A History of Russia: From Peter the Great to Gorbachev
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A History of Russia: From Peter the Great to Gorbachev
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Narrated by:
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Mark Steinberg
About this listen
It's difficult to imagine a nation with a history more compelling for Americans than Russia. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, this was the nation against which we measured our own nation's values and power and with whom war, if it ever came, could spell unimaginable catastrophe for our planet.
Yet many Americans have never had the opportunity to study Russia in depth, and to see how the forces of history came together to shape a future so different from the dreams of most ordinary Russian people, eager to see their nation embrace Western values of progress, human rights, and justice.
Now a much-honored teacher has created a series of 36 lectures designed to give you one of the deepest glimpses into Russia you've ever had - a vivid journey through 300 years of Russian history as seen through the eyes of her own people. You'll discover historical themes made clear not by discussing treaties, war declarations, or economic statistics - but by examining the lives and ideas of the men and women who were Russia: tsars, emperors, Communist Party leaders, writers, artists, peasants, and factory workers.
You'll grasp what Russian life was like as Professor Steinberg analyzes ideas of power not only from the viewpoint of its rulers, but also from that of the ruled; the theme of happiness and its pursuit that resonates throughout Russian history, and ideas of morality and ethics as wielded by both the Russian state and its critics.
And you'll listen as he brings alive the vibrant Russian imagination - so willing to visualize a different kind of life for its people, yet so burdened by its darker sides of doubt and pessimism that those visions were rejected.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2003 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2003 The Great CoursesWhat listeners say about A History of Russia: From Peter the Great to Gorbachev
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- christian
- 05-06-2020
Didn't think I'd be into this but it's fascinating
I didn't think Russian history specifically would interest me especially as this only went back a few hundred years. I was hooked from start to finish. The content is interesting and presented very well. I highly recommend for history lovers and anyone else, something for everyone here
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Stan
- 28-08-2015
History of Russia plays it safe
Having recently visited Russia, I was keen to listen to this. It focused on the Tsarist period from Peter the Great - I was disappointed to not get anything in Ivan in particular or those who followed before we reached Peter. The Soviet era post-WW2 also seemed to zoom by.
The lecturer is good. The story is well told - but it did not cover enough of the story I was hoping to hear.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amanda Rochford
- 28-01-2022
Riveting
I really enjoyed listening to these lectures. Very engaging material covering not only the politics but the social and cultural aspects, religion, and the arts.
I recommend this to thise who have no knowledge of Russian history through to those with an avid interest.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 14-08-2019
Well written, enjoyable and considered.
I enjoyed the presentation and content. The course provided a concise review that allowed a wider understanding and appreciation of Russia and the Russian people.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dylan
- 10-07-2022
Love it!!
I highly, highly recommend this course. Particularly given what's happening in the world today.
I've been fascinated by Russia and Russian history for some years now, but everything I knew was in bits and pieces. This course really pulled my previous knowledge together, added new insights to previous knowledge, and taught me things I knew nothing about. The lecturer does a good job of providing a balanced perspective (though he describes the culture as 'backward' a lot), and uses a lot of primary sources and direct quotes from historical figures. He is also a good speaker, which I think is important.
One final note. This lecture series is fascinating given the recent political/social climate not just in Europe, but in western cultures. Listen to the lectures!
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Callum Tyler
- 27-03-2023
idea focussed with odd omissions and a rushed end.
The title would better be - A History of Ideology and Power in the Russian Empire: From Peter the Great to Stalin
There is a lot of focus on the intellectual and ideological movements in Russia, especially pre Soviet Union.
there's an entire lecture devoted to the Russian poet Pushkin yet nuclear weapons don't even get a mention. Post WW2 history gets almost no mention generally, so it really ends at Stalin.
The material covered was generally good and interesting.
The author seems to sometimes overstep from relaying the perspective of the governing class on their own terms (valid) to glossing over or "both siding" the atrocities and oppression of some of the worst moments of the Russian state (not valid), including it's occupation of Eastern Europe, whose perspective is almost entirely omitted.
in short, a solid introductory work, but should be supplemented by other texts for a more diverse perspective.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- jasper
- 27-08-2019
Focuses mainly on the effect on the peasants
I would have liked a few chapters on the initial creation of the Russian state, I guess another book for that
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 28-08-2022
Light
Seemed to be informative enough till credibility in scholastic research was lost when Marcus Aurelius, a Roman Emporer, was described as "a Greek philosopher-king".
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