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Natasha's Dance: A Cultural History of Russia
by Orlando Figes
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About This Book
ISBN13: 9780312421953 |
Synopses & Reviews
Publisher Comments:
History on a grand scale-an enchanting masterpiece that explores the making of one of the world's most vibrant civilizations
"A People's Tragedy, wrote Eric Hobsbawm, did "more to help us understand the Russian Revolution than any other book I know." Now, in "Natasha's Dance, internationally renowned historian Orlando Figes does the same for Russian culture, summoning the myriad elements that formed a nation and held it together.
Beginning in the eighteenth century with the building of St. Petersburg-a "window on the West"-and culminating with the challenges posed to Russian identity by the Soviet regime, Figes examines how writers, artists, and musicians grappled with the idea of Russia itself-its character, spiritual essence, and destiny. He skillfully interweaves the great works-by Dostoevsky, Stravinsky, and Chagall-with folk embroidery, peasant songs, religious icons, and all the customs of daily life, from food and drink to bathing habits to beliefs about the spirit world. Figes's characters range high and low: the revered Tolstoy, who left his deathbed to search for the Kingdom of God, as well as the serf girl Praskovya, who became Russian opera's first superstar and shocked society by becoming her owner's wife.
Like the European-schooled countess Natasha performing an impromptu folk dance in Tolstoy's "War and Peace, the spirit of "Russianness" is revealed by Figes as rich and uplifting, complex and contradictory-a powerful force that unified a vast country and proved more lasting than any Russian ruler or state.
"A People's Tragedy, wrote Eric Hobsbawm, did "more to help us understand the Russian Revolution than any other book I know." Now, in "Natasha's Dance, internationally renowned historian Orlando Figes does the same for Russian culture, summoning the myriad elements that formed a nation and held it together.
Beginning in the eighteenth century with the building of St. Petersburg-a "window on the West"-and culminating with the challenges posed to Russian identity by the Soviet regime, Figes examines how writers, artists, and musicians grappled with the idea of Russia itself-its character, spiritual essence, and destiny. He skillfully interweaves the great works-by Dostoevsky, Stravinsky, and Chagall-with folk embroidery, peasant songs, religious icons, and all the customs of daily life, from food and drink to bathing habits to beliefs about the spirit world. Figes's characters range high and low: the revered Tolstoy, who left his deathbed to search for the Kingdom of God, as well as the serf girl Praskovya, who became Russian opera's first superstar and shocked society by becoming her owner's wife.
Like the European-schooled countess Natasha performing an impromptu folk dance in Tolstoy's "War and Peace, the spirit of "Russianness" is revealed by Figes as rich and uplifting, complex and contradictory-a powerful force that unified a vast country and proved more lasting than any Russian ruler or state.
Synopsis:
Renowned historian Figes summons the myriad elements that formed Russian culture and held it together. Beginning in the 18th century with the building of St. Petersburg and culminating with the Soviet regime, Figes examines how writers, artists, and musicians grappled with the idea of Russia itself. Illustrations.
Synopsis:
An examination of how writers, artists, and musicians have grappled with the idea of Russia itself--its character, spiritual essence, and destiny.
Synopsis:
Beginning in the 18th century with the building of St. Petersburg and culminating with the Soviet regime, Figes examines how writers, artists, and musicians grappled with the idea of Russia itself--its character, spiritual essence, and destiny.
About the Author
Orlando Figes is the author of A People’s Tragedy, and recipient of the Wolfson Prize for History and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, among others. A regular contributor to The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Times Literary Supplement, he is a professor of history at the University of London. He lives in Cambridge, England.
What Our Readers Are Saying
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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
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reviews, April 7, 2007 (view all comments by reviews)
Beautiful! Insights into the great works of Russian literature, music and art and how these were inspired from, and in turn helped to define, a rich and unified culture from the diverse peoples and customs of Russia. Substantial, engaging and well written, with two sections of art and photographs that illuminate the text, Natasha’s Dance: A Cultural History of Russia is an essential guide to the histories and folkloric myths behind an understanding of what it is to be Russian.
Product Details
- ISBN:
- 9780312421953
- Subtitle:
- A Cultural History of Russia
- Author:
- Publisher:
- Picador USA
- Location:
- New York
- Subject:
- Civilization
- Subject:
- Intellectual life
- Subject:
- Russia (pre & post Soviet Union)
- Subject:
- Russia
- Subject:
- World - General
- Subject:
- Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union
- Edition Number:
- 1st Picador ed.
- Edition Description:
- Picador
- Series Volume:
- vol.15, no.17(A)
- Publication Date:
- October 2003
- Binding:
- Paperback
- Language:
- English
- Illustrations:
- Yes
- Pages:
- 768
- Dimensions:
- 9.18x6.17x1.54 in. 1.93 lbs.
