"Why have I been exiled to prison?" It was a question millions of Soviet citizens asked themselves in the latter 1930s and in the years that followed World War Two. The charges brought against those who were imprisoned were decided by the State and the time of incarceration was also decided by the State. Urkho Rukhanen was arrested in 1938 and was accused of participating in an anti-Soviet nationalist organization. The accusation was a fabrication. Urkho was declared guilty, was exiled to a prison labor camp and was released in 1946. Sofia Prupis was arrested in 1949. She was accused of being a Trotskyite and a Zionist. The charges brought against her were fabrications. She was declared guilty of treason and given a ten-year sentence. Both Urkho and Sofia are the main subjects in the book.

"Why have I been exiled to prison?" It was a question millions of Soviet citizens asked themselves in the latter 1930s and in the years that followed World War Two. The charges brought against those who were imprisoned were decided by the State and the time of incarceration was also decided by the State. Urkho Rukhanen was arrested in 1938 and was accused of participating in an anti-Soviet nationalist organization. The accusation was a fabrication. Urkho was declared guilty, was exiled to a prison labor camp and was released in 1946. Sofia Prupis was arrested in 1949. She was accused of being a Trotskyite and a Zionist. The charges brought against her were fabrications. She was declared guilty of treason and given a ten-year sentence. Both Urkho and Sofia are the main subjects in the book.

Unlocked Memories is a collection of memories that were shared by Russians who witnessed the German invasion of the Leningrad region in 1941. All were children or young people during World War Two and nearly all were natives of Luga, Oredezh, or villages that were clustered around these two towns. Each lived under German rule after the Leningrad region was overrun and occupied by the enemy. The authors collected these memories over a period of ten years. Many of the memories had been locked away for decades; some to spare others from embarrassment, some for reasons that concerned the subject's welfare of the welfare of a relative or friend, and others because it was too painful to reflect upon them. All were recorded chronologically and have been placed within a historical narrative.

Unlocked Memories is a collection of memories that were shared by Russians who witnessed the German invasion of the Leningrad region in 1941. All were children or young people during World War Two and nearly all were natives of Luga, Oredezh, or villages that were clustered around these two towns. Each lived under German rule after the Leningrad region was overrun and occupied by the enemy. The authors collected these memories over a period of ten years. Many of the memories had been locked away for decades; some to spare others from embarrassment, some for reasons that concerned the subject's welfare of the welfare of a relative or friend, and others because it was too painful to reflect upon them. All were recorded chronologically and have been placed within a historical narrative.

The Women of Izmaelovka documents the lives of seven women who are residents of a Siberian village located on the steppes of the Ural region. The village was turned into a collective farm in 1929. As the women reflect on their lives, they discuss significant events such as collectivization, Joseph Stalin's acts of repression, the Great Patriotic War, de-Stalinization, Nikita Khrushchev's agricultural programs, the Brezhnev years and the fall of the Communist Party. Various stages of the women's lives are explored, including the years of educational experiences, marriage, motherhood, and assigned work. The daily routines of domestic duties, activities in the Village Club, and village traditions are also discussed. Having little control of their destinies and sacrificing much in order to survive, the women endured long hours of tedious labor under difficult situations. They detail having worked as milkmaids, pig herders, tractor drivers, combine operators, nurses, librarians, and Village Club coordinators. The women describe the ideological influence that the Communist Party of the Soviet Union brought into Izmaelovka through socialist competitions, propaganda, and youth organizations. Arguing that this rigid indoctrination taught them to believe that honesty, hard work, and Communism would achieve a better life and society, the study examines the effects of the Communist ideology on the women who sacrificed everything for it.

The Women of Izmaelovka documents the lives of seven women who are residents of a Siberian village located on the steppes of the Ural region. The village was turned into a collective farm in 1929. As the women reflect on their lives, they discuss significant events such as collectivization, Joseph Stalin's acts of repression, the Great Patriotic War, de-Stalinization, Nikita Khrushchev's agricultural programs, the Brezhnev years and the fall of the Communist Party. Various stages of the women's lives are explored, including the years of educational experiences, marriage, motherhood, and assigned work. The daily routines of domestic duties, activities in the Village Club, and village traditions are also discussed. Having little control of their destinies and sacrificing much in order to survive, the women endured long hours of tedious labor under difficult situations. They detail having worked as milkmaids, pig herders, tractor drivers, combine operators, nurses, librarians, and Village Club coordinators. The women describe the ideological influence that the Communist Party of the Soviet Union brought into Izmaelovka through socialist competitions, propaganda, and youth organizations. Arguing that this rigid indoctrination taught them to believe that honesty, hard work, and Communism would achieve a better life and society, the study examines the effects of the Communist ideology on the women who sacrificed everything for it.