Vintage, 1983. That jacket is worn around edges and has a three-quarter inch tear on lower back side. H spots visible on upper edges of pages when book is closed. The first page has a stamp, indicating the book was sold to an employee of the publishing company. See photos. The book chronicles the lives, thoughts, and socio-economic conditions of the Russian people during the 25 years leading up to World War I. It specifically covers the era from the great grain famine of 1891 until the beginning of the Great War in 1914. It explores the Russian people's entry into the 20th century, focusing on revolutionary movements, political conditions, and the impending social unrest that led to the end of the Romanov empire.