Books on russian history and culture

Russian history books despite its intimidating size, stephen kotkins waiting for hitler is a gripping account of the twilight of the revolution and the advent of stalinism. Top 10 books about the russian revolution the guardian. Culture sort by featured items newest items bestselling alphabetical. Before a unified germany existed, many germans were demoralized by years of religious strife, political chaos and economic hardship. A new history, sean mcmeekin, profile books, 446pp. A hundred years after the russian revolution, history, according to most historians, had pronounced its judgment. The history of russia begins with the histories of the east slavs. The house of government is unlike any other book about the russian revolution and the soviet experiment. Six books that will prime you on russian art and culture russian history is an endless treasure trove of fascinating biographies, stunning artworks and majestic culture. The ten best history books of 2019 history smithsonian. Six books that will prime you on russian art and culture. Staraya ladoga and novgorod became the first major cities of the new union of immigrants from scandinavia with the slavs and finnougrians. Scholarly articles dealing with political events in russia up to 1991. History books top 10 books about the russian revolution a century after the bolsheviks seized power for communism, tariq ali chooses some of the best books.

So, needing a book to read is never an issue here the question is more about which book is best to start with. If you want to get to know about fabeger eggs, russian icons, russian folk art painting, russian porcelain eggs, old russian enamel traditions definitely books from this section can give you much information. In 1763, they received an enticing offer from the russian czarina catherine the great, a former german princess. Great works of russian literature everyone should read. From early mongol invasions to tsarist regimes to ages of enlightenment and industrialization to revolutions and wars, russia is. Some of those books describe serfdom and the russian culture better than many history books can. The best books on ukraine five books expert recommendations. A cultural history of russia and millions of other books are available for instant. Populated by slavic tribes, by the midninth century the first east slavic state of kievan rus had emerged, stretching from kiev in the south. This depends on whether you want to learn about the russian soul of two hundred years ago gogol, pushkin, etc, the communiststalinist period of 20th century, or the recent postperestroika wild west of putin years. Kazans muslims and the making of imperial russia indiana university press, 2020, danielle ross looks at how the tatars of kazan participated in the formation of the russian empire through their various activities in trade, settlement, clerical work, intellectual culture, and trade. The colors and sounds of kandinskys abstract art, by barb rosenstock, illustrated by mary grandpre a 2015 caldecott honor recipient, the noisy paintbox tells the story of moscowborn vasily kandinsky. Information on the period from 1917 to 1991 can be found in the entry on.

Books by russian authors are prized possessions in most households. She promised colonists autonomy and free farmland in russia should they choose to emigrate. October 1917 had been relegated to a past that would never be repeated, just like. At different periods in russian history, the culture of western europe also exerted strong influences over russian citizens.

Thus the privileges were revoked in 1871 in the hope that germans would now participate directly in russian public affairs. Apr 27, 2011 tobacco in russian history and culture explores tobaccos role in russian culture through a multidisciplinary approach starting with the growth of tobacco consumption from its first introduction in the seventeenth century until its pandemic status in the current postsoviet health crisis. There are many decent and easy to read books about russia and russian history, but since russian history is very controversial topic which mainly composed of politically and ideologically charged interpretations, you should focus on understand. Books are relatively inexpensive, many times being able to rent for free from the library. The eastern slavic tribes, the ancestors of modern russians, traditionally are thought to have originated in the vistula river valley in what is now poland and to have migrated eastward in the seventh to the ninth centuries. Top 10 books on vladimir putins russia books the guardian.

The roots of russian literature can be traced to the middle ages, when epics and chronicles in old east slavic were composed. From early mongol invasions to tsarist regimes to ages of enlightenment and industrialization to revolutions and wars, russia is known not. Until recently on the world timeline, the vast country was largely agricultural or deserted, with the height of t. From the era of catherine the great to early modernist architecture and todays great art collectors, we look at six compelling reads about russian art and culture.

Russian military history books casemate publishers. This novel has been named the first psychological novel in russian history. You could fill a lifetime reading incredible books by russian authors, so here are. The book goes a long way to explaining how a man like putin came to power at a unique moment in russian history and why the only way hell be got rid of in the foreseeable future is if the. Russias thousandyear history of class stratification, imperial growth and contraction, political consolidation and disintegration, repression and relaxation, has had farreaching effects on every aspect of russian national culture. Russia history, language and culture history of russia. The history books we loved most in 2019 span centuries, nations and wars. Dec 15, 2017 russian culture has a long and rich history, steeped in literature, ballet, painting and classical music. Contact info casemate publishers 1950 lawrence road havertown pa 19083 t.

All formats available for pc, mac, ebook readers and other mobile devices. The five books on russia you should read providence. Bored with his studies of the traditional math, science and history, its not until an aunt gives him a box of paints that the young kandinsky. The books on must read lists tend to not only be deep, complex works of literature, they also trend towards older works that have survived the test of time for the obvious reason that theyre better than 99% of the books published. But some of those books are also not simply complex and difficult, theyre also very, very long. We have selected 5 new and old russian novels that are worthy to be added to your summer reading list this year. List of books and articles about russian culture online. Eastern orthodoxy is the most prevalent religion in russia because of the christianization of kievan rus. Robert services penguin history of modern russia is excellent, and on the culture of russia.

Here are 12 books that will give you a good foundation to learning about russia and its history. For almost all spheres of thought and creation, the period was the first great age of russian culture, and the first one to bring that culture an audience beyond its boundaries. The golden age of russian culture chapter a concise. The lives of animals in russia are intrinsically linked to cultural, political and psychological transformations of the imperial, soviet, and postsoviet eras. An eclectic, rich compendium of readings that covers a very broad swath of russian history and culture, this volume has foreign travelers impressions of russia from the tenth and eighteenth centuries, among others, 1930s show trial transcripts, historians essays on everything from the revolution to dachas, writings by tolstoy, dostoyevsky. Russia is world famous for achievements in two cultural areas, literature and music, both of which had their. Russian books for children the educators spin on it. Many aspects of russian history are important to russian culture because they have made russia and its people what it is today. Peters reign during the beginning of the 18th century initiated a series of modernizing changes in russian literature. The culture of the ethnic russian people along with the cultures of many other ethnicities with which it has intertwined in the territory of the russian federation has a long tradition of achievement in many fields, especially when it comes to literature, folk dancing, philosophy, classical music, traditional folk music, ballet, architecture, painting, cinema, animation and.

It is not a pure history book, but gives an overview of russian culture and society, its influences, habits and thinking, through the centuries. Books about russian art, russian culture and russian crafts related books. The more you know about it, the more the messes make sense, both in a historical and modern context. Government publication, state or province government publication. In the territory that is now presentday ukraine, ukrainian, russian, polish, yiddish and german languages, literatures, humors, cultures, joys and despairs intermingled for hundreds of years. Culture of russia history, people, clothing, traditions. The book analyzes and explains the basic prehistory of the universe and how it came into being, the basic dynamics which created life, the basic. The bear and the nightingale by katherine arden, the girl in the tower by katherine arden, crime and punishment by fyod. Of course, the history of russia is as vast as the nation itself. Russian culture is an invaluable piece of the countrys intangible heritage, combining traditions from russias various ethnic groups, subcultures and worldviews while reflecting its complex history and diverse geographical features. Nov 22, 2019 the history books we loved most in 2019 span centuries, nations and wars. The path of splitness is a major nonfiction work that will rock the scientific world it is 2,766 pages. By the 1880s russia had become part of the world, not just as a major political power but as a major contributor to the arts and even to science.

An important period in russian history was the tsardom of russia from 1547 until 1721 where many russian cultural peculiarities emerged and developed. Shot in a single 96minute take, the film travels through 300 years of history. Lebedev, who was born in moscow in 1981, picks 10 books that explain russias complicated past and present. The area now called russia has always been multicultural. Popular culture, sex, and society since gorbachev, also published by duke university press. Food in russian history and culture book, 1997 worldcat. Modern russia the revolution and after share flipboard email print. New books in russian and eurasian studies new books network. Petersburg is uniquely european due to the efforts of peter the great.

Books about russian tales, culture, traditions, history. From the time i wrote my first history book catherine the great and potemkin, via my biographies of stalin, to my new book the romanovs 161918, which tells the history of the last four hundred years from ivan the terrible to putin via the dynasty of tsars, i have been reading russian fiction and history. My goodness, some of these books helped propel the russian revolution. Adele barker is professor of russian and slavic studies at the university of arizona. History is messy stuff, but much of it is, in fact, not ugly. May 12, 2012 graves uses this format to present the history of claudiuss predecessors augustus, tiberius and caligula while his 1935 followup, claudius the god, is an account of his subjects own rule. In this study spanning the century from 1829 to 1929, glaser leads us into encounters among the most variegated characters. Large selection and many more categories to choose from. Simon sebag montefiores recommended reading on russia and. Bay area russia experts share their favorite books and movies to help the curious gain insight in the people, culture and motivations of its leaders. In addition, they appeared unfair to the freed russian serfs who now competed with the colonists as equal subjects. History and ethnic relations emergence of the nation.

Browse a selection of the best books on revolutionary and modern russia, from the end of the tsars to putin. History the following article deals with the formation and history of the russian state and empire until 1917 and after the formation of the contemporary russian federation in 1991. Although there are many ways to teach about a culture, reading books is a great way to introduce your children to our global word. In 1874, russia instituted universal military service, which included the german colonists. An american sojourn in sri lanka bruce grant is associate. By the age of enlightenment, literature had grown in importance, and from the early 1830s, russian literature underwent an astounding golden age. These five books help develop a nuanced understanding of. Here is the collection of russian books that i would want to have in my dream library.

The traditional startdate of specifically russian history is the establishment of the rus state in the north in 862 ruled by vikings. James meeks top 10 books of russia books the guardian. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Other animals examines the interaction of animals and humans in russian literature, art, and life from the eighteenth century until the present. Our nonfiction book of the month for february, the romanovs. If i wanted to learn about russia culture, national. Indiana university press, 1997 ocolc605289218 online version. Top 10 books about the russian revolution books the. The past year has prompted a predictable flurry of sovietthemed activity to mark the 100th anniversary of the october revolution. Russias multiethnic history is violent, confusing, and redolent, with invasions, countermeasures, great leaders and equallypowerful monsters, such as ivan the terrible and stalin.

I actually disagree with removing the fiction books. The 1917 revolutions may attract the most attention, but stalins dictatorship is an equally important subject for both russian and european histories. Anyone who tries to understand the history, religion, and especially the culture of southeast asia, will soon encounter the phenomenon of animism, the belief that landscapes, natural objects, trees and plants, animals, and deceased ancestors, possess spirits that influence the human world. Whether readers follow the fate of russia chronologically or use the book as a kaleidoscope to explore different facets of russian life and culture, they will find a treasure trove of beautiful, dramatic, and tragic readings for exploring russian history and culture across the ages. List of books and articles about russian history online. The more you know about it, the more the messes make sense, both in a historical. This collection of original essays gives surprising insights into what foodways reveal about russias history and culture from kievan times to the present. After taking the throne at the end of the 17th century, peter the greats influence on the russian culture would extend far into the 18th century. From womanhood to nationhood, they challenge the construction of.

Russia has been through staggering upheaval with consistently profound consequences this is one place where history does not pass by quietly. Russia s thousandyear history of class stratification, imperial growth and contraction, political consolidation and disintegration, repression and relaxation, has had farreaching effects on every aspect of russian national culture. From womanhood to nationhood, they challenge the construction of identity and mythology. Many of those books actually have a lot to do with russian history. This book is a good general history of the period and particular effort is made to place stalin in context with russia both before and after his rule, as well as with lenin.