The book traces the history of communist Bulgaria from 1944 to 1989. A chronological overview of the building of the socialist state from the ground up, its peaceful entrenchment into the routine of everyday life, its inner crises, and its gradual running out of steam and self-destruction are charted. The book is the definitive guide to Bulgaria

The book traces the history of communist Bulgaria from 1944 to 1989. A detailed narrative-cum-study of the history of a political system, it provides a chronological overview of the building of the socialist state from the ground up, its entrenchment into the peaceful routine of everyday life, its inner crises, and its gradual decline and self-destruction. The book is the definitive and the most complete guide to Bulgaria under communism and how the communist system operates on a day-to-day level.