Shattering Empires: The Clash and Collapse of the Ottoman and Russian Empires 1908–1918 2.12.2011 Edition

"Shattering Empires is a pioneering study that brilliantly illuminates the entangled crises of the Ottoman and Russian states. In this timely and well-written book, Reynolds skilfully shows how the confrontation between these two states contributed to the collapse of both empires and to the birth of a new kind of politics in the Middle East and the Caucasus." Robert D. Crews, Stanford University

"Michael Reynolds has written an important and original book. He relates a complex story with remarkable clarity and admirable rigor. His balanced and nuanced account is based on wide research and is a major addition to the literature on Russian and Ottoman history, and to the history of the First World War." Peter Holquist, University of Pennsylvania

"Michael Reynolds combines a deep understanding of Russia and Turkey to produce an outstanding book that illuminates both historical and contemporary questions." Stephen Rosen, Harvard University

"Shattering Empires is a fine book … it makes a valuable contribution not only to the history of Russian-Ottoman relations but also to our understanding of the intersection of nationalism and geopolitics in the age of imperial downfall." -Times Literary Supplement

"This fine, provocative book asks important questions: about the alleged anachronistic nature of empires; about nationalism as a driving force to explain the modern historical narrative; about the quest for security and its costs and consequences. It deserves a wide and serious reading.". -Journal of Military History

"This very well-written study is an invaluable addition to literature on WWI, borderland studies, and analyses of the Armenian question. Highly recommended." -Choice

"...original, fresh, and insightful..." -Paul W. Werth, The Journal of Modern History

'Shattering Empires is the fruit of a rising scholar’s scrupulous archival labours … required reading for everyone who wishes to become properly acquainted with Russia’s Great War.' David Schimmelpenninck van der Oye, The Russian Review