Midnight Diaries

The title of Yeltsin's third book lacks the messianic fire of his first two volumes, Against the Grain and The Struggle for Russia. An account of his embattled last four years in power, this memoir is more personal than political, offering reflection in place of justification. The publisher promises ""an international publishing event,"" synchronizing its release in Russia, Europe and the U.S. The author's aim is less grandiose--to help ""even in some small way to make sense of recent events."" Whether an account so strongly selective in its retelling can be said to ""make sense"" out of what was a particularly murky tenure is debatable. What is more important, Yeltsin' diaries restores lucidity and morality to a man whose image was ravaged along with his body by a punishing second term. Here Yeltsin explains his calculated strategy behind the steady succession of governments that outwardly resembled a flailing executive. He devotes much time and candor to the psychological impact of physical deterioration and his resulting determination to reunite with his constituents despite single-digit approval ratings. There are some strange moments as well. Yeltsin says, for example, he received intelligence in 1996 of a plot by U.S. Republicans to undermine President Clinton by sending a beautiful young ""provocateur"" into his White House circle. This tip is characteristic of Yeltsin, who often included impulsive handwritten comments in his speeches that his aides had previously edited from the TelePrompTer. Not a monotonous list of dates, this thematically organized book is well written and enlightening. With a first serial in Newsweek and an interview with the author on 60 Minutes, Yeltsin's new diary should draw a larger readership than his first two. (Oct. 17)