The question of “Why Ukraine Matters” should be the question that everyone is asking. This work by Mr. Chowdhury is incredibly well researched and he obviously knows what his subject well.

I will say that this book is cumbersome. At 600 pages, there are a lot of details. Now that I’ve learned that it is a collection of individual works that the author put together, it makes more sense, I felt like it was constantly going back to topics that had already been discussed, therefore making this a disjointed read. I feel that while this topic is very relevant, and I encourage everyone to read up on the subject, this book might be a bit much for people who don’t have a background in politely science, international relations, or history of the region. I think the beginning chapters are very useful. They talk about the historical importance of Ukraine in Russian history. There are chapters on NATO and each countries perspective on the region, there are a lot of references to WWII and the collapse of the Soviet Union, and a LOT about the oligarchs and corruption in the former Soviet Republics.

I know this sounds strange for a 4 star review. I have an MA in International Relations so this type of work is very interesting to me. The amount of knowledge and detail in this work is outstanding. My recommendation is that if the idea of 600 pages scares you, take it a section at a time, and if something holds no interest for you, skim through it. (I admit I did that through the pages detailing the history of gas and oil prices of the region).

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The endless repetition in this book makes it very difficult to recommend. It is made up of a series of essays dating back to 2002 when the author was still in school, and because of this, it contains countless descriptions of the very same facts, dates, and statistics. The information in this book should be heavily edited and combined into a shorter very good book.

For anyone who closely follows the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I would consider this book a 'must read.' It starts back before I even realized there was a beginning with multiple invasions and the dividing of Poland by Russia. It gives a historical context that helps make sense of what has been going on since 24 Feb 2022. It does not stop at the historical perspective but dives into the geopolitical forces over the past 100 years then dives deep into the current crisis.

Most historical and political books written about current affairs can become 'stale' as events make them irrelevant. This author's depth of knowledge along with his ability to write clearly makes the book more relevant over time rather than less. I highly recommend this book for everyone who follows the war in Ukraine and wants a more complete understanding of 'why.'