Two of the authors of this book worked in the Soviet Union during Gorbachev's "perestroika": Rodrick Braithwaite was the British ambassador to the USSR, Jack Matlock was the US ambassador. They knew Mikhail Gorbachev well, met him many times, and besides, they knew his associates and enemies. The third of the authors, Strobe Talbott, was an adviser and deputy Secretary of State of the United States, had influence on the foreign policy of the United States, including with regard to the CCSR. In their memoirs, they write about how Gorbachev carried out "perestroika," about his negotiations and secret agreements with R. Reagan and J. Bush, with M. Thatcher. In addition, such prominent figures of the perestroika era as B. Yeltsin, A. Yakovlev, E. Shevardnadze, Yu. Afanasyev are described in detail; about V. Kryuchkov, D. Yazov, E. Ligachev; about the Emergency Committee and its failure; about the "democratic revolution" and the collapse of the USSR.