Better late than never is my motto for this week. I was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to speak to Professor Taubman, author of the critically acclaimed and definitive biography of Khrushchev: "Khrushchev, the man and his era." Nikita Khrushchev is probably one of the most controversial figures in the history of the Soviet Union. Both a symbol of peaceful coexistence, but also responsible for some of the most tense moments of the Cold War. His reputation at home was no less volatile. In this episode Professor Taubman explains the impact of Khrushchev's personality on his actions as a Soviet leader, covering a diverse range of topics from economic reform to the Cold War. 

There is some interesting discussion here about the use of the psychological approach in profiling Khrushchev. This lends Professor Taubman and interesting angle on many of the issues of the Khrushchev period. Neither inherently western, nor revisionist in outlook, he provides a fascinating insight into a very complex man.

Professor Taubman's excellent book can be found via Amazon HERE and we can look forward to his newest work, a biography of Gorbachev, due in a few years. I have also attached a very brief summary of the main points of our discussion for revision purposes.

I would be very interested in any comments or feedback on this episode. Remember to subscribe to the whole series using the links on the right. Mobile users will need to click on these or the image.

Hello and welcome to andallthat.co.uk’s new podcast series: Meet the Historians. Over the course of this first series I will be talking to a number of historians who have written about the Soviet Union and finding out a bit more about their historical methods and approaches. I will also be exploring their interpretations of key topics such as: Stalin’s wartime leadership; the effectiveness of Khrushchev’s de-Stalinisation programme; and the reasons for the breakup of the USSR. The series will be available to download as a podcast at PodOMatic, to subscribe to via iTunes, or as individual episodes here at www.andallthat.co.uk/meetthehistorians

In the first episode of the series, I will be joined by Professor Bill Taubman, author of 'Khrushchev, The Man and his Era.' We will be discussing his historical methods, as well as his views on Khrushchev's motives for reform. We will also have a look at the impact of Khrushchev's personality on his foreign policy and make some links with the current crisis in Ukraine.

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast links on the right, either via PodOMatic or iTunes. You can also follow the AndAllThat feed on Twitter for more updates. As ever, all comments are welcome.