Review by Choice Review
The paradox of this volume's title is that the introduction of Soviet power, supposedly informed by internationalist revolutionary ideology, had the effect of transforming Lviv, a historically multinational border city, into the citadel of Ukrainian nationalism. Amar (Columbia) makes an important contribution to a growing English language historiography of Lviv, relying primarily on local archives to recount formative episodes in the Sovietization of postwar Lviv, such as the closing of Lviv's last synagogue. The result is a dense narrative. Amar reports the candid assessments of local and "eastern" Communist Party officials as they tried to subdue the supposedly stubborn nationalist sentiments of the local population while battling corruption on the part of the newly ensconced administration. That locals were often portrayed as lacking the more progressive attitudes of eastern Ukrainians may have had the opposite effect of fostering and reinforcing the idea of Lviv as the center of authentic Ukrainian identity. Despite Amar's crisp writing, casual readers may be overwhelmed by the detail. Moreover, some figures who appear prominently throughout the text never emerge as real people. Summing Up: Recommended. All academic levels/libraries. --Paul E. Heineman, University of Maryland University College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
