Sergei Suslov who died in 1953 was a Professor in the University of Leningrad, and was an outstanding authority on the physical geography of Soviet Russia. The second edition of his book was published posthumously in 1956. It covers the geology, zoology, botany, geomorphology, and hydrology of Asiatic Russia, and thus enables the Western reader to understand something about the nature of this vast and practically unknown region.
The work is divided into four sections—Western Siberia, Eastern Siberia, the Far East, and Central Asia.
The ice of the Kara Sea and the glaciers of Novaya Zemlya and the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago (p. 20), are shown on a very adequate map accompanying a description of the region. The Quaternary Era and its ice advances and retreats are well covered, those of Severnaya Zemlya being shown in greater detail on a larger scale in a map on p. 167.
Permafrost is believed to cover nearly 45 per cent of the U.S.S.R., and considerable space, accompanied by an excellent map, is devoted to a detailed account of its incidence and features.
In the hydrology section of Eastern Siberia, there are maps showing the isochrones of the freeze and break up of river ice.
The Sea of Okhotsk naturally has an important influence on the climate of its coasts and these, including those of Sakhalin Island, are dealt with very fully. The Bering Sea, with its sea ice, currents and salinity, is also very well handled. In the Far East the same applies to the Sea of Japan. The Sayan Mountains in the south of Central Siberia, with their cirques and glaciers, are described in considerable detail.
Probably the most important part of the work for the glaciologist is that describing the mountain regions of Central Asia—Stalin Peak 24,590 ft. (7,500 m.), the highest summit in the U.S.S.R., the Ice Age glaciations, and the present-day ice cover of the district. These are all illustrated with excellent photographs.
The description of the Fedchenko Glacier is of special interest, even though, in this particular case, much literature already exists. It is the largest glacier in the U.S.S.R. extending for 46 miles (74 km.). It receives 37 tributary ice streams.
In addition to the many maps and photographs, the various regions described are shown in a carefully prepared key map at the end of the book.
It has only been possible in a short review to enumerate the most outstanding features of a really remarkably fine piece of original work and its equally excellent translation made by Dr. N. D. Gershevsky of the University of Washington, and admirably edited by Mr. J. E. Williams of Stanford University.
