Overreach

The Inside Story of Putin’s War Against Ukraine

Owen Matthews

$55

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Mudlark
01 February 2023

History: specific events & topics; Military history; Diplomacy; Geopolitics; Political corruption

Winner of the Pushkin House Book Prize 2023
*A Telegraph Book of the Year
*

A Times Best Book of Summer 2023
*Shortlisted for the Parliamentary Book Awards
*

An astonishing investigation into the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war – from the corridors of the Kremlin to the trenches of Mariupol.

The Russo-Ukrainian War is the most serious geopolitical crisis since the Second World War – and yet at the heart of the conflict is a mystery. Vladimir Putin apparently lurched from a calculating, subtle master of opportunity to a reckless gambler, putting his regime – and Russia itself – at risk of destruction. Why?

Drawing on over 25 years’ experience as a correspondent in Moscow, as well as his own family ties to Russia and Ukraine, journalist Owen Matthews takes us through the poisoned historical roots of the conflict, into the Covid bubble where Putin conceived his invasion plans in a fog of paranoia about Western threats, and finally into the inner circle around Ukrainian president and unexpected war hero Volodimir Zelensky.

Using the accounts of current and former insiders from the Kremlin and its propaganda machine, the testimony of captured Russian soldiers and on-the-ground reporting from Russia and Ukraine, Overreach tells the story not only of the war’s causes but how the first six months unfolded.

With its panoramic view, Overreach is an authoritative, unmissable record of a conflict that shocked Europe to its core.

By: Owen Matthews
Imprint: Mudlark
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 240mm, Width: 159mm, Spine: 37mm
Weight: 690g
ISBN: 9780008562748
ISBN 10: 0008562741
Pages: 432
Publication Date: 01 February 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Award-winning correspondent, historian and fluent Russian-speaker Owen Matthews has lived and worked in Moscow for over 25 years. He has built up an unrivalled network of contacts who have worked in Putin’s administration, security services, armed forces and propaganda machine. He worked first as a staffer for The Moscow Times and then as Newsweek magazine’s Moscow Bureau Chief. He has covered conflicts in Bosnia, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Chechnya, Iraq, Georgia and Eastern Ukraine. He currently contributes regularly to Foreign Policy, Spectator, Daily Mail, Telegraph and The Critic.

Reviews for Overreach: The Inside Story of Putin’s War Against Ukraine

Praise for Overreach 'Not merely the first full account of the war in Ukraine, but may set the standard for some time to come ... a remarkable achievement, with Matthews's expert eye like an all-seeing drone, buzzing from one side of the conflict to the other' 5* Telegraph 'A wave of hurriedly written books about the Russo-Ukrainian war is about to crash over our bookshops and overburdened shelves, but it is hard not to feel sorry for most of their authors. Owen Matthews has already come out with what is not only one of the fastest, but also likely to be the best, setting a painfully high benchmark for those who follow.' Times 'The best new book on Russia ... a classic as enduring as Orwell's Homage to Catalonia' Literary Review 'Superb ... a true page-turner' Andrew Roberts, BBC History Praise for Owen Matthews 'Matthews himself seems to contain an essence of a Russia that preceded the turmoils and savage inflictions that he so richly describes in his book.' The Guardian 'This is Robert Harris storytelling territory and is told with equal panache and authenticity. There could be no higher praise.' Daily Mail 'Not only does Owen Matthews write with extraordinary vividness... but his technique is more that of a novelist than a journalist - and a master craftsman at that.' Spectator 'Owen Matthews tells the story with tremendous verve and expertise and a real talent for mise en scene ... Vividly alive ... richly authentic.' William Boyd, New Statesman 'Ben Macintyre and John le Carre fans alike will find themselves very much at home.' The Observer 'There are some authors who have gone out into the world to observe the good, the bad and the ugly. Owen Matthews is such ... fascinating and has fearsome authenticity.' Frederick Forsyth