Angela Stent, a Georgetown professor who has advised multiple administrations on Russia policy, provides a detailed account of US-Russia relations from the Soviet collapse through the Obama administration. Stent traces repeated cycles of hope and disappointment: the optimism following the Cold War's end giving way to tensions over NATO expansion and the Balkans; the post-9/11 cooperation on terrorism deteriorating amid disagreements over Iraq and democracy promotion; the Obama-era 'reset' collapsing after Putin's return to the presidency. She identifies structural factors that make the relationship inherently difficult, including conflicting interests in the post-Soviet space, different values regarding democracy and human rights, and incompatible visions of international order. Stent examines specific issues including arms control, Iran, and energy, showing how progress in one area rarely translated to others. Drawing on her extensive contacts with officials in both countries, she provides insider perspective on how policy was actually made. The book argues that managing rather than solving the US-Russia relationship should be the realistic goal, requiring sustained engagement despite inevitable frustrations. Essential reading for understanding the historical patterns that continue to shape one of the world's most consequential bilateral relationships.