Russian Colonization of Alaska: Baranov's Era, 1799-1818 (Volume 2).

This article is a review of the book "Russian Colonization of Alaska: Baranov's Era, 1799-1818" by Andrei Val'terovich Grinev, translated by Richard L. Bland. The book focuses on Alexander Baranov, the chief ruler of the Russian colony in Alaska from 1802 to 1818. The author defends Baranov's role in the development and strengthening of the Russian colonies in Alaska. The book also discusses the concept of politarism, which refers to the state's ownership of resources and population, and its impact on Russian history. The review highlights the book's careful narrative, inclusion of new archival material, and useful appendices and map. However, it also points out some issues, such as the limited use of Tlingit oral histories and translation discrepancies. Overall, the review recommends the book as an important resource for those studying the history of Russian America. [Extracted from the article]