The Man Who Knew Russia - (Stanford-Hoover Authoritarianism) by Jonathan Daly (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Richard Pipes was a longtime Harvard University professor, historian of Imperial and Soviet Russia, and influential Soviet expert during the Cold War. A towering figure in his field, Pipes produced work that shaped the study of Russian and Soviet history, and he influenced U.S. foreign policy as a public intellectual and political advisor, including as a member of the National Security Council during the Reagan administration. At the same time, Pipes was a controversial figure; his tendency to swim against the intellectual tide and challenge consensus views alienated some colleagues and angered others. In this biography, Daly cuts through the controversy surrounding Pipes to present a nuanced portrait of his life, thinking, and the philosophical and ethical principles that underpinned his work. Placing Pipes' scholarship and political career in the context of Russian studies, U.S.-Soviet relations, and the Cold War, Daly elucidates Pipes' impact, and argues that his broad learning, keen historical judgment, and humanistic approach permitted him to attain a deep understanding of Russia's historical and contemporary development that continues to resonate today"--

Book Synopsis

Richard Pipes was a longtime Harvard University professor, historian of Imperial and Soviet Russia, and influential Soviet expert during the Cold War. A towering figure in his field, Pipes produced work that shaped the study of Russian and Soviet history, and he influenced U.S. foreign policy as a public intellectual and political advisor, including as a member of the National Security Council during the Reagan administration. At the same time, Pipes was a controversial figure; his tendency to swim against the intellectual tide and challenge consensus views alienated some colleagues and angered others.

In this biography, Daly cuts through the controversy surrounding Pipes to present a nuanced portrait of his life, thinking, and the philosophical and ethical principles that underpinned his work. Placing Pipes' scholarship and political career in the context of Russian studies, U.S.-Soviet relations, and the Cold War, Daly elucidates Pipes' impact, and argues that his broad learning, keen historical judgment, and humanistic approach permitted him to attain a deep understanding of Russia's historical and contemporary development that continues to resonate today.

Review Quotes

"Daly has written a deeply researched, unsentimental, and surprisingly relevant biography of a historian who transformed the field of Soviet studies and the world we live in. This book penetrates the complex ideas in many of Pipes' writings, revealing an elegant thinker who deserves a second look."--Russell E. Martin, Westminster College

"Richard Pipes was a great scholar, devoted professor, and mentor who left an indelible mark on the study of Russian History. Jonathan Daly's fine intellectual biography is long overdue for Pipes, but could not be more timely for reflecting on the complexities of understanding Russia."--Fiona Hill, The Brookings Institution

"Richard Pipes, Harvard Professor and intellectual giant in Russian history, was shunned by liberals and leftists because of his conservative political views. Jonathan Daly's engaging biography of Pipes will enlighten both his friends and foes and should be read widely."--Hiroaki Kuromiya, Indiana University Bloomington

About the Author

Jonathan Daly is Professor of History at the University of Illinois Chicago. His previous books include Pillars of the Profession: The Correspondence of Richard Pipes and Marc Raeff (2019) and Seven Myths of the Russian Revolution (2023) with Leonid Trofimov.