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When determining the geographic division for a work of biography, problems often arise. Some are solved through the application of the general rule. [see below].

Other problems can also arise. The first is when a person's lifetime has spanned different eras [Also see below].

The second is whether to use the geographic areas for the Russia/Soviet Union/Former Soviet republics, or an independent republic subdivision.
See: Russia/Soviet Union or Independent Republic Subdivision?

The general rule is:

• For people living before 1917, use Russia.
• For those whose primary career was from 1917-1991, use Soviet Union.
• The only time LC has assigned Biography with Former Soviet republics is for books such as Who's who in Russia and the CIS countries.

When people's lifetimes span different eras, and their careers changed along with the government, the subject analysis becomes more complex, e.g.

A biography of Lenin

Revolutionaries--Russia--Biography.
Heads of state--Soviet Union--Biography.
DCLC93232516-B

A biography of Lidiia Dan, a Menshevik and opponent of the tsarist regime who emigrated in 1922

Revolutionaries--Russia--Biography.
Mensheviks--Soviet Union--Biography.
Add: Mensheviks--Russia--Biography.
DCLC8139663-B

A biography of Boris Savinkov (d. 1925), an opponent of the tsarist and Soviet regimes

Revolutionaries--Russia--Biography.
Princeton added: Revolutionaries--Soviet Union--Biography.
NJPG93-B24888

• In order to provide for consistency in headings, and to avoid the difficulty of choosing a single heading, in cases of doubt, double.

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