Ukraine

by Laurel Corona

The name "Ukraine" means borderland, and for centuries its Russian rulers saw it as a remote backwater. Now Ukraine is emerging as one of the most strategically significant parts of the world, essential to the peace and prosperity of post-Cold War Europe. But it faces major challenges from within which have kept it one of the poorest and most troubled of the former Soviet Republics.

112 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2001

About the author

I have loved reading and writing ever since my older sister came home from first grade to teach me what she had learned that day. My first publications were in the Oakland Tribune in a weekly section for children called "Aunt Elsie's Page," and a newspaper I put out for my family which featured reviews of what I was reading and news about what was happening in the lives of my dolls.

I was lucky enough to have parents who encouraged me from the beginning, and who showed their support by giving up much of what they must have wanted for themselves so my sister and I could get the best possible education. As a result, by the time I graduated from The Bishop's School in 1967 and enrolled as an English major at the University of California at Davis, I had come to appreciate that good writing is extraordinarily difficult but well worth the effort. I couldn't believe I could get a degree by devouring novels and poetry in bed in my pajamas, and writing papers on ideas that burned in me as I read, but it turned out to be largely true. Graduate school at the University of Chicago (MA 1972) and again at Davis (Ph.D, 1982) followed.

Professionally, early in my career I was both an instructor and an administrator of academic support programs at San Diego State University and the University of California at San Diego. I came to San Diego City College in 1990, first as a dean and then as a full-time professor of English and Humanities. I also freelanced in the 1990s, writing approximately 20 Young Adult titles for Lucent Books.

Lately, i have been enjoying the opportunity to serve as an enrichment lecturer on Silversea Cruises, and in my spare time, I am an avid tennis player, novice golfer, voracious reader, and a pretty good chef.

Reviews

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview of Ukraine, written in 2001. As part of the "Former Soviet Republics" series, this book focuses on the difficulties of transitioning from communism (controlled by Russia) to a market economy (as an independent country). I found the author's explanations (geared for children) fascinating: how living under communism left the Ukrainians with little motivation to work hard and with little knowledge of managing money, and how primitive are the housing conditions and hospital conditions. This was not an "uplifting" book by any means, but it was eye-opening and hopefully things have improved in the past 10 years since this book was written?

Interesting historical facts included:

Great Hunger of 1932-33: Deliberate starvation by Russians caused by putting Ukrainians on collective farms. Over 5 million Ukrainians starved to death.

Great Terror (followed the Great Hunger): over 1 million people were executed or deported, most without any real reason.

Babi Yar: worst atrocity of the Holocaust happened here (north of Kiev), when 33,000 Jews were massacred within 2 days, in 1941

Russia tried to cover up the Chernobyl nuclear disaster: Russian officials quietly took their families far away from the radiation leak, while leaving Ukrainians to go outside and go about their lives and (unknowingly) get radiation poisoning

Can't wait to hear about Real Life in Ukraine once Isaac gets there (next month)!

[Elizabeth StClair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was much better, and way more realistic, than the other book I read on the Ukraine. The history of this country is laid out simply, yet the writing contains many interesting details that help me understand why this country is where it is today. For example, it never occurred to me that a people wouldn't expect their government to pay their salaries, if they were a government workers. This just doesn't happen in the US! You work for a set amount of time, and you get paid. That's just how it is here. The more I read books like this, the more I become aware of how different the world is from America. I enjoyed this book. I think many people, especially my generation, need to read books like this, so they have better understanding of the world.