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Die kürzeste Geschichte Russlands
Russia’s epic and dramatic story told in an accessible, lively and short form, using the country's fascinating history to illuminate its future.
A country with no natural borders, no single ethnic group, no true central identity, Russia has mythologized its past to unite its people and to signal strength to outsiders. Mark Galeotti takes us behind the myths to the heart of the Russian story: the formation of a nation through its early legends including Ivan the Terrible and Catherine the Great the rise and fall of the Romanovs, the Russian Revolution, the Cold War, Chernobyl and the Soviet Union the arrival of an obscure politician named Vladimir Putin.
A Short History of Russia explores the history of this fascinating, glorious, desperate and exasperating country through two intertwined issues: the way successive influences from beyond its borders have shaped Russia, and the way Russians came to terms with this influence, writing and rewriting their past to understand their present and try to influence their future. In turn, this self-invented history has come to affect not just their constant nation-building project but also their relations with the world.
A country with no natural borders, no single ethnic group, no true central identity, Russia has mythologized its past to unite its people and to signal strength to outsiders. Mark Galeotti takes us behind the myths to the heart of the Russian story: the formation of a nation through its early legends including Ivan the Terrible and Catherine the Great the rise and fall of the Romanovs, the Russian Revolution, the Cold War, Chernobyl and the Soviet Union the arrival of an obscure politician named Vladimir Putin.
A Short History of Russia explores the history of this fascinating, glorious, desperate and exasperating country through two intertwined issues: the way successive influences from beyond its borders have shaped Russia, and the way Russians came to terms with this influence, writing and rewriting their past to understand their present and try to influence their future. In turn, this self-invented history has come to affect not just their constant nation-building project but also their relations with the world.
253 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 506 reviews
June 19, 2022
4 ☆
These are the foundational observations in A Short History of Russia: How the World's Largest Country Invented Itself, from the Pagans to Putin, which was written by Mark Galeotti. He is not your typical academic historian; his PhD was earned in government from the London School of Economics. As Galeotti puts it on his website, he specializes in "fairly murky and morally dubious subjects: modern Russia history and security affairs and transnational and organized crime of both past and present."
Published in 2020, his book is a breezy, at times tongue in cheek, fast- paced tour through about nearly 1,200 years of Russian history. To compensate for his brevity, Galeotti suggested additional reading at the end of every chapter. From his observation about these palimpsest people, he posits that
Galeotti discussed a few myths as he went along. The Mongol invasion and rule of Russian areas lasted about 240 years. While brutal and savage in the initial process of conquest, the Mongol rulers had left their subjects relatively alone as long as tribute had been paid. The new myth recast that period as Russia under the "Mongol Yoke," an oppressive time that had cut off Russia from participation in the Renaissance in Europe. This recasted legend supports Galeotti's main thesis --
It can be argued that every politician (regardless of nationality) does the same. Certainly, Americans have seen recent evidence of this practice. But Russia leaders have a a very large trove of history, myths, and symbols to ransack and repurpose for political ends. Vladimir Putin also effectively controls the media and thus his message is uniformly broadcasted. Galeotti pointed out some of Putin’s revised rhetoric for Russian military action in the Crimean Peninsula and the Donbas region, his two major warm-up actions before the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Prior to reading this, I possessed some knowledge about modern Russia and even less of 20th century USSR. So now I have a smidgen more, but this book's breadth of coverage does make me wonder what key point I'm missing. The audiobook clocked in at under 5 hours and convinced me that the author would be a fun college lecturer. The printed / digital book included images such as the political cartoon of Europe looking up into Catherine's dress.
Russia is a country with no natural borders, no single tribe or people, no true central identity. Russia is everyone's perennial "other" with Europeans considering it Asian and vice versa. It has been invaded by outsiders from Vikings to Mongols, crusading Teutonic orders to the Poles, Napoleon's French and Hitler's Germans. It has also responded to its lack of clear frontiers by a steady process of expansion, bringing new ethnic, cultural, and religious identities into the mix. Russians are thus themselves palimpsest people, citizens of a patchwork nation that more than most shows their external influence in every aspect of life.
These are the foundational observations in A Short History of Russia: How the World's Largest Country Invented Itself, from the Pagans to Putin, which was written by Mark Galeotti. He is not your typical academic historian; his PhD was earned in government from the London School of Economics. As Galeotti puts it on his website, he specializes in "fairly murky and morally dubious subjects: modern Russia history and security affairs and transnational and organized crime of both past and present."
Published in 2020, his book is a breezy, at times tongue in cheek, fast- paced tour through about nearly 1,200 years of Russian history. To compensate for his brevity, Galeotti suggested additional reading at the end of every chapter. From his observation about these palimpsest people, he posits that
Russians responded by generating a series of national myths to deny or celebrate [its crossbred identity]. ... New myths are superimposed over old ones in the creation of the palimpsest identity, as the peoples of this land sought to come to terms with their lack of strength and common identity by creating shared mythologies that saw fate and frailty translated into pride and purpose.
Galeotti discussed a few myths as he went along. The Mongol invasion and rule of Russian areas lasted about 240 years. While brutal and savage in the initial process of conquest, the Mongol rulers had left their subjects relatively alone as long as tribute had been paid. The new myth recast that period as Russia under the "Mongol Yoke," an oppressive time that had cut off Russia from participation in the Renaissance in Europe. This recasted legend supports Galeotti's main thesis --
Russian rulers would edit the past in the hope of building the future they wanted, typically by scavenging the cultural or political myths and symbols they needed.
It can be argued that every politician (regardless of nationality) does the same. Certainly, Americans have seen recent evidence of this practice. But Russia leaders have a a very large trove of history, myths, and symbols to ransack and repurpose for political ends. Vladimir Putin also effectively controls the media and thus his message is uniformly broadcasted. Galeotti pointed out some of Putin’s revised rhetoric for Russian military action in the Crimean Peninsula and the Donbas region, his two major warm-up actions before the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Prior to reading this, I possessed some knowledge about modern Russia and even less of 20th century USSR. So now I have a smidgen more, but this book's breadth of coverage does make me wonder what key point I'm missing. The audiobook clocked in at under 5 hours and convinced me that the author would be a fun college lecturer. The printed / digital book included images such as the political cartoon of Europe looking up into Catherine's dress.
September 23, 2020
Mark Galeotti’s A Short History of Russia: How the World’s Largest Country Invented Itself, From the Pagans to Putin is exactly what it states—a short history. Galeotti somehow manages to boil down Russian history from before it was Russia to present-day Putin’s Russia into a coherent book.
If you want specifics and in depth analysis of events, this is not the book for you. However, if you want to want to familiarize yourself generally with Russian history with guidance towards further reading, Galeotti’s Short History will be fine. The author compares Russia to a palimpsest, a document that is used over and over again, written on and rewritten, yet earlier writings can still be deciphered. Russia, says Galeotti, is a palimpsest. Time and again, its leaders write over Russia’s past failures and highlight its victories to redefine the country in whichever way the current leaders want. Russia struggles to define itself—is it Asian? Is it European? What does being Russian mean?
A Short History of Russia isn’t an extraordinary book; however, it’s concise with well-written, somewhat humorous prose. Galeotti follows his theme of Russia as a palimpsest nation, a country struggling to define itself, throughout. Each chapter ends with several suggestions of further reading, with brief commentary about each suggestion. Due to Russia’s increasing presence in American lives, I wanted to know more about the country. I found the book helpful in giving me a good summary of historical events which shaped Russia’s past and continues to affect its present. The last few chapters deal with the break-up of the USSR and the rise of Putin, events I am most interested in.
I recommend this book if you’re generally interested in Russia but feel overwhelmed as where to start reading. Galeotti’s reading suggestions about specific time periods are helpful.
If you want specifics and in depth analysis of events, this is not the book for you. However, if you want to want to familiarize yourself generally with Russian history with guidance towards further reading, Galeotti’s Short History will be fine. The author compares Russia to a palimpsest, a document that is used over and over again, written on and rewritten, yet earlier writings can still be deciphered. Russia, says Galeotti, is a palimpsest. Time and again, its leaders write over Russia’s past failures and highlight its victories to redefine the country in whichever way the current leaders want. Russia struggles to define itself—is it Asian? Is it European? What does being Russian mean?
A Short History of Russia isn’t an extraordinary book; however, it’s concise with well-written, somewhat humorous prose. Galeotti follows his theme of Russia as a palimpsest nation, a country struggling to define itself, throughout. Each chapter ends with several suggestions of further reading, with brief commentary about each suggestion. Due to Russia’s increasing presence in American lives, I wanted to know more about the country. I found the book helpful in giving me a good summary of historical events which shaped Russia’s past and continues to affect its present. The last few chapters deal with the break-up of the USSR and the rise of Putin, events I am most interested in.
I recommend this book if you’re generally interested in Russia but feel overwhelmed as where to start reading. Galeotti’s reading suggestions about specific time periods are helpful.
June 14, 2021
V-am mai povestit despre cărțile lui Mark Galeotti de curând, după ce am citit volumul „Hai să vorbim despre Putin!”, o descriere pertinentă și personală a personalității și condițiilor în care Putin a ajuns „țarul” Rusiei.
Aceeași impresie o am și despre această carte, la fel de pertinentă și închegată, în care autorul britanic ne oferă o privire pe scurt asupra istoriei Rusiei. O sinteză care trece prin toată istoria acestui popor și teritoriu, pe care acum le privim cu răceală și uneori cu spaimă sau respingere, dar care au rămas la fel de importante precum erau, de exemplu, acum cinci secole. Și, dacă mulți dintre noi ne considerăm, fără motiv, a fi specialiști sau măcar cunoscători ai istoriei Rusiei din ultimii 100 de ani, povestea este mult mai îndelungată și trece prin personalități precum Ecaterina cea Mare sau Ivan cel Groaznic, dar și printr-o foarte probabilă descendență vikingă sau daneză, nu neapărat slavă. Așadar, un volum de la care puteți pleca spre o cunoaștere mai detaliată a istoriei Rusiei.
Aceeași impresie o am și despre această carte, la fel de pertinentă și închegată, în care autorul britanic ne oferă o privire pe scurt asupra istoriei Rusiei. O sinteză care trece prin toată istoria acestui popor și teritoriu, pe care acum le privim cu răceală și uneori cu spaimă sau respingere, dar care au rămas la fel de importante precum erau, de exemplu, acum cinci secole. Și, dacă mulți dintre noi ne considerăm, fără motiv, a fi specialiști sau măcar cunoscători ai istoriei Rusiei din ultimii 100 de ani, povestea este mult mai îndelungată și trece prin personalități precum Ecaterina cea Mare sau Ivan cel Groaznic, dar și printr-o foarte probabilă descendență vikingă sau daneză, nu neapărat slavă. Așadar, un volum de la care puteți pleca spre o cunoaștere mai detaliată a istoriei Rusiei.
June 24, 2022
This is as the title suggests a short history of Russia, namely the outline of a traditional Russian historic narrative, as it was set in the 19th century by works of Николай Михайлович Карамзин and updated later. I have to admit, I know it relatively well, for I have studied in the waning years of the USSR, when in all republics they taught in schools the history of the USSR, which despite the title was actually 90% the Russian history – say for me it was a surprise in the 1990s, when I found out that in Asian republics there were cities 2000 years or elder – even if such things may be mentioned, they weren’t stressed unlike say 1500 years since the founding of Kyiv (about which more later). I read it as a part of monthly reading for May-June 2022 at Non Fiction Book Club group.
It should be made clear – this book follows one narrative of several, and while it is hardly possible to argue that one narrative is a better representation of reality than another, the author hasn’t in most cases even mentioned other narratives, which I guess is a serious omission – he clearly follows Russian historians and (possibly because it is a “short history”) doesn’t dwell on past and present historical discussions, but presents a version more of a “school history” than an “academy’s history”. As an example, in the preface he states:
Language is intrinsically political, as how we talk about something conditions how we think about it, and this has become especially evident in post-Soviet times as states assert their independence from the metropolis, and with it their linguistic autonomy. This is a particular issue for Ukraine: nowadays, its capital is rendered as Kyiv. However, I still use the term Kiev for the pre-1991 city, not in any way to challenge Ukraine’s claim to statehood, but to reflect the extent to which it was once part of a wider Slavic and then Russian political order.
Let's see the origins of the name. According to a legend, three brothers Kyi, Shchek and Khoryv (Ukrainian: Кий, Щек, Хорив [ˈkɪj ˈʃtʃɛk xoˈrɪu̯]; Old East Slavic: Кии, Щекъ, Хоривъ) and their sister Lybid (Ukrainian: Либідь [ˈlɪbidʲ]; Old East Slavic: Лыбѣдь) founded the city and named it after the eldest - Kyi, and Kyiv/Kiev literally means [the city] of Kyi. Before 1917 Revolution the Russian alphabet had a now-obsolete letter yat (ѣ), which was between modern Russian letters и and е (which were also present in the alphabet) and in Ukrainian closer to i - a funny thing is a fact that normalization of writing was made in the 1700s under Peter I by monks from Kyiv, so for a person knowing Ukrainian it was much easier to know where to write ѣ and where e, but for Russians they sounded the same, so to simplify it was replaced everywhere with e after the reform. Now let's see how it was originally written in the Primary Chronicle - there it was Киѣвъ - once again closer to Kyiv if a Ukrainian read it and Kiev if a Russian read it. So, the author just follows Russian sources and not "reflecting the extent to which it was once part of a wider Slavic" because for example, he doesn't use Polish Kijów despite the city being part of the Poland-Lithuanian commonwealth for centuries. Also later in the First Chapter the author writes prince Vladimir, despite in both Ukrainian and in the original chronicles is Volodymyr (Володимеръ), and using Vladimir shows that the author works not with the original medieval texts but with their 19-20th centuries reinterpretations of Russian origin.
This book is a nice outline if you are interested in getting an initial taste of the Russian historical narrative.
It should be made clear – this book follows one narrative of several, and while it is hardly possible to argue that one narrative is a better representation of reality than another, the author hasn’t in most cases even mentioned other narratives, which I guess is a serious omission – he clearly follows Russian historians and (possibly because it is a “short history”) doesn’t dwell on past and present historical discussions, but presents a version more of a “school history” than an “academy’s history”. As an example, in the preface he states:
Language is intrinsically political, as how we talk about something conditions how we think about it, and this has become especially evident in post-Soviet times as states assert their independence from the metropolis, and with it their linguistic autonomy. This is a particular issue for Ukraine: nowadays, its capital is rendered as Kyiv. However, I still use the term Kiev for the pre-1991 city, not in any way to challenge Ukraine’s claim to statehood, but to reflect the extent to which it was once part of a wider Slavic and then Russian political order.
Let's see the origins of the name. According to a legend, three brothers Kyi, Shchek and Khoryv (Ukrainian: Кий, Щек, Хорив [ˈkɪj ˈʃtʃɛk xoˈrɪu̯]; Old East Slavic: Кии, Щекъ, Хоривъ) and their sister Lybid (Ukrainian: Либідь [ˈlɪbidʲ]; Old East Slavic: Лыбѣдь) founded the city and named it after the eldest - Kyi, and Kyiv/Kiev literally means [the city] of Kyi. Before 1917 Revolution the Russian alphabet had a now-obsolete letter yat (ѣ), which was between modern Russian letters и and е (which were also present in the alphabet) and in Ukrainian closer to i - a funny thing is a fact that normalization of writing was made in the 1700s under Peter I by monks from Kyiv, so for a person knowing Ukrainian it was much easier to know where to write ѣ and where e, but for Russians they sounded the same, so to simplify it was replaced everywhere with e after the reform. Now let's see how it was originally written in the Primary Chronicle - there it was Киѣвъ - once again closer to Kyiv if a Ukrainian read it and Kiev if a Russian read it. So, the author just follows Russian sources and not "reflecting the extent to which it was once part of a wider Slavic" because for example, he doesn't use Polish Kijów despite the city being part of the Poland-Lithuanian commonwealth for centuries. Also later in the First Chapter the author writes prince Vladimir, despite in both Ukrainian and in the original chronicles is Volodymyr (Володимеръ), and using Vladimir shows that the author works not with the original medieval texts but with their 19-20th centuries reinterpretations of Russian origin.
This book is a nice outline if you are interested in getting an initial taste of the Russian historical narrative.
October 20, 2025
The Right Introduction to Russia?
Mark Galeotti’s A Short History of Russia is exactly that, a short tour from the arrival of the first Homo Sapiens the to various Viking settlements, Mongol Hords, Muscovite Princes, the Romanovs and Empire to Revolution and the USSR and finally to Yeltsin, Putin and the twenty first century. If one could swallow this short book and regurgitate it verbatim, it would produce a good working knowledge of this most fascinating of countries. However, I feel the book doesn’t offer anything particularly new or groundbreaking. We have heard it before and read it somewhere else. There are many summaries of the country out there.
With that being said I will say A Short History of Russia is very easy to read. Galeotti succeeds in making a vast and intricate subject accessible to a general audience, condensing centuries of political upheaval, empire-building, and ideological struggle into a clear, fast-moving narrative. Within just a couple of hundred pages, he traces the evolution of Russia from a medieval principality to a sprawling empire, through revolution, Soviet totalitarianism, and the uncertain years of the post-Soviet state. The book’s brevity never feels rushed so much as purposeful and it captures the essential storylines without losing the thread of coherence. For readers new to Russian history, this combination of clarity and concision makes the book an ideal starting point.
Another of Galeotti’s key strengths lies in his emphasis on the role of myth, identity, and historical narrative. He argues that Russia’s history cannot be understood simply through events and dates, but through the stories Russians have told about themselves, these stories that have been repeatedly used by rulers to justify authority, expansion, or resistance to the West. Throughout A Short History of Russia, Galeotti highlights how these narratives from the ‘Third Rome’ myth to the notion of a uniquely besieged Russian soul and how they have been central to the construction of Russian statehood. This focus makes his account stand out from more conventional political or military histories and gives it a thematic coherence that resonates with the country’s ongoing search for identity.
Galeotti’s expertise in modern Russia also lends A Short History of Russia contemporary relevance. The later chapters, in particular, connect deep historical patterns to current events illustrating how the country’s recurring preoccupations, with power, security, and legitimacy inform the politics of the Putin era. If you are trying to understand modern Russia, including its posture toward the West and its justification for military actions, there is a lot of valuable context here. By tracing the continuities between past and present, Galeotti helps explain why certain historical narratives remain potent tools of political persuasion in modern Russia.
As I have mentioned above, alongside no revolutionary ideas, A Short History of Russia has a few weaknesses, most of which stem from the same brevity that makes it so readable. The sheer compression of material means that some periods are treated only in passing. Major events such as the Napoleonic invasion, the 1905 and 1917 revolutions, and the complexities of Stalin’s rule are handled swiftly, sometimes in just a few paragraphs. For readers seeking an in-depth exploration of these pivotal moments, the coverage may feel superficial. Galeotti himself acknowledges that he paints with a ‘broad brush,’ and this is evident throughout the text.
Another limitation arises from the trade-off between thematic focus and analytical depth. Galeotti’s attention to myth and narrative gives the book a strong interpretive through-line, but it also means that certain historiographical debates are simplified or omitted altogether. The result is a history that sometimes privileges storytelling over scholarly nuance. Some readers might find that this approach flattens the complexity of certain eras, for example, the Mongol influence on Muscovite governance or the internal diversity of the Soviet Union in favor of a more unified national story.
Finally, because A Short History of Russia aims to cover more than a millennium of history in a short space, there is an inevitable risk of oversimplification. Regional variations, competing interpretations, and smaller but significant historical actors occasionally fall by the wayside. Therefore like me, you might find the analysis too general, even if the narrative remains lively and insightful.
What A Short History of Russia offers is a good, easy to understand introduction to the history of the country. A reference point for those who may want to learn more. Galeotti is also fair and balanced, no hardline or fanatical opinions are to be found here. Just a solid, reliable narrative. So if you don’t know much about Russia this is a great starting point, for everyone else I would say you know this tale already.
Mark Galeotti’s A Short History of Russia is exactly that, a short tour from the arrival of the first Homo Sapiens the to various Viking settlements, Mongol Hords, Muscovite Princes, the Romanovs and Empire to Revolution and the USSR and finally to Yeltsin, Putin and the twenty first century. If one could swallow this short book and regurgitate it verbatim, it would produce a good working knowledge of this most fascinating of countries. However, I feel the book doesn’t offer anything particularly new or groundbreaking. We have heard it before and read it somewhere else. There are many summaries of the country out there.
With that being said I will say A Short History of Russia is very easy to read. Galeotti succeeds in making a vast and intricate subject accessible to a general audience, condensing centuries of political upheaval, empire-building, and ideological struggle into a clear, fast-moving narrative. Within just a couple of hundred pages, he traces the evolution of Russia from a medieval principality to a sprawling empire, through revolution, Soviet totalitarianism, and the uncertain years of the post-Soviet state. The book’s brevity never feels rushed so much as purposeful and it captures the essential storylines without losing the thread of coherence. For readers new to Russian history, this combination of clarity and concision makes the book an ideal starting point.
Another of Galeotti’s key strengths lies in his emphasis on the role of myth, identity, and historical narrative. He argues that Russia’s history cannot be understood simply through events and dates, but through the stories Russians have told about themselves, these stories that have been repeatedly used by rulers to justify authority, expansion, or resistance to the West. Throughout A Short History of Russia, Galeotti highlights how these narratives from the ‘Third Rome’ myth to the notion of a uniquely besieged Russian soul and how they have been central to the construction of Russian statehood. This focus makes his account stand out from more conventional political or military histories and gives it a thematic coherence that resonates with the country’s ongoing search for identity.
Galeotti’s expertise in modern Russia also lends A Short History of Russia contemporary relevance. The later chapters, in particular, connect deep historical patterns to current events illustrating how the country’s recurring preoccupations, with power, security, and legitimacy inform the politics of the Putin era. If you are trying to understand modern Russia, including its posture toward the West and its justification for military actions, there is a lot of valuable context here. By tracing the continuities between past and present, Galeotti helps explain why certain historical narratives remain potent tools of political persuasion in modern Russia.
As I have mentioned above, alongside no revolutionary ideas, A Short History of Russia has a few weaknesses, most of which stem from the same brevity that makes it so readable. The sheer compression of material means that some periods are treated only in passing. Major events such as the Napoleonic invasion, the 1905 and 1917 revolutions, and the complexities of Stalin’s rule are handled swiftly, sometimes in just a few paragraphs. For readers seeking an in-depth exploration of these pivotal moments, the coverage may feel superficial. Galeotti himself acknowledges that he paints with a ‘broad brush,’ and this is evident throughout the text.
Another limitation arises from the trade-off between thematic focus and analytical depth. Galeotti’s attention to myth and narrative gives the book a strong interpretive through-line, but it also means that certain historiographical debates are simplified or omitted altogether. The result is a history that sometimes privileges storytelling over scholarly nuance. Some readers might find that this approach flattens the complexity of certain eras, for example, the Mongol influence on Muscovite governance or the internal diversity of the Soviet Union in favor of a more unified national story.
Finally, because A Short History of Russia aims to cover more than a millennium of history in a short space, there is an inevitable risk of oversimplification. Regional variations, competing interpretations, and smaller but significant historical actors occasionally fall by the wayside. Therefore like me, you might find the analysis too general, even if the narrative remains lively and insightful.
What A Short History of Russia offers is a good, easy to understand introduction to the history of the country. A reference point for those who may want to learn more. Galeotti is also fair and balanced, no hardline or fanatical opinions are to be found here. Just a solid, reliable narrative. So if you don’t know much about Russia this is a great starting point, for everyone else I would say you know this tale already.
April 26, 2020
It's challenging to briefly present a history of the Russian empire, but this author has done so successfully. He presents a concise history of Russia, from its tribal beginnings to the present Putin regime. Each chapter begins with a timeline, and ends with suggestions for further reading. Thanks to the publisher and to Edelweiss for providing me with an ARC.
January 11, 2023
Somehow in around 170 pages you are introduced to the most important events in Russian history and it's done in a really friendly manner even for people that are not used to reading history books.
It focuses on exposing which are the main myths of russian history and while every nation has its own foundation myths, it seems like they are more predominant in Russia, or at least that's what Mr. Galeotti implies.
You should definitely be aware of the shortcomings of "A short history of Russia" all inherent for a book so short trying to cover 1000 years of history, the main one being it's simplistic way of treating every event. But, Mark Galeotti is aware of it and this is a thing that I appreciated a lot, at the end of every chapter he recommends more works if you are interested in digging deeper into that issue.
I would say it's a must read, especially these days, to get at least a superficial understanding of why things are happening in Ukraine and what's the deal with Putin.
It focuses on exposing which are the main myths of russian history and while every nation has its own foundation myths, it seems like they are more predominant in Russia, or at least that's what Mr. Galeotti implies.
You should definitely be aware of the shortcomings of "A short history of Russia" all inherent for a book so short trying to cover 1000 years of history, the main one being it's simplistic way of treating every event. But, Mark Galeotti is aware of it and this is a thing that I appreciated a lot, at the end of every chapter he recommends more works if you are interested in digging deeper into that issue.
I would say it's a must read, especially these days, to get at least a superficial understanding of why things are happening in Ukraine and what's the deal with Putin.
December 3, 2022
Istoria Rusiei în nici 200 de pagini, bineînțeles, cu multe omisiuni și tăieturi, dar cartea nu se vrea a fi o istorie completă a rușilor și a Rusiei, ci mai mult un rezumat și chiar este unul foarte bun.
De la Dinastia Rurik și cnezatele Kievene la Hoarda de Aur, Ivan al-IV-lea(Ivan cel Groaznic), Petru cel Mare, Ecaterina, Dinastia Romanov, până la URSS și Putin, cartea aduce în fața cititorului o istorie scurtă a rușilor și a Rusiei spusă într-un limbaj ușor și fluent, oferind răspunsuri la numeroasele întrebări despre Rusia contemporană.
La finalul fiecărui capitol autorul recomandă un calup de lecturi suplimentare din care s-a inspirat și le recomandă pentru aprofundare.
4.5/5
De la Dinastia Rurik și cnezatele Kievene la Hoarda de Aur, Ivan al-IV-lea(Ivan cel Groaznic), Petru cel Mare, Ecaterina, Dinastia Romanov, până la URSS și Putin, cartea aduce în fața cititorului o istorie scurtă a rușilor și a Rusiei spusă într-un limbaj ușor și fluent, oferind răspunsuri la numeroasele întrebări despre Rusia contemporană.
La finalul fiecărui capitol autorul recomandă un calup de lecturi suplimentare din care s-a inspirat și le recomandă pentru aprofundare.
4.5/5
July 28, 2023
3.5 stars.
As advertised, the histories (from around 900 AD to 2023) are brief.
The USSR/Russian Federation has loomed large for most of my life, mostly early during the Cold War and again in recent years, and yet I know embarrassingly little about the country. I can now say I have a better general sense of how it got here and why it has certain characteristics; but that knowledge is barebones and unlikely to last. I had to remind myself throughout that overviews like this tend to oversimplify history to the point that decisions made at the time seem ridiculously easy because there's insufficient context to understand the complexities of the moment. The historical figures presented are essentially reduced to the notably good and bad choices they made and not much more. That's the biggest downside to this book and those like it.
On the plus side it is a quick read. And the author seems to have a deep knowledge of the country so the information he presented felt valuable. Also, he wrote for general audiences with occasional subtle humor and a consistently analytical style. A huge plus was the suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter (some are highlighted).
You have to know little about the subject matter for this to be worthwhile. If you do read it try to get a physical book. There are photos, sketches and maps throughout and some are very difficult to read on a kindle.
As advertised, the histories (from around 900 AD to 2023) are brief.
The USSR/Russian Federation has loomed large for most of my life, mostly early during the Cold War and again in recent years, and yet I know embarrassingly little about the country. I can now say I have a better general sense of how it got here and why it has certain characteristics; but that knowledge is barebones and unlikely to last. I had to remind myself throughout that overviews like this tend to oversimplify history to the point that decisions made at the time seem ridiculously easy because there's insufficient context to understand the complexities of the moment. The historical figures presented are essentially reduced to the notably good and bad choices they made and not much more. That's the biggest downside to this book and those like it.
On the plus side it is a quick read. And the author seems to have a deep knowledge of the country so the information he presented felt valuable. Also, he wrote for general audiences with occasional subtle humor and a consistently analytical style. A huge plus was the suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter (some are highlighted).
You have to know little about the subject matter for this to be worthwhile. If you do read it try to get a physical book. There are photos, sketches and maps throughout and some are very difficult to read on a kindle.
January 25, 2022
This was surprisingly interesting. I picked this audiobook up on a whim as I love reading/listening to nonfiction although I sometimes find I don't explore enough subjects. I thought this was going to be a good place to start learning more about Russia and it definitely was. It s not a very thorough look in all the subjects and such but it was interesting nevertheless and sparked a want to learn more
July 25, 2022
Non-Fiction> Russian History 4 Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this. It is indeed short and it does not add a lot of detail to the events in the timeline. I liked this feature, however, because it gave a concise timeline of what has happened with this huge entity that is Russia. I was surprised that I always though of Russia as being very European but looking at their history there is quite a bit of Asian there (which of course makes sense).
We learn about the beginning of our understanding of this land with the Slavs calling Varangian conquerors Rus' and finish with a few of the author's thoughts about the near future of Russia. I really like that each chapter starts with a timeline of events for that chapter. Some I knew about; some I did not. I would imagine that someone very familiar with Russian history would read this book and not learn very much. BUT even if I did know a lot about the topic already I think I would appreciate putting everything in chronological order with few tangents and I could see it lending context to even an expansive knowledge set.
Another feature of the book I really like is the list of suggested reading after each chapter. So if you are reading this and wishing you could learn more about something, the author has suggestions for you on most things covered so you can read a whole book about one of the events in the timeline.
As I read through this I was interesting in how Ukraine/Kiev came in and out of the picture of 'what is Russia'--a lot of my notes/quotes below are from my search for an answer to the question, Was Ukraine really always a part of Russia? The more I learn, the less it looks that way to me.
"Se many of the fundamental Russian assumptions about the world and their place in it can be traced back to the times of Ryurik and Vladimir, Yaroslav and their successors."
"Ancient history, national myths, and modern wars can be closer than we might like to believe, and nowhere more so than in the lands of the Rus'."
"...Kiev also secured treaties in 907 and 911 that saw the greatest city-state in the world treating upstart Kiev as, if not an equal, nonetheless a power worthy of respect. Slav tribes...were brought under Kiev's control..."
"In 1325, Metropolitan Pyotr, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, had moved his seat to Moscow, symbolically making it, not Kiev or Vadimir, the spiritual capital of all the Russias."
"From the time of Troubles emerged not only the new Romanov dynasty, but also a new, cohering narrative: that Russia should be prey for its many foes if it did not have a single, powerful ruler around whom all the classes and peoples of the nation could-and must-unite. This became the basis for the Russian Empire..."
"...a Cassack rebellion that saw towns burn along the Volga and a short-lived Cossack republic, followed by the Pereyaslavl Accords that saw the largest of the communities-and with it much of what is now Ukraine-brought under the rule of the tsar." (1654)
"[Catherine] never did make that 'imperial stride' to Constantinople, but defeated the Turks in the wars of 1768-74 and 1787-92. As a result, she took southern Ukraine and, in a move that would have historical repercussions for the twenty-first century, annexed the Ottoman dependency of Crimea for Russia in 1783."
"Without a thriving mercantile class to generate investment capital, without free and open debate in universities and educated circles to generate ideas, and without greater social mobility to generate new cohorts of innovators and skeptics, Russia would always remain backward, desperately trying to adopt and adapt the inventions of others."
"Ukraine was brought to its knees by an engineered famine in 1932-3 that killed more than 3 million..."
"Nationalists in Ukraine and the Baltic states began mobilizing for independence, others in Armenia and Azerbaijan began reopening old territorial disputes." (1989)
I thoroughly enjoyed this. It is indeed short and it does not add a lot of detail to the events in the timeline. I liked this feature, however, because it gave a concise timeline of what has happened with this huge entity that is Russia. I was surprised that I always though of Russia as being very European but looking at their history there is quite a bit of Asian there (which of course makes sense).
We learn about the beginning of our understanding of this land with the Slavs calling Varangian conquerors Rus' and finish with a few of the author's thoughts about the near future of Russia. I really like that each chapter starts with a timeline of events for that chapter. Some I knew about; some I did not. I would imagine that someone very familiar with Russian history would read this book and not learn very much. BUT even if I did know a lot about the topic already I think I would appreciate putting everything in chronological order with few tangents and I could see it lending context to even an expansive knowledge set.
Another feature of the book I really like is the list of suggested reading after each chapter. So if you are reading this and wishing you could learn more about something, the author has suggestions for you on most things covered so you can read a whole book about one of the events in the timeline.
As I read through this I was interesting in how Ukraine/Kiev came in and out of the picture of 'what is Russia'--a lot of my notes/quotes below are from my search for an answer to the question, Was Ukraine really always a part of Russia? The more I learn, the less it looks that way to me.
"Se many of the fundamental Russian assumptions about the world and their place in it can be traced back to the times of Ryurik and Vladimir, Yaroslav and their successors."
"Ancient history, national myths, and modern wars can be closer than we might like to believe, and nowhere more so than in the lands of the Rus'."
"...Kiev also secured treaties in 907 and 911 that saw the greatest city-state in the world treating upstart Kiev as, if not an equal, nonetheless a power worthy of respect. Slav tribes...were brought under Kiev's control..."
"In 1325, Metropolitan Pyotr, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, had moved his seat to Moscow, symbolically making it, not Kiev or Vadimir, the spiritual capital of all the Russias."
"From the time of Troubles emerged not only the new Romanov dynasty, but also a new, cohering narrative: that Russia should be prey for its many foes if it did not have a single, powerful ruler around whom all the classes and peoples of the nation could-and must-unite. This became the basis for the Russian Empire..."
"...a Cassack rebellion that saw towns burn along the Volga and a short-lived Cossack republic, followed by the Pereyaslavl Accords that saw the largest of the communities-and with it much of what is now Ukraine-brought under the rule of the tsar." (1654)
"[Catherine] never did make that 'imperial stride' to Constantinople, but defeated the Turks in the wars of 1768-74 and 1787-92. As a result, she took southern Ukraine and, in a move that would have historical repercussions for the twenty-first century, annexed the Ottoman dependency of Crimea for Russia in 1783."
"Without a thriving mercantile class to generate investment capital, without free and open debate in universities and educated circles to generate ideas, and without greater social mobility to generate new cohorts of innovators and skeptics, Russia would always remain backward, desperately trying to adopt and adapt the inventions of others."
"Ukraine was brought to its knees by an engineered famine in 1932-3 that killed more than 3 million..."
"Nationalists in Ukraine and the Baltic states began mobilizing for independence, others in Armenia and Azerbaijan began reopening old territorial disputes." (1989)
May 29, 2022
This is a good starting place to lay down some foundational information. What helped me even more was having a good group read discussion at GR Nonfiction Book Club. One member lives in Ukraine where he grew up. So I took opportunity to refine my understanding of what I was reading.
I had always struggled to understand the origins of the Russian Revolution. Now I understand the revolution was comprised of various groups that sought redress to a variety of grievances.
Reading and listening to news bulletins since I was very little girl. My father listened to Walter Cronkite on CBS evening news. I have ever not made sense of my big question about the genesis of the Revolution. This short history answered this and a couple of other questions.
Glad I read the book. Grateful for the discussion.
I had always struggled to understand the origins of the Russian Revolution. Now I understand the revolution was comprised of various groups that sought redress to a variety of grievances.
Reading and listening to news bulletins since I was very little girl. My father listened to Walter Cronkite on CBS evening news. I have ever not made sense of my big question about the genesis of the Revolution. This short history answered this and a couple of other questions.
Glad I read the book. Grateful for the discussion.
September 3, 2020
I know the title says a SHORT history, but I wanted more. I would especially love to learn more about the content in chapters 5-8 (really happy that the author included a section of further reading at the end of each chapter). This book is written in an academic style, but I found it extremely interesting!
“In 1604, a pretender claiming to be Dmitry, Feodor’s half brother, who’d actually died in 1591, led a Polish-backed attempt to seize the throne, and Russians, excited by the thought that maybe the Rurikid dynasty had survived, flocked to his ranks. Fake news was already destabilizing governments in the 16th Century.”
“In 1604, a pretender claiming to be Dmitry, Feodor’s half brother, who’d actually died in 1591, led a Polish-backed attempt to seize the throne, and Russians, excited by the thought that maybe the Rurikid dynasty had survived, flocked to his ranks. Fake news was already destabilizing governments in the 16th Century.”
October 6, 2021
Great. I know everything about Russia now.
May 16, 2024
Eminently readable summary of Russian history that gives much needed perspective on what the heck Putin is up to. Hint, he is following in a long tradition of autocrats, stretching back to the pre-Mongol days, trying his best to lord it over a geographic and ethnic vastness.
HOWEVER, I found a better version of Russian history in a Japanese history manga. Here it is!
Ruzzia. The story of Russia starts with the Normans from Scandinavia invading the area of the Slavic people, and then killing and raping/intermarrying with them.
In terms of development, Kiev (Ukraine) is established first, and adopts Christianity first, and Kiev rules the area to the north and east. But the settlements in this region continuously fight each other for supremacy, until the Mongols (called Tartars by the locals) bring peace by occupying the whole area. Under Mongol rule, the Muscovy area grows. Enter Ivan the 3rd. He adopts the Byzantium crest of the two-headed hawk, and Christianity (1453), unites with the republic of Novograd (1478) and manages to defeat (“throw off the yoke of”) the Mongols in 1480.
Ivan then appoints himself Tsar, ties the peasants to the land, and Ruzzia is off to the races!
After Ivan 3 dies, the aristocrats fight amongst themselves for position until Ivan’s grandson, Ivan (the 4th) is old enough to assert himself, in 1547. The lack of a clear procedure for succession by the regime starts a pattern that will continue in Ruzzia until the present day.
Under Ivan 4 (later to be called “the Terrible”), the Rooskies expand east into Khazakstan, but expansion in the west is stopped by Lithuania, Sweden and Poland. Ivan forms a special military police group to arrest and execute his internal enemies. So Ruzzian. In 1581, Russia makes it to the eastern side of the Urals and enlists the Cossacks for further expansion. The Cossacks go as far as Siberia. But as usual, the bothersome peasants want to be free. To address this problem, Ivan 4 renews the requirement that NO PEASANT LEAVES THE LAND!. After Ivan 4th dies in 1584, confusion reigns once again as the wealthy and powerful vie for control of the throne,
Sweden and Poland see an opportunity, and around 1600, invade and occupy Moscow. Whoa. I did not see that coming.
In reaction to the capture of Moscow, the Russian aristocrats … flee east, call a meeting, and appoint a sixteen year old kid, Michael Romanov, from Ivan the Terrible’s family, with the idea that they will be able to control him. Michael is succeeded by Alexei Romanov is 1649, who again requires that NO PEASANT LEAVES THE LAND. The serf system becomes (finally?) official. Alexei also changes the Russian crest’s wing orientation of the Byzantine two-headed eagle from downward pointing to upward pointing, like the Roman Empire, and a third crown is added.
But the peasants continue to flee the land, and many join the Cossacks, who now become a threat to the stability of the throne. Cossacks from the Don River region revolt against the serf system in 1670, but are put down the following year. Russia has taken over Kiev, but in the Baltic region, Sweden and Poland are stronger.
Enter Peter (1682), age 9, with his older half-sister, Sophia, exercising the real power. Sophia tries to side-line Peter, and is successful until 1689/1690 when, after Russia fails to win Crimea from the Ottoman Empire, Sophia is put in a convent. Peter formally assumes power in 1694 and organizes study tours to Europe to gather western technology. Peter builds up the Russian navy and makes an attempt to fight Sweden in 1700. THIS WAR, THE BALTIC WAR, LASTS TWENTY-ONE YEARS. In the course of this period, Peter establishes St. Petersburg and moves the capital there (1713). The Russian navy finally defeats the Swedish navy in 1714, and the king of Sweden dies in battle in 1718.
After Peter dies in 1725, the leadership of Russia is once again a confusion. A variety of persons assert their leadership for short periods until Peter the Second takes the throne in 1762. But, he is too soft on Prussia for the Rooskie aristocrats, who want reparations from Prussia, so they dethrone him and anoint Catherine, the daughter of a Prussian general. Catherine sets out to out-Rusky the Ruskies. First she takes a bite out of Poland. When Poland fights back, she doubles down and takes more. (Prussia and Austria also decide to grab their own bits of Poland—rough neighborhood.)
The Cossacks lead another uprising against the serf system, and Russia puts this down the following year, 1775. In response, Catherine sends directors to strengthen the central government’s grasp on regional governments.
Following victory in her continuing war with Turkey, Catherine finally obtains access to the Black Sea at Azov, and Crimea is awarded independence from the Ottoman Empire, which Russia then snaps up like a ravenous alligator in 1783. When the Ottoman Empire requests Russia to remove itself from Crimea and the Azov Sea in 1787, Catherine teams up with Austria and sends her best general. Russia keeps the pressure on the Ottomans until they get land concessions, this time the area around Odessa, in 1792.
In a response to the French Revolution, Catherine takes more of Poland, until, together with Prussian moves, there is no Poland left.
The now elderly Catherine grants her blessing to her grandson Alexander, instead of to her son Pavel/Paul, but Pavel takes over anyway. He later dies mysteriously. Alexander is Tsar.
What a sh*t show.
HOWEVER, I found a better version of Russian history in a Japanese history manga. Here it is!
Ruzzia. The story of Russia starts with the Normans from Scandinavia invading the area of the Slavic people, and then killing and raping/intermarrying with them.
In terms of development, Kiev (Ukraine) is established first, and adopts Christianity first, and Kiev rules the area to the north and east. But the settlements in this region continuously fight each other for supremacy, until the Mongols (called Tartars by the locals) bring peace by occupying the whole area. Under Mongol rule, the Muscovy area grows. Enter Ivan the 3rd. He adopts the Byzantium crest of the two-headed hawk, and Christianity (1453), unites with the republic of Novograd (1478) and manages to defeat (“throw off the yoke of”) the Mongols in 1480.
Ivan then appoints himself Tsar, ties the peasants to the land, and Ruzzia is off to the races!
After Ivan 3 dies, the aristocrats fight amongst themselves for position until Ivan’s grandson, Ivan (the 4th) is old enough to assert himself, in 1547. The lack of a clear procedure for succession by the regime starts a pattern that will continue in Ruzzia until the present day.
Under Ivan 4 (later to be called “the Terrible”), the Rooskies expand east into Khazakstan, but expansion in the west is stopped by Lithuania, Sweden and Poland. Ivan forms a special military police group to arrest and execute his internal enemies. So Ruzzian. In 1581, Russia makes it to the eastern side of the Urals and enlists the Cossacks for further expansion. The Cossacks go as far as Siberia. But as usual, the bothersome peasants want to be free. To address this problem, Ivan 4 renews the requirement that NO PEASANT LEAVES THE LAND!. After Ivan 4th dies in 1584, confusion reigns once again as the wealthy and powerful vie for control of the throne,
Sweden and Poland see an opportunity, and around 1600, invade and occupy Moscow. Whoa. I did not see that coming.
In reaction to the capture of Moscow, the Russian aristocrats … flee east, call a meeting, and appoint a sixteen year old kid, Michael Romanov, from Ivan the Terrible’s family, with the idea that they will be able to control him. Michael is succeeded by Alexei Romanov is 1649, who again requires that NO PEASANT LEAVES THE LAND. The serf system becomes (finally?) official. Alexei also changes the Russian crest’s wing orientation of the Byzantine two-headed eagle from downward pointing to upward pointing, like the Roman Empire, and a third crown is added.
But the peasants continue to flee the land, and many join the Cossacks, who now become a threat to the stability of the throne. Cossacks from the Don River region revolt against the serf system in 1670, but are put down the following year. Russia has taken over Kiev, but in the Baltic region, Sweden and Poland are stronger.
Enter Peter (1682), age 9, with his older half-sister, Sophia, exercising the real power. Sophia tries to side-line Peter, and is successful until 1689/1690 when, after Russia fails to win Crimea from the Ottoman Empire, Sophia is put in a convent. Peter formally assumes power in 1694 and organizes study tours to Europe to gather western technology. Peter builds up the Russian navy and makes an attempt to fight Sweden in 1700. THIS WAR, THE BALTIC WAR, LASTS TWENTY-ONE YEARS. In the course of this period, Peter establishes St. Petersburg and moves the capital there (1713). The Russian navy finally defeats the Swedish navy in 1714, and the king of Sweden dies in battle in 1718.
After Peter dies in 1725, the leadership of Russia is once again a confusion. A variety of persons assert their leadership for short periods until Peter the Second takes the throne in 1762. But, he is too soft on Prussia for the Rooskie aristocrats, who want reparations from Prussia, so they dethrone him and anoint Catherine, the daughter of a Prussian general. Catherine sets out to out-Rusky the Ruskies. First she takes a bite out of Poland. When Poland fights back, she doubles down and takes more. (Prussia and Austria also decide to grab their own bits of Poland—rough neighborhood.)
The Cossacks lead another uprising against the serf system, and Russia puts this down the following year, 1775. In response, Catherine sends directors to strengthen the central government’s grasp on regional governments.
Following victory in her continuing war with Turkey, Catherine finally obtains access to the Black Sea at Azov, and Crimea is awarded independence from the Ottoman Empire, which Russia then snaps up like a ravenous alligator in 1783. When the Ottoman Empire requests Russia to remove itself from Crimea and the Azov Sea in 1787, Catherine teams up with Austria and sends her best general. Russia keeps the pressure on the Ottomans until they get land concessions, this time the area around Odessa, in 1792.
In a response to the French Revolution, Catherine takes more of Poland, until, together with Prussian moves, there is no Poland left.
The now elderly Catherine grants her blessing to her grandson Alexander, instead of to her son Pavel/Paul, but Pavel takes over anyway. He later dies mysteriously. Alexander is Tsar.
What a sh*t show.
May 8, 2021
Lively and interesting, made me want more (I just ordered one of his recommended books). Narrated well by the author, who knows how to say all those Russian names. :)
September 7, 2021
Asa cum ii spune numele, o foarte scurta istorie Rusiei ( pentru amatori ca mine).
Mi a placut cum a fost organizata, recomandarile de lecturi suplimentare si introducerea personajului Putin.
Mi a placut cum a fost organizata, recomandarile de lecturi suplimentare si introducerea personajului Putin.
October 10, 2022
Istoria Rusiei este una brutală și zbuciumată. Începem cu scandinavul Rurik. El s-a stabilit în Novgorod. Apoi a mutat capitala de la Novgorod la Kiev. Și așa se formează Rusia Kieveană. El va fi primul conducător al Rusiei Kievene și dinastia Rurikizilor va conduce timp de secole. Slavii de pe loc s-au amestecat cu varegii (vikingii). Din Rusia Kieveană descind ucrainenii (ruteni), belarușii și rușii. Tot din Kiev a început creștinarea rușilor. În timp ce Kievul și Novgorodul se bucurau de glorie, al treilea și cel mai tânăr frate, Moscova, abia dacă putea fi considerat orășel. Rusia Kieveană a cunoscut o perioadă de aur, după care s-a destrămat în cnezate/principate, din cauza luptelor între membrii familiei princiare. Nimeni nu se aștepta la pericolul dinspre est, năpasta mongolă! Mongolii au ajuns până în Ungaria și Polonia, au cucerit Kievul și au ars Moscova din temelii. Kievul și-a pierdut influența și mai târziu a fost încorporat în Marele Ducat al Lituaniei. Cnezatul Vladimir-Suzdal (din care făcea parte și Moscova), aflat sub dominația mongolă, va fi baza națiunii moderne ruse. Moscoviții au trăit secole printre mongoli și au adoptat multe obiceiuri de la ei. Moscova s-a ridicat și a început să unească pământurile rusești și să extindă principatul. A pus capăt dominației tătaro-mongolă. Cnezatul Vladimir-Suzdal a evoluat în Cnezatul Moscovei, apoi Țaratul Rusiei, Imperiul Rus, Uniunea Sovietică și Rusia de astăzi.
Moscova și-a asumat titlul de a Treia Romă, protectorul ortodoxiei. Ironic, când otomanii terorizau țările balcanice și Principatele Române, rușii nu ne-au ajutat cu nimic. Conducătorii Rusiei au modernizat armata și infrastructura, au transformat Moscova și Sankt-Petersburg în orașe frumoase, dar nu fără ajutorul străinilor. Un lucru nu puteau schimba: mentalitatea înapoiată a poporului. Au încercat să ajungă din urmă statele europene puternice. Conducătorii doreau ca Rusia să se afirme în lume, să fie acceptată de Europa. În același timp, nu doreau pătrunderea elementelor străine în țară și se considerau puri, având valorile adevărat europene, în timp ce-i numeau pe europeni depravați. Credeau că Rusia este o țară deosebită și are un destin mesianic. Dar au subjugat popoare și au cotropit. Ecaterina cea Mare spunea că singurul mijloc de a apăra hotarele e să le extindă. Stalin a afirmat că Rusia e în urma Europei cu 50-100 de ani și trebuie să acopere diferența în 10 ani. Ce a urmat, știm toți. Rușii au o criză de identitate, continuă să rescrie trecutul și cred în cel mai convenabil lor.
Moscova și-a asumat titlul de a Treia Romă, protectorul ortodoxiei. Ironic, când otomanii terorizau țările balcanice și Principatele Române, rușii nu ne-au ajutat cu nimic. Conducătorii Rusiei au modernizat armata și infrastructura, au transformat Moscova și Sankt-Petersburg în orașe frumoase, dar nu fără ajutorul străinilor. Un lucru nu puteau schimba: mentalitatea înapoiată a poporului. Au încercat să ajungă din urmă statele europene puternice. Conducătorii doreau ca Rusia să se afirme în lume, să fie acceptată de Europa. În același timp, nu doreau pătrunderea elementelor străine în țară și se considerau puri, având valorile adevărat europene, în timp ce-i numeau pe europeni depravați. Credeau că Rusia este o țară deosebită și are un destin mesianic. Dar au subjugat popoare și au cotropit. Ecaterina cea Mare spunea că singurul mijloc de a apăra hotarele e să le extindă. Stalin a afirmat că Rusia e în urma Europei cu 50-100 de ani și trebuie să acopere diferența în 10 ani. Ce a urmat, știm toți. Rușii au o criză de identitate, continuă să rescrie trecutul și cred în cel mai convenabil lor.
October 31, 2025
A superb book that spans centuries of history. I know that writing a short book is a lot harder than writing a long one; Galeotti is a master at that, both with this book and We Need to Talk About Putin: Why the West Gets Him Wrong, and How to Get Him Right. It goes up to 2022 and includes a Coda that discusses the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Galeotti includes a list of further reading at the end of each chapter and I love that. Naturally, it leads to a bigger TBR, but that's fine.
Galeotti includes a list of further reading at the end of each chapter and I love that. Naturally, it leads to a bigger TBR, but that's fine.
January 13, 2025
Partidista en certs moments.
January 18, 2023
Catherine was the very image of that eighteenth-century European ideal, the “enlightened despot,” dragging countries into the future by the power they inherited from the past.
A clear, concise summary of Russia from its founding myth to present day (the most recent edition includes Russia's initial invasion of Ukraine in February 2022). The deconstruction of the idea of the Mongol-Tartar Yoke was the most interesting element to me.
Comments limited as very much not an area I am familiar with.
A clear, concise summary of Russia from its founding myth to present day (the most recent edition includes Russia's initial invasion of Ukraine in February 2022). The deconstruction of the idea of the Mongol-Tartar Yoke was the most interesting element to me.
Comments limited as very much not an area I am familiar with.
August 22, 2024
Randomly saw this on a bookshelf in Melbourne and figured why not get this book I don't really know much about Russia and it's a short read I can probably finish it pretty quickly.
I was WRONG! It felt like it took me 2 years to get through this book lol. If I were to take a history test on Russia I am pretty sure I would fail even after reading it. I think there wasn't enough intro from one chapter to the next and connecting of the dots for me. I do feel like I have more of a general understanding of the history but I also feel like there are so many gaps in the knowledge. Rasputin was only mentioned in one sentence and maybe I didn't pay enough attention but felt like the falling of House of Ramanov could've been explained a bit more.
I was WRONG! It felt like it took me 2 years to get through this book lol. If I were to take a history test on Russia I am pretty sure I would fail even after reading it. I think there wasn't enough intro from one chapter to the next and connecting of the dots for me. I do feel like I have more of a general understanding of the history but I also feel like there are so many gaps in the knowledge. Rasputin was only mentioned in one sentence and maybe I didn't pay enough attention but felt like the falling of House of Ramanov could've been explained a bit more.
July 31, 2021
To present 12 more or less chaotic centuries of Russian history in a book this thin is quite a challenge. Yet Mark Galeotti succeeds well in this endeavour and I thoroughly enjoyed reading his book. Naturally the limited number of pages at times leads to lack of details, sometimes I felt shortcuts were taken. But that is the only minor complaint I have, this book is highly recommended for anyone trying to grasp some of the logic or lack thereof in present day Russia.
November 20, 2023
Thought I would try and learn something but omg how dull and boring this was…
April 13, 2023
Más de mil años de historia en 175 páginas puede resultar una lista inmensa de nombres y fechas de difícil lectura, pero no es el caso de este libro. Galeotti explica de manera superficial, peri no en el mal sentido, la creación de lo que hoy es Rusia y el por qué de muchos mitos y verdades. Además, completa cada capítulo con una lista de libros para profundizar. Para no iniciados como yo, me ha parecido extraordinario.
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February 28, 2025Un poco cringe pero creo que me sirve para entender Guerra y Paz
January 18, 2025
O scurtă introducere în istoria Rusiei de la venirea varegilor la domnia lui Putin. Bine structurată, utilă, cu sugestii de lecturi viitoare. Fără îndoială, prinde bine pentru oricine vrea să afle mai multe sau să-și reamintească momente din istoria vecinului de la răsărit. Se adresează publicului larg, excelentă cred pentru cineva care e la liceu acum și e pasionat de istorie.
August 27, 2025
Quite a run through. More knowledge needed.
February 1, 2023
engaging, accessible, and so so interesting!
January 16, 2024
This was a good intro to Russian history and particularly at the end provided a good context to the political landscape Putin sits in today. Really enjoyed the section on Catherine the Great too.
At times it did jump about a bit too much and I did want some more details in certain areas. To be fair to the book, it is meant to be a ‘short’ history! I listened to it as an audiobook and I don’t think it held my attention as much as other audiobooks or podcasts seem to – but that might just be me.
At times it did jump about a bit too much and I did want some more details in certain areas. To be fair to the book, it is meant to be a ‘short’ history! I listened to it as an audiobook and I don’t think it held my attention as much as other audiobooks or podcasts seem to – but that might just be me.
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