The Russian Mafia

Varese deserves the highest praise for a stunning book that is of the very best academic quality in terms of scholarly rigour in its treatment of Soviet and post-Russia culture. This is a thoughtful, multidisciplinary examination of a complex phenomenom. The book is rich with data and each page bursts with insight from the experiences of all those connected to mafia activity. The Russian Mafia is that rare thing in acadmia-an un-put-downable book that prompts you to seek out more knowledge on who's who in Russian Business and Russian organised crime. I enjoyed reading it immensely and have learned much from it. * The British Journal of Criminology *
Federico Varese's study of the Russian mafia is aimed primarily at students of crime rather than exclusively at Russia-watchers ... With considerable intrepidity, Varese has conducted numerous interviews (and contextualised them with scrupulous documentary research) with people who have availed themselves of the mafia's services. The resulting picture of economic and social life in Perm is instructive and sobering. * The Political Quarterly *
A work of incontestable quality ... The appearance of this work must definitely be welcome, because it marks the emergence of scientific rigor in the treatment of the Russian Mafia and calls for a multidisciplinary examination of post-Soviet society. * Gilles Favarel-Garrigues, Revue d'Etudes Comparatives Est-Ouest (Paris) *
Enlightening, perceptive and superbly researched. Essential reading for anybody seriously interested in the mind and heart of contemporary Russian criminal society. * John le Carré *
In his scholarly study, Varese systematically surveys the source of the problem, inventories the origins and resources of those groups providing protection, and then describes the way the relationship works. At the core of his book is an elaborate case study of the city of Perm, where he spent months working with police records, conducting interviews, and collecting newspaper stories. * Robert Legvold, Foreign Affairs *
Headlines on Russian organized crime appear regularly in the Western Press and carry alarming messages ... Now we finally have a sober, scholarly account. Unlike headline writers, Varese is cautious about the use of the term 'Mafia' ... The history of the vory-v-zakone is fascinating. * Alena Ledeneva, Times Literary Supplement *
The first comprehensive study of the Russian Mafia is by a young Italian scholar, Federico Varese. His book is an extraordinary account. * Daniele Archibugi, Il Manifesto (Rome) *