"Men Out of Focus presents a diverse range of films and other cultural materials to provide a snapshot of Soviet cultural history with global implications. Written in a lively style, it is accessible to the general reader, just as the inclusion of numerous translated political cartoons prove quite enjoyable. The specialist, too, will appreciate Dumančić’s heterogeneous selection of films."
Jess Jensen Mitchell, H-Soz-Kult
"A fascinating piece of work, meticulously researched and detailed, yet thoroughly accessible. While Dumančić’s main source is Soviet cinema, it would be doing this book a great disservice to see it only as a book about men on film. The wide variety of sources taken from different cultural genres and political discourses, the consideration of multiple facets of contemporary Soviet life, and the effort, especially in the final chapter, to situate the Soviet case among developments elsewhere in Europe, means that this is a seminal book which offers a richly textured analysis of Soviet society that goes far beyond the silver screen."
Claire McCallum, University of Exeter, The Russian Review
“Dumančić combines close textual analysis with corroborating material, including cartoons in the satirical journal, Krokodil, and debates within the Union of Cinematographers. The result is a nuanced and perceptive monograph which offers readers an insight into the gender norms that allowed sexual inequality to thrive."
Simon Huxtable, Contemporary European History
"Marko Dumančicì’s first book has been much anticipated in Soviet gender history, and it does not disappoint… Men Out of Focus is an excellent contribution to Soviet cultural history and film studies that enriches each of the many fields it touches."
Erica L. Fraser, Carleton University, Journal of Family History
"Exceptionally well written in graceful prose that is tinged with irony and humour, Men Out of Focus has the potential to make a major contribution to available scholarship. This book contributes to the study of Soviet masculinity, which has been neglected, and, as Dumančić indicates, is crucial for understanding our current moment."
Deborah Field, Department of History, Adrian College
"Utilizing a wide array of archival and printed primary sources, Men Out of Focus is a tour de force that will make a significant contribution to scholarship on the Soviet 1960s, Soviet filmmaking, and gender and masculinities in Russia and the Soviet Union as well as comparative and transnational studies."
Amy Randall, Department of History, Santa Clara University
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