly knows. Our best hope is that his ideas, in time, succeed." —Financial Times "There are not many good books on new Russia. Mikhail Gorbachev’s The New Russia is probably the best book in many years. It is packed with knowledge, analysis, and new perspective on Russia." —Washington Book Review "Compelling…An important book for understanding the shape of the world today." —Choice "He has produced a reflection full of an earnest desire that former enemies understand each other and find common ground in a febrile world. This is a reminder of how vast his achievement was in allowing in the light of freedom." —Financial Times "Even-handed and measured, the memoir places Gorbachev's concern for the Russian population, the rule of law, and the principles of democracy at the centre, offering a cautionary tale that speaks directly to contemporary issues." – Canadian Journal of History