The text consists of an introduction, two chapters, an appendix, and selected bibliography. The introduction underlines the significance of advance preparation for archival research and the importance of analyzing both the outward aspects and the textological features of archival documents. The first chapter presents two methods of reading documents -- graphical and logical. A general survey of the evolution of Russian alphabet and handwriting is followed by a more elaborate exposition of the graphical characteristics of modern hands. The logical approach links up the common principles of producing documents in Russia with data unearthed by auxiliary historical disciplines such as paleography, chronology, metrology, toponymy, and sphragistics. The second chapter subjects four sample documents to detailed analysis to demonstrate how to apply the author's own simple techniques to deciphering illegible hands. Throughout the book, 85 illustrations present archival documents of various types. The texts are deciphered and supplied with commentary. These features make this guide useful both in the classroom and for individual practice in reading Russian handwritten archival documents.