ABSTRACT
The Soviet Union is a country poorly understood by a majority of Americans and one in which they are interested. How are they to find out about the Soviet Union? They can turn to American publications, but culture creates an internal bias that is difficult to overcome. In addition to providing information on a particular subject, periodicals reveal a great deal about the publishers’ perspective. An alternative is to read sources generated from the USSR. In this way, the reader gains not only an impression of what conditions are like, but an idea of what the authorities perceive as truth or wish to convey as such. Reality is subjective and even if the average citizen does not accept the official view, its constant, pervasive existence will color their attitudes and perspectives. Periodicals, rather than monographs, were chosen for review because they more accurately reflect the current perceptions of reality.
