[.ca] Russia in the Age of Peter the Great (ISBN 0300075391)

From Amazon.com:
Like the luckless hero of Pushkin's "The Bronze Horseman," driven mad by St. Petersburg floods, all of Russia is in some sense pursued by the ghost of Peter the Great. Literally larger than life at six foot seven inches, the country's alternately revered and reviled monarch was a man of intense contradictions: famous for introducing Western modes of speech, custom, and thought, he also strengthened the dubious Russian traditions of autocracy and serfdom. Present-day Russians are similarly divided over the Petrine legacy. Admirers point to his striking imperial achievements as well as his success in promoting learning, science, and clerical and legal reform. Critics see in his harsh totalitarian rule the antecedent for despots like Stalin. Either way, it's clear that he was the single person most responsible for dragging Russia from the Middle Ages into the Enlightenment. In Lindsey Hughes's massive, meticulously detailed history, Russia in the Age of Peter the Great, the tsar is depicted warts and all. It's a balanced view, presented in lucid, jargon-free prose and supported by impeccable research. Hughes delves into not only the familiar territory of Peter's military and naval innovations, but also previously underexplored topics such as the changing role of women under his rule. Most intriguingly, she cites the tsar's fondness for masks, role-playing, and disguise. The chapters detailing the peculiarities of Peter's psychology make for perhaps the most absorbing reading in a book full of insights and surprises. Sufficiently rigorous for scholars yet eminently accessible to the general reader, Russia in the Age of Peter the Great is an invaluable addition to the literature surrounding this complicated and fascinating man. --Mary Park

Magnificent, entertaining, refreshingly revisionist:
This book overshadows almost everything ever written about Peter the Great and his era. It is deeply researched, incisively argued, stylishly presented, and a marvelous read. Hughes organizes a huge amount of material logically and clearly; her prose exudes spirit and style. She revises much received wisdom. She treats many neglected topics with great insight and good sense. She makes many fascinating comparisons and constantly keeps in mind the contemporary context that Peter lived in. She has a wonderful eye for memorable quotations and shows great wit in her wide-ranging presentation. Her book makes many others look silly and shallow and stodgy. Her book achieves a wonderful balance between scholarly discoveries and revisions and popular topics with wide appeal to any literate person. A sterling achievement in all respects.

An excellently organized and researched tome!:
This book covers almost every angle of a very dynamic and consequential period in the history of Russia. Its organization allows the reader to move easily through the book and examine those parts which are of interest. I read the book from cover to cover and was never once displeased with the well-researched facts and attention to detail. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Russia's history.