Story of Russia
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- Author：Orlando Figes
- ISBN：1526631768
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Summary
From “the great storyteller of Russian history” （Financial Times）， a brilliantly colored account of the myths that have shaped and reshaped Russia’s identity and politics from its founding
Who were the Rus， the ancient tribe from which the Russians trace their origins？ Were they Baltic Slavs， hailing from within the territory that would become Russia？ Or were they Vikings from Scandinavia， who came in from the outside to organize chaotic warring groups？ Russians initially embraced the former theory， following a surge in nationalist sentiment， but autocrats， including Catherine the Great， came to trumpet the latter， which supported the notion that the Russian people are incapable of self-governance。 Both sides were using history to create myths， narratives of national identity that could be deployed for their own political ends。
The Story of Russia is about how the Russians defined themselves—and repeatedly reinvented such definitions along the way。 Moving from Russia’s agrarian beginnings in the first millennium to subsequent periods of monarchy， totalitarianism， and perestroika， all the way up to Vladimir Putin and his use of myths of Russian history to bolster his regime， celebrated historian Orlando Figes examines the ideas that have guided the country’s actions: the need for autocracy to rule Russia’s vast land; the veneration of the “Holy Tsar” and the cult of the leader; the belief in an essentially Russian collectivist spirit; and the oscillation between Russia’s European and Eurasian character。
With beautiful writing and alluring perspectives， The Story of Russia is as much about the myths and ideologies that have shaped Russian history—about the ways the Russians have interpreted their past—as it is about the events， institutions， social groups， and leaders that have made that history。 And as modern Russia retreats from Europe， this authoritative account of Russia’s past might well elucidate its future。
Who were the Rus， the ancient tribe from which the Russians trace their origins？ Were they Baltic Slavs， hailing from within the territory that would become Russia？ Or were they Vikings from Scandinavia， who came in from the outside to organize chaotic warring groups？ Russians initially embraced the former theory， following a surge in nationalist sentiment， but autocrats， including Catherine the Great， came to trumpet the latter， which supported the notion that the Russian people are incapable of self-governance。 Both sides were using history to create myths， narratives of national identity that could be deployed for their own political ends。
The Story of Russia is about how the Russians defined themselves—and repeatedly reinvented such definitions along the way。 Moving from Russia’s agrarian beginnings in the first millennium to subsequent periods of monarchy， totalitarianism， and perestroika， all the way up to Vladimir Putin and his use of myths of Russian history to bolster his regime， celebrated historian Orlando Figes examines the ideas that have guided the country’s actions: the need for autocracy to rule Russia’s vast land; the veneration of the “Holy Tsar” and the cult of the leader; the belief in an essentially Russian collectivist spirit; and the oscillation between Russia’s European and Eurasian character。
With beautiful writing and alluring perspectives， The Story of Russia is as much about the myths and ideologies that have shaped Russian history—about the ways the Russians have interpreted their past—as it is about the events， institutions， social groups， and leaders that have made that history。 And as modern Russia retreats from Europe， this authoritative account of Russia’s past might well elucidate its future。
Reviews
AK Ram
，
After a promising start wherein the author covers the origins of the formation of the Russian state， the development of its Orthodox form of Christianity & the social & economic development of its peoples - the book descends into a thinly veiled scathing attack on the Russian leadership & their ‘misdeeds’ post the 1917 revolution。The effect of having open land borders prone to invasion from multiple directions on the thinking of successive leaders is well brought out。 The successful expansion of After a promising start wherein the author covers the origins of the formation of the Russian state， the development of its Orthodox form of Christianity & the social & economic development of its peoples - the book descends into a thinly veiled scathing attack on the Russian leadership & their ‘misdeeds’ post the 1917 revolution。The effect of having open land borders prone to invasion from multiple directions on the thinking of successive leaders is well brought out。 The successful expansion of the Russian ‘state’ （Siberia & the Ottoman， etc lands） & its development as the largest land empire in history could have also covered the methods of assimilation （or its failure） of diverse peoples in more detail。The amazing transformation of the Russian state from a defeated， fragmented & technologically backward condition in 1917 to one that fought the powerful Third Reich created by Hitler to a standstill a few years later （1940s） & then reversed the tide of World War 2 is not covered adequately。Russia’s （& Putin’s） request to join the European Union & NATO & be a part of the “European” family of nations is similarly brushed aside with little comment。 The continuing interference by the US led Alliance in Eastern European countries post the fall of the Berlin Wall （Serbia， etc） & expansion of NATO to the very borders of Russia， contrary to an agreement that this would not happen， also does not rate an in depth analysis。Historically， the ‘Russian people’ have included the populations of Belorussia & the Ukraine with a large ‘Russian’ population in Eastern Ukraine。 Though this is acknowledged by the author he emphasises the ‘nationalist’ （& anti Russian） movement of the Ukrainians without commenting on why such conditions did not appear in the Belorussian region。Russia， whether under the Tsars or the later post revolution leaders is categorised as historically & culturally a threat to ‘the West’。 Period。 Expected more from a Cambridge scholar。 Disappointing。 。。。more
Bronte Baonza
，
read this for my last unit of uni and ended up really enjoying it。 really interesting analysis of all of Russia’s history and how it got to where it is today。 mysticism and mythology in states are going to continue to stop progress。 good read
Michael Quirk
，
Excellent overview of Russia’s emergence and evolution as an empire under both aristocratic rule and Communist dictatorships， and the myths and perceptions that drive Putin’s view of Russia’s place in the world。
Deirdre
，
Very insightful， but too dry and factual for me to get through
Juan Rivera
，
A brutal mistake when you treat a person is to consider that they think and act as we would。 It affects not only what he feels or what he thinks but the whole story of him in his reactions and decisions。 In the same way， we Westerners cannot understand why Russia attacks Ukraine， why it believes that NATO is in an offensive and not a defensive alliance， why it does not want to lose its satellite countries and wants to keep them subjugated。 What is Russia？ Where did she come from？ Why could she h A brutal mistake when you treat a person is to consider that they think and act as we would。 It affects not only what he feels or what he thinks but the whole story of him in his reactions and decisions。 In the same way， we Westerners cannot understand why Russia attacks Ukraine， why it believes that NATO is in an offensive and not a defensive alliance， why it does not want to lose its satellite countries and wants to keep them subjugated。 What is Russia？ Where did she come from？ Why could she have fallen into the communist trap？ How are Russians defined today in the post-Soviet era？ All the answers in this short but clarifying book。 。。。more
Scott Beddingfield
，
Timely and vitally current review which uses Russian history （dating to its origins） to explain the current conflict in Ukraine。 Russia’s swings from religious ideology to socialist and even democratic leanings have been manipulated by autocratic leaders since it’s beginnings。 The ‘writer explains that the repurposing’ of Russia’s history for the purposes of its current strongman of the moment is not a new phenomenon。 We are better served when reminded that this historical interpretation will al Timely and vitally current review which uses Russian history （dating to its origins） to explain the current conflict in Ukraine。 Russia’s swings from religious ideology to socialist and even democratic leanings have been manipulated by autocratic leaders since it’s beginnings。 The ‘writer explains that the repurposing’ of Russia’s history for the purposes of its current strongman of the moment is not a new phenomenon。 We are better served when reminded that this historical interpretation will always color Russia’s position toward the West。 。。。more
Riet
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Een goede recapitulatie van de Russische geschiedenis tot het begin van de oorlog met Oekraine。 Figes heeft veel over Rusland geschreven， dus het is niet allemaal nieuw。 Wat wel nieuw is: hij laat in dit boek zien hoe door de hele geschiedenis het Russische volk de noodzaak heeft gevoeld van een autocraat aan de macht。 En dat is natuurlijk zelden een goedwillende autocraat。 Echte democratie hebben ze eigenlijk nooit gekend。 Het boek eindigt bij de invasie van Oekraine。 Over de afloop is dan nog Een goede recapitulatie van de Russische geschiedenis tot het begin van de oorlog met Oekraine。 Figes heeft veel over Rusland geschreven， dus het is niet allemaal nieuw。 Wat wel nieuw is: hij laat in dit boek zien hoe door de hele geschiedenis het Russische volk de noodzaak heeft gevoeld van een autocraat aan de macht。 En dat is natuurlijk zelden een goedwillende autocraat。 Echte democratie hebben ze eigenlijk nooit gekend。 Het boek eindigt bij de invasie van Oekraine。 Over de afloop is dan nog niets te zeggen。 Ook de kwalijke rol van de Russisch-Orthodoxe kerk wordt goed belicht。 Het is niet Figes' beste boek over Rusland， maar wel informatief。 。。。more
Bjorn
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Goed overzicht van de Russische geschiedenis。 Soms wordt het wat ingewikkeld en lastig de tijdlijn te onthouden maar het is dan ook een hoop informatie in 1 boek。 Geeft een duidelijk inzicht in de Russische mentaliteit en drang voor expansie。
Simon
，
A fast paced， beautifully written， and very informative overview of Russia （broadly considered） from the Ruriks to Putin。 There is a heavy emphasis on the 19th century and Russian Revolution and it does not cover as much of the nineties and aughts as I would have liked。 However it remains an invaluable one volume source for explaining the broad political， idealogical and cultural currents that shaped the current Russian state。
Shana Yates
，
3。5 stars
Cody
，
good comprehensive overview of a complicated land。
John Haaga
，
Orlando Figes chose the title "Story of。。。" rather than "History of。。。" on purpose。 He succeeds not only in conveying the history of Russia in an economical way， but also in showing how elements of the history have been mythologized and used for political gain from Peter the Great to Putin。 The writing is clear and crisp。 In my view， he threads the needle very well。。。neither an "antiquarian" interested in the past purely for its own sake， nor a "presentist" interested in the past only for obviou Orlando Figes chose the title "Story of。。。" rather than "History of。。。" on purpose。 He succeeds not only in conveying the history of Russia in an economical way， but also in showing how elements of the history have been mythologized and used for political gain from Peter the Great to Putin。 The writing is clear and crisp。 In my view， he threads the needle very well。。。neither an "antiquarian" interested in the past purely for its own sake， nor a "presentist" interested in the past only for obvious parallels to the current situation， but what David Hackett Fisher called an "immediatist" - this is great history， but I want to read it right now！I can also happily recommend his earlier works Natasha's Dance （Russian culture） and Crimea -- exciting to read， and one comes away understanding a fascinating， often scary， part of the world that much better。 。。。more
The Bamboo Traveler
，
I'd been looking for several months for a comprehensive book on the history of Russia。 I finally found it in The Story of Russia。 Excellent--well-written， easy-to-follow， and fascinating。 Figes wrote the book in 2022 after the full invasion （the invasion actually started in 2014） in February。 He tries to connect the events in Russia's past with the current person in the Kremlin and the war in Ukraine。 After finishing the book， I'd say that there is no hope that Russia will change。 It can't undo I'd been looking for several months for a comprehensive book on the history of Russia。 I finally found it in The Story of Russia。 Excellent--well-written， easy-to-follow， and fascinating。 Figes wrote the book in 2022 after the full invasion （the invasion actually started in 2014） in February。 He tries to connect the events in Russia's past with the current person in the Kremlin and the war in Ukraine。 After finishing the book， I'd say that there is no hope that Russia will change。 It can't undo so many centuries of history， imperial desires， and their love of autocracy。 There are lots of countries that have been imperialist powers （France， Spain， England）。 These countries have given up on empire because they lost their empire， but I can't imagine Russia giving up on their empire--this notion of empire is part of their DNA。 They've also been brainwashed for centuries。This is a great book that will help you understand why Russia invaded Ukraine。 Many people focus too much on Vladimir Putin。 But from reading Russian history， Putin is not completely at fault。 。。。more
Katie Coleman
，
A concise Russian history written with an eye towards explaining the current conflict in Ukraine。 Sometimes quite dry and even a bit hurried but I am happy to have learned a lot in a short amount of time。 Would recommend for those interested in the topic and also teachers of this material。
Chandy John
，
Figes is the master of Russian history。 For the broader picture or anything from culture to daily life in general through the ages， he has no peer （Natasha's Dance- A Cultural History of Russia）。 This will be the most up to date and relevant history of the country。 It was published in April 2022。 Figes is the master of Russian history。 For the broader picture or anything from culture to daily life in general through the ages， he has no peer （Natasha's Dance- A Cultural History of Russia）。 This will be the most up to date and relevant history of the country。 It was published in April 2022。 。。。more
Peter
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Orlando Figes' The Story of Russia （2022） reviews the history of Russia from 850AD to the present to explain Vladimir Putin's Russia today。 It's a fascinating story of eternal warfare and social upheaval in a country known for its inability to get out from under its past。 In 300 pages we see why， on its path to the present， Russia always exchanged autocracy for 。 。 。 autocracy， even long after Europe exchanged monarchy for democracy。 Russian history is a never-ending reel of tape that always l Orlando Figes' The Story of Russia （2022） reviews the history of Russia from 850AD to the present to explain Vladimir Putin's Russia today。 It's a fascinating story of eternal warfare and social upheaval in a country known for its inability to get out from under its past。 In 300 pages we see why， on its path to the present， Russia always exchanged autocracy for 。 。 。 autocracy， even long after Europe exchanged monarchy for democracy。 Russian history is a never-ending reel of tape that always loops back to its beginning。 An overarching explanation of Russia's rigidity， at least for this reader， is its inability to accept the disorder that attends democracy。 Perhaps because of their origin in a hostile region， and the continuing struggle at all levels for mere survival， Russians have developed an extreme risk aversion， a view that change and innovation are dangerous and that the safest path is one of stasis。 Russia prefers to stuff disorder back in its box until it inevitably pops out again。 The following is a summary of Russia's operatic history， a history of politics by autocracy， state-level corruption， succession by murder， cruelty， war， and suppression of the lower classes。1。 Kievan Rus In the 9th century， Eastern Slavs， Finns， and Norse began migrating into an area north and west of the Black Sea—the region of modern Ukraine， Crimea， Belarus， Poland， and Lithuania。 This was the origin of the Kievan Rus， which would become a primary regional power center from 862AD—when Riurikid conquered Novgorod—to the death in 1610 of Russia's Tsar Vasili IV， grandson of Ivan the Terrible。 That long period was a single dynasty ruling over what would become Russia—the Riurikid Dynasty。 In 980AD a Kievan Rus prince was baptized Vladimir I in Constantinople， becoming both Grand Prince of the Principality of Kiev and a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church。 This tie between church and state became a glue that held the Kievan Rus together and continues into modern Russia。 This created the mythical tie that allows Putin to connect modern Russia with modern Ukraine。 The spiritual and economic center of Kievan Rus was Constantinople， a Greek city called Byzantium until the Roman Emperor Constantine moved the Roman Empire from Rome in 330AD， renaming the ancient city after himself。 As we know， after several failed attempts， Constantinople was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1453AD and renamed Islambol （"Full of Islam"）; in 1930 it was renamed Istanbul by Attaturk。 Constantinople was the center of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the eastern terminus of the East-West trade routes—the "Silk Road。" The spiritual orientation of the Rus was to Christianity， and the economic orientation was to the Silk Road that terminated at Constantinople， from which goods were transported by land and sea around the Mediterranean。 2。 The Mongol Empire The region of Kievan Rus began an economic decline in the 11th century as trade along the Silk Road decreased， due in part to poor security and increased banditry。 Into this vacuum came the Mongol Golden Horde， led by Batu Khan， Genghis Khan's grandson。 The Golden Horde took control of the Silk Road， and it occupied the land of the Kievan Rus from its arrival in 1240AD until 1480AD。 From its initial center in Kiev， the Mongols continued as far as Vienna in a failed attempt to conquer Europe。 The impact of the Golden Horde was mixed。 On the one hand， the constant raids and the frequent cruelty in enforcing its demand on the population， including significant payment of tribute， were， to say the least， unwelcomed。 The Mongol slash-and-burn methods undoubtedly affected the Rus psyche。 Some have attributed Russia's inclination toward brutality and conflict to that early Mongol occupation。 On the other hand， the Mongols were excellent business managers—they provided security for traders on the Silk Road， and they introduced innovations that increased trade。 Among those innovations was a new business structure called the ortoq， a limited liability structure that reduced the risks faced by traders and， naturally， encouraged traffic along the Road。 This played no small in growing Kievan Rus economy。 t After pacifying the area of Kievan Rus， Batu's horde continued onward to invade Europe。 In 1241 it arrived at the gates of Vienna and began a siege。 The siege was on the verge of success when word arrived that Batu Khan's father， Ögedai Khan， had died。 Batu Khan immediately set out for home to protect his interests in the succession， leaving a significant portion of the Horde behind to oversee the Kievan Rus。 The primary threat to Europe had ended。3: The Grand Duchy of Muscovy The Mongol arrival in 1240AD decimated the Kievan Rus， and regional power shifted eastward and southward to the Duchy of Muscovy。 This tiny duchy would expand to incorporate much of the Kievan Rus territory， and to include territory east and south of Moscow， finally becoming "All Rus"， in the time of Muscovy's Grand Prince Ivan III （"the Great"）。 The transition was not peaceful。 Still， under the Mongol yoke， in 1425 Vasili I， Muscovy's Grand Prince， died and was succeeded by his son Vasili II。 This transition was contested by Vasili I's brother， Yuri because the traditional line of inheritance was collateral—from brother to brother—not lineal。 The dispute lasted 25 years， ending with the adoption of lineal succession。 After a lengthy but peaceful， period the dispute was referred to the Khan， who ruled in Vasily II's favor in 1433。 Unhappy with the result， Yuri marched on Moscow and Vasili II fled leaving Yuri to occupy the town。 But soon Yuri left and Vasili II returned。 The intra-family dispute went back and forth until 1452 when Vasili II resumed the princedom in peace。 The "Great Feudal War of Succession" was over。 In 1462 Vasili II died and his son， Ivan， became Grand Prince Ivan III （"the Great"）， who would establish Muscovy as the leading Duchy。 In 1476 Ivan stopped paying tribute to the Mongols， and in 1480 he drove them out of Muscovy。 The only remnant of the Mongols remaining in the region was the Khanate of Crimea， centered in eastern Ukraine on the Black Sea。 These Crimean Tatars would raid Muscovy until their expulsion in 1783。 Ivan III expanded Muscovy's territory by winning wars against Novgorod， Poland， Lithuania， and other principalities。 As Muscovy expanded and towns and cities developed， a problem of peasant flight arose in the rural areas。 Peasants had traditionally been free to leave the villages and estates and relocate to the cities or other estates。 But as more peasants chose these life-improving opportunities， the landowners faced a labor shortage and the flow of taxes going from the villages and farms into the food chain feeding the Boyars and the Grand Prince began to ebb。 In response， in 1497 Ivan began restricting peasant mobility。 His first action was to require departing peasants to pay a fee， a sort of departure tax。 In following years the restrictions would increase and the peasants became bound to the land as serfs， unable to leave。 The primary distinction between slaves and serfs was that slaves could be sold as individuals while serfs could only be sold with the land。 In 1649， under the first Romanov tsar， serfdom had evolved into a complete prohibition of peasant mobility。 In 1502 Ivan was coronated "Ivan III， Grand Prince of All Rus，" establishing him as the founder of Russia。 During his nearly fifty-year reign， Ivan frequently contested for power with the Boyars， the class at the top of the nobility ladder that via a council called the Duma， advised the Grand Prince and administered the State's properties。 This included levying and collecting tax revenues from the landlords and peasants on the farms and manors。 They acted through a Boyar council called the Duma that administered the Grand Prince's lands。 t For their service， the Boyars were first to feed from the trough of taxes and land rents。 Out of this tranche， the Boyars paid their minions and themselves， passing the residual on to the Prince。 These transactions were poorly recorded， if at all， and transparency was low in an age without auditors。 Thus， the distribution of tax revenues was known only to the Boyars， a situation that encouraged corruption。 The immediate result of this "off-the-books" financing of the Duchy was enormous pressure on the landlords and peasants to generate taxes， an unknown but sizable amount to be kept by the Boyars。 This pressure on the peasants was reinforced by the method of allocating tax liabilities。 The tax bill of a manor or village was levied on the village， not on the individuals in it: taxes were a collective liability， what today would be called a "joint and several liability。 It was a system that encouraged individual peasants to not pay taxes and shift the burden to others， a system designed to create hostility and internal conflict。 3。 The Tsardom of Russia In 1502， Ivan III died and his son became Grand Prince Vasili III。 When Vasili III died in 1533 his son， Ivan—only three years old—became Ivan IV with his mother serving as Regent。 In 1538 Ivan IV's mother died， but the regency continued until 1546， when Ivan， then 16， was coronated "Tsar of all Rus"， the first Tsar of the Tsardom of Russia。 https://hosting。photobucket。com/image。。。 t During Ivan's youth there had been considerable hostility between the Boyars and his mother， the regent。 The issue was succession， with the Suisky family， prominent boyars， seeking to place one of their own on the throne。 During this time of struggle there were fourteen murders， many of Ivan's family， and Ivan's memories of Boyarism would affect his later life。 Ivan IV's reign as "Ivan the Terrible" was a period of peasant rebellions and general unrest in agricultural areas。 It was also a time of war。 In 1558 Ivan IV invaded Livonia （Latvia and Estonia）， which was allied with Russia's long-standing enemy， Poland。 That war lasted for fourteen years until ending as a stalemate in 1572。 By that time the once forward-looking Ivan had turned inward and become paranoid and cruel。 The trigger may have been the betrayal of his most trusted military commander， who shifted to the Polish side in 1564。 In 1565 Ivan excised from the State's territory a large section as his own private territory; this territory was called Oprichnina。 On it he housed and trained his own private army dubbed Obrichniki。 This may have been Russia’s first standing army。 He used the Obrichniki to invade Novgorod and to carry out a reign of terror against the Boyars， a nemesis since his youth。t The invasion of Livonia and the sack of Novgorod were accompanied by a series of crop failures at home， making it more expensive to feed the army。 Famine on the farms and in the towns began as harvests were directed to feeding the troops at the same time that Ivan was burning the Novgorod grain fields。 Serfs began to leave the farms， cutting harvests even more。 This was compounded by a return of plague in 1570， and by another Mongol invasion in 1571 during which Moscow was burned。t Ivan IV's death in 1584 initiated a crisis of succession more devastating than the first succession crisis in 1425。 Ivan had three sons。 The eldest and most competent son， Ivan， was murdered in 1581 by his own father during an argument after the senior Ivan inadvertently saw his son's wife in her underwear and chastised the younger Ivan for allowing such unseemly behavior。 The second， the addle-pated and passive Feodor， was coronated Feodor I in 1584。t While Feodor I was Tsar de jure， the Tsar de facto was Boris Godunov—Ivan IV's chief minister and a senior Boyar， as well as Feodor I's brother-in-law。 Feodor I died in 1598， and in the same year Ivan IV's third and only remaining son， Dmitri， died in an "accident" during which he slit his own throat during an epileptic fit。 In the absence of a legitimate heir， Boris Godunov became Tsar， but on Godunov's death in 1605 the lingering crisis of succession was reactivated。 This initiated a 15-year period known as the "Time of Troubles。 " t Because there were no legitimate heirs， imposters kept popping up claiming that they were Dmitri， Feodor's "dead" brother Dmitri。 There were four of these "False Dimitris" and one became Tsar Dmitri I in 1605—until he was discovered a year later to be an imposter。 He is known as "Tsar False Dmitri I。" During the Time of Trouble， there were six tsars。t A crisis of succession is particularly traumatic for a nation run rigidly from the top down。 But the Time of Troubles went well beyond that。 A famine in 1601-1603 killed one-third of the population， and from 1605-1618 a war raged with the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania That war had several sources。 t Russia， Poland's ancient adversary， was in a weakened condition after the Time of Troubles， and the Poles had been meddling in Russia's affairs by inciting Russia's Boyars to choose False Dmitris as Tsar。 Russia had also formed a military alliance with Sweden that was taken by Poland as a threat， and—just to top it off—a group of Boyars called the "Seven Boyars" invited Poland to invade Russia and depose its Tsar。 t The Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania accepted the Seven Boyars' invitation and invaded Russia in 1610。 It occupied Moscow for two years， taking custody of Tsar Vasili IV， who had succeeded Tsar False Dmitri I in 1606 after spearheading Dmitri's removal。 Vasili IV was a Shuisky， the family that had made Ivan IV's youth miserable， and he was also the last of the Riurikid Dynasty to rule Russia。 The Polish occupation ended in 1613 when a democratic ad hoc national assembly—the Assembly of the Land met and elected Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov， a descendant of Ivan IV and a Boyar。 The Romanov Dynasty would last for 304 years。4。 The Russian Empire Tsar Mikhail died in 1645， to be followed by another Romanov， Tsar Alexis I。 When he died in 1676 he left two sons: Peter （age 4） and a half-brother， Ivan （age 15）。 The two half-brothers shared the Tsardom: Ivan as Feodor III and Peter as Peter I。 Peter's sister， Sophia， served as Regent。 Feodor III's death in 1682 set off a furious struggle between Peter's family and Feodor's family over his replacement。 The choice was Feodor's other half-brother， the addlepated Ivan。 Ivan V and Peter I became co-Tsars， still under Sophia's Regency。 The Regency ended when Ivan V came of age。 The two continued as co-Tsars with Peter still in his minority until 1696， when Ivan V， age 35， died and the 24-year-old Peter， was left the sole Tsar。 t During his Tsardom， Peter dramatically altered Russia's political and geographic landscape。 Like the young Ivan IV， Peter admired the West and looked to it for intellectual guidance。 One of his first activities as Tsar was to go on a 1697-98 "Grand Embassy" touring the courts of Europe and learning the ways of more advanced nations。 To announce a "New Russia" he built a new capital city named St。 Petersburg that displaced Moscow; it was completed in 1703。 After the 1917 revolution， the capital returned to Moscow。 Peter I successfully pursued the long （1700-1721） Great Northern War with Sweden over supremacy in the Baltic Sea。 In 1707 he sent his first wife to a nunnery and married his second wife， Catherine。 In 1714 Peter introduced compulsory education。 During 1721-23 he won territory from the Ottomans in the Russo-Persian War。 In 1722 he introduced a new ordering of nobility， called the Table of Ranks， that replaced nobility by merit in the ranking system for nobles; this further diminished the Boyars。 Also in 1722， he changed his title from Tsar to Emperor to underline his kinship with Europe; the European Emperors never accepted the change。 In 1724 all of his many children had died and he promoted Catherine to become Catherine I， Empress of Russia; she succeeded him at his death in 1725。 t Peter had long planned an expedition to explore Russia's Pacific coast to search for an overland trade route connecting Russia with North America， and to establish trade routes with Asia and Japan。 In 1725， the year of Peter's death， Catherine I sent Peter's dream expedition to Siberia's Kamchatka Peninsula on the Pacific coast; it's been dubbed the "First Kamchatka expedition。" It departed St。 Petersburg in 1725 under the command of naval captain Vitus Bering， and returned in 1731 with volumes of information on flora， fauna， geography， and culture in eastern Russia， and with news that there was no overland connection with North America-the closest approach was the 70-mile gap at the Bering Strait。 Catherine I died in 1727， well before the Kamchatka expedition returned。 Her son， Peter II， reigned under a Regency for two years， and at his death in 1730， Anna Ivanovna， daughter of Ivan V （Peter I's co-Tsar）， became Tsarina。 In 1733 Anna sent a Second Kamchatka Expedition， again led by Vitus Bering。 It returned ten years later—three years after her death— to report an eventful time of shipwreck and scurvy deaths， including Bering's。t At Anna's death in 1740， Anna's niece's one-year-old son became Tsar Ivan VI。 It was a tsar-too-far: he was quickly deposed by Peter I's daughter Elizabeth Petrovna （r。 1741-1761）。 In 1761 Peter III， grandson of Peter the Great， became Tsar。 He lasted only six months before his new wife ousted him and became Tsarina Catherine II （"the Great"）; soon after that he was murdered。 Catherine was Tsarina until she died in 1796。 t This brings us to 1800。 Ahead there is another century of struggle， war， succession， murder， and intrigue， ending in the 1917 Revolution—to be followed by more war， succession crises， murders， and intrigue。 。。。more
Manish
，
I've always found European history to be confusing and all about internecine warfare among the different tribes and empires who are connected by blood relations。 Figes' introduction to Russia lays out the complex background about the idea of Russia and more importantly succeeds to place the fixation with Ukraine in the proper context。 I've always found European history to be confusing and all about internecine warfare among the different tribes and empires who are connected by blood relations。 Figes' introduction to Russia lays out the complex background about the idea of Russia and more importantly succeeds to place the fixation with Ukraine in the proper context。 。。。more
Stef Cornelissen
，
As a rule Orlando Figes's books are hefty tomes that mostly deal with key episodes in Russian history。 The story of Russia is different in that respect。 With under 400 pages it is more a historians pamflet 😉。 Figes presents a synteses of his work to analyze and explain the current way of thinking in the Kremlin。 The result is readable and informative - even if it is pessimistic in its outlook。 It provides a convincing picture of Russian political thinking。 No book will change the suffering on th As a rule Orlando Figes's books are hefty tomes that mostly deal with key episodes in Russian history。 The story of Russia is different in that respect。 With under 400 pages it is more a historians pamflet 😉。 Figes presents a synteses of his work to analyze and explain the current way of thinking in the Kremlin。 The result is readable and informative - even if it is pessimistic in its outlook。 It provides a convincing picture of Russian political thinking。 No book will change the suffering on the ground in Ukrain。 But at least it gave me a better understanding of the forces at play。 。。。more
Scott
，
Covering a lot of ground I felt this book took me on a fascinating journey through a country I previously had only really visited in James Bond movies。 In today's world more than any other it's essential to know what you are looking at and this gave me a much deeper and more nuanced feel for Russia today。 Covering a lot of ground I felt this book took me on a fascinating journey through a country I previously had only really visited in James Bond movies。 In today's world more than any other it's essential to know what you are looking at and this gave me a much deeper and more nuanced feel for Russia today。 。。。more
Sebastian Heinrich
，
Excellent book to get an overview of the russian history from the beginnings of the Kiever Rus until the start of the invasion of Ukraine。Well written， threads everything together in a coherant fashion explaining some of the particularities of the "Russian soul"。 Excellent book to get an overview of the russian history from the beginnings of the Kiever Rus until the start of the invasion of Ukraine。Well written， threads everything together in a coherant fashion explaining some of the particularities of the "Russian soul"。 。。。more
John W。
，
A first class brief history of Russia。
Bsaskia
，
Found this “story” - specially first half - hard to follow （too many names and jumps and complicated sentences）， till it reaches more contemporary phases。 Found it too opinionated and overly anti Russian。 Still I learned interesting facts， but will not recommend it。
R。P。 Bosman
，
Interessant boek maar vond het soms wel wat onprettig lezen。 Had soms het gevoel dat er opsommingen werden gegegeven terwijl op andere momenten er 'verhalend' werd geschreven。 Het boek geeft goed inzicht in het onstaan van Rusland en helpt de huidige politiek en retoriek uit ivm Oekraïne beter te begrijpen。 Interessant boek maar vond het soms wel wat onprettig lezen。 Had soms het gevoel dat er opsommingen werden gegegeven terwijl op andere momenten er 'verhalend' werd geschreven。 Het boek geeft goed inzicht in het onstaan van Rusland en helpt de huidige politiek en retoriek uit ivm Oekraïne beter te begrijpen。 。。。more
Scott Martin
，
（Audiobook） A concise but quality work on the history of Russia。 The main focus of this one is to look at Russian history， particularly the key events and see how various Russian/Soviet leaders have used that aspect of history to their own ends。 It does cover the timely invasion of Ukraine， but it is not just solely focused on Russia vs Ukraine and their respective histories， although that is a key element of the 1st half of the second millennium AD， as Kyiven Rus rose and fell， and how eventual （Audiobook） A concise but quality work on the history of Russia。 The main focus of this one is to look at Russian history， particularly the key events and see how various Russian/Soviet leaders have used that aspect of history to their own ends。 It does cover the timely invasion of Ukraine， but it is not just solely focused on Russia vs Ukraine and their respective histories， although that is a key element of the 1st half of the second millennium AD， as Kyiven Rus rose and fell， and how eventually Moscow supplanted Kyiv as the main city in the Russian Empire。 Worth the read regardless of the format， although the novice to Russian history will get more out of it。 。。。more
Kerree
，
This book is a fantastic overview of the history of Russia， and poinant considering the war in Ukraine。 I think I will go away and read/listen to other books that deal with specific parts of the story that I find intersting。
Matthew LaPine
，
A history of the last two thousand years or so of the area of the world westerners think of as "Russia"， from early times before it was even Russia， through various leaders and many wars with mixed success， eastward expansion to the Pacific， ongoing tensions with the more-powerful countries to the west， through present day。 This book provides significant insight to the deep resentment of the West held by many Russians， the perception of being lesser and having to prove better， of failing to get A history of the last two thousand years or so of the area of the world westerners think of as "Russia"， from early times before it was even Russia， through various leaders and many wars with mixed success， eastward expansion to the Pacific， ongoing tensions with the more-powerful countries to the west， through present day。 This book provides significant insight to the deep resentment of the West held by many Russians， the perception of being lesser and having to prove better， of failing to get credit for significant progress and military successes， and much more。 It left this reader with hopelessness for ever having anything resembling normal relations with a people who hate us so。Well worth reading for the great understanding and perspective lent。 。。。more
NellyBells
，
One thousand years of history in 370 pages。 Definitely going to be read again - so much information and I do feel as if I understand Russia better than I ever have but I need another go at it。 Competing narratives， the same ones for a millennium。 Figes is an excellent writer。
Josh
，
An enjoyable and informative read。 And quite relevant considering the current events。 The author is clear in framing the book that it's focus is on the "Story" of Russia， i。e。 the narratives and myths that shape Russia and its culture。 I think the premise is fascinating， and I like that the author gives a sweeping overview of Russia's history， from its early days to it czarist past to the 20th century turmoil to the present。 My main critique is that around 300 pages isn't enough to adequately co An enjoyable and informative read。 And quite relevant considering the current events。 The author is clear in framing the book that it's focus is on the "Story" of Russia， i。e。 the narratives and myths that shape Russia and its culture。 I think the premise is fascinating， and I like that the author gives a sweeping overview of Russia's history， from its early days to it czarist past to the 20th century turmoil to the present。 My main critique is that around 300 pages isn't enough to adequately cover that scope。 The chapters on the 20th century felt especially rushed， as the author rapid-fired names and events at the reader in quick succession。 For readers already familiar with the prominent figures of the Russian Revolution and its aftermath， perhaps this isn't an issue。 But for readers less familiar with that history， it can be hard to absorb and keep track of who was who。 While I applaud the effort toward brevity， I think the book would have been served well by another 50-100 pages。 Or else to narrow its focus so more attention could be given the tumults of the twentieth century。 。。。more
Andrew
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Fascinating read。 Traces Russia’s roots。 Can almost understand why Vladimir Putin wants The Ukraine back。 Anyone wanting to understand the nature of the Russian story， or just history geeks like me will find， will find this to be very readable。
Michael Samerdyke
，
A very brisk， well-reasoned， and well-written history of Russia from earliest times to the present。 Figes' judgments have a lot of depth to them， and this would be a superb "first book" for those who want to learn about Russia given the current crisis。Highly recommended。 A very brisk， well-reasoned， and well-written history of Russia from earliest times to the present。 Figes' judgments have a lot of depth to them， and this would be a superb "first book" for those who want to learn about Russia given the current crisis。Highly recommended。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Story of Russia
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Story of Russia&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Story of Russia&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0