It’s the holiday season, so get your friends and loved ones books or journal subscriptions to read (instead of new brain-rot devices). Even better if you go directly to a publisher or through your local bookstore! That said, here are some recent JSMS book reviews...

Obviously doing it so they can get a mineral for a superweapon is classic SciFi nonsense, but the whole thing with the ISB deliberately building up radical groups with agents of dubious loyalty and then having it all blow up in their face is *extremely* early 20th century Okhrana-coded.

Good to see the U.S. and Ukraine agree to a joint peace plan. However, this plan is irrelevant. Russia never proposed a legitimate plan. The 28 point “Dim-Witt” plan was an influence operation rather than a plan for a just and lasting peace.

I just want to say there are a lot of journalists and writers who do real, incredible work on topics that matter while maintaining high standards. Many of them do not have stable employment or recognition from major institutions.

Stop asking the internet if people still go to the library. Yes, every day, 7 days a week. Still free. Still a safe space. Still no purchase required

MOTHERLAND is finally out today! And she's a finalist for the National Book Award. Get your copy today! bookshop.org/p/books/moth...

Hi writers! I’m looking to assign a couple of features for Slate before the end of the year. If you have anything in mind that you think would be a fit please send me a pitch! Jenée.Desmond- [email protected] or dm me. RTs are appreciated so this can reach more people. Thanks!

Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching

Looking for a distraction from the news? Turn your attention the latest JSMS issue found here www.tandfonline.com/toc/fslv20/3..., volume 38, issue 3, including papers about fascists, and antifascists... we'll let you delve into which is which...

We have a new author interview up on @peripheralhist.bsky.social We were lucky enough to speak to Isaac McKean Scarborough about his excellent book 'Moscow's Heavy Shadow: the Violent Collapse of the USSR' www.peripheralhistories.co.uk/post/moscow-...

“the girlfriend of one of the founders of antifa”

Historians who write books, please a) set up your own author website, independent of your university profile and b) get some professional headshots taken. Love, your friendly neighborhood podcaster.

In March of 1945, the US Army issued this "fact sheet" to guide conversations with soldiers on the topic of fascism, paying particular attention to the ongoing threat that domestic fascist movements posed to the US. Their analysis of what a homegrown US fascism would look like is interesting.

Fascinating article from 1941, by the great Dorothy Thompson. harpers.org/archive/1941...

Why do some publishers keep table of contents a secret? What possible reason?

AI advocates have warned that if every author in the class action filed a claim, it would "financially ruin" the entire industry.

And, one more update from this latest issue. Latest book reviews include: Australia’s Lost Heroes: Anzacs in the Russian Civil War 1919, by Damien Wright, from Big Sky Publishing [ed: that's Australia, not Montana], (reviewed by Lincoln E. Flake)... www.bigskypublishing.com.au/books/austra...

Also out this issue, "On the battles for Hill 446 (Pustki) during the Gorlice breakthrough (2 May 1915) once again,” by Jan Błachnio...

New issue is out, www.tandfonline.com/toc/fslv20/3...

A Chat GPT tale of fraud, challenge and redemption in several acts. It would be funny if it would not be scary. And tragic. I decided to see what AI was all about by letting it write a short essay about a topic that I knew well: Soviet hippies. What got back was…

A new entry in the Ambassadors' Series on Central Asia, published by @eurasianet.bsky.social, spearheaded by @nargiskassenova.bsky.social of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies. Allan Mustard on the use of shoe leather diplomacy in Turkmenistan. eurasianet.org/memoir-recol...

About to start your summer break...? Take a look at these books--some, perfect beach reading, others not quite so much--and reach out if you are interesting in reviewing one of these for @josms.bsky.social ... docs.google.com/document/d/1...

For the full program and to register, see the link below Interpretation will be available and participants will be able to listen to all sessions in Ukrainian and English events.iu.edu/reei/event/1...

The first @josms.bsky.social 2025 issue is out. As always, if interested in contributing an article, review, or other work, reach out! This issue, Mark Kramer looks at "The Soviet Legacy and Moscow’s Disregard of International Humanitarian Law – The Wellsprings of Russian War Crimes in Ukraine"...

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Happy new year and the closeout of JSMS issues for 2024. The combined issue 3-4 for 2024 includes pieces on the war in Ukraine and historical looks at Barbarossa. There are also books reviews (and, as always, a growing list of books for review docs.google.com/document/d/1...)

Much of the copyediting at academic presses is being farmed out to copyeditors, often in India, with zero familiarity with academic language, to say nothing of specific fields. It's a problem. I had a copyeditor mangle a piece of mine recently; it took hours to correct the mistakes he introduced.

Help a book review editor out! Who is working on post-Soviet and contemporary Russian media (news, internet, digital media, etc.) who might be interested in reviewing books for @russianreview.bsky.social? Hoping to update my list because right now it is pretty small.

So, I am told that this is the good place, so will try something by listing books for review publicly. This is something that Europe-Asia Studies inspired in terms of seeking reviews, reviewers, and giving attention to new books...

NEW EPISODE >> THE ARMED FORCES OF CENTRAL ASIA: PART 2 - WARGAMING REGIONAL CONFLICTS For part 2, we brought in military, security, academic, and government experts to wargame three regional conflicts and explore how they might unfold. www.theredlinepodcast.com/post/wargami...

Interested in writing a book review for the @josms.bsky.social then send a message. Reviews are faster than an article and particularly great for grad students looking to commit concepts and ideas to memory...

Looking to add to the @josms.bsky.social editorial board for the journal. Message if interested and note some background or areas of specialization...