Status
Checked out
Genres
Collection
Publication
Berkley (1981)
Description
A biography of the German-born Russian Empress who was one of the most influential of the eighteenth-century rulers.
User reviews
LibraryThing member lanewillson
I have no idea why I decided to read Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert Massie. There is something about Russian names that my dyslexia can’t cope with, and with the exception of a couple of novels I was forced to read in college, I've never been able to finish a Russian work. In
Despite those challenges, I really enjoyed the book. I was very interested in the story of this little girl, and how she became one of the most power women in history. Not that the late 18th century was easy for women in general, but the Russian’s pension for orthodoxy seems to make the metamorphosis of this little girl into Catherine the great even more remarkable. Mr. Massie made reading about that transformation captivating.
But I still don’t like Jane Austen.
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addition, the early portion of the book seemed like something out of a Jane Austen novel. I imagine Natasha from Rocky and Bullwinkle bitching about Mr. Darcy. I pray my daughters will forgive me, but I hate Jane Austen! Proof you can’t judge a book by it’s … um….OK, you can’t judge a book by your own previous prejudices. Despite those challenges, I really enjoyed the book. I was very interested in the story of this little girl, and how she became one of the most power women in history. Not that the late 18th century was easy for women in general, but the Russian’s pension for orthodoxy seems to make the metamorphosis of this little girl into Catherine the great even more remarkable. Mr. Massie made reading about that transformation captivating.
But I still don’t like Jane Austen.
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LibraryThing member AlexTheHunn
Troyat's is a thorough and scholarly presentation of Catherine. He keeps sufficient distance from his subject to avoid becoming entranced.
LibraryThing member AlexTheHunn
Troyat avoids the hagiographic biographies that are characteristic of so many of Catherine's fans. Yet he also steers clear of the lurid and seamy aspects of her life.
LibraryThing member santhony
Prior to reading this book, the only information that I had on Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, was that she was an 18th century Czarina of some repute and that she was essentially a nymphomaniac. While the author disputes my clinical characterization of Catherine's sexual prowess, he
This book is very informative and quite enlightening as it relates to the political and social mores of Eastern European and Asian aristocracy during the period of Catherine's reign. The tangled webs of shifting alliances during the roughly 50 years covered by the book are many times fascinating and at times hung by the thread of whether a 16 year old heir to a throne was enchanted at first site by a 13 year old princess. Entire nations hung in the balance.
Especially interesting was the author's repeated juxtaposition between Catherine's espoused liberal "enlightened monarch" ideals and her actual rule over, and disposal of millions of enslaved serfs. Her fascination and financial support of many liberal French and Swiss political reformers and philosophers and then her horror when such philosophies actual came to fruition in the French Revolution.
Ultimately, Catherine was a woman of her times and indisputably proved to be a most able successor to the earlier Peter the Great inasmuch as she made Russia a major player on the European stage and greatly expanded the territory under her control. The personalities involved make for a highly entertaining read.
I've seen some of the comments labeling the prose as dry or tedious and tend to disagree. Certainly, writing style of non-fiction historical biographies differs from that seen in fictionalized accounts. In addition, this is a translation which perhaps hinders certain elements of style that others might prefer. All in all, I was not dissatified with the writing or the content. I recommend this book to any seeking an understanding of Russian or Eastern European history and/or culture during the mid to late 18th century.
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certainly does take great pains to point out her long list of conquests, right up until her death at a then advanced age. This book is very informative and quite enlightening as it relates to the political and social mores of Eastern European and Asian aristocracy during the period of Catherine's reign. The tangled webs of shifting alliances during the roughly 50 years covered by the book are many times fascinating and at times hung by the thread of whether a 16 year old heir to a throne was enchanted at first site by a 13 year old princess. Entire nations hung in the balance.
Especially interesting was the author's repeated juxtaposition between Catherine's espoused liberal "enlightened monarch" ideals and her actual rule over, and disposal of millions of enslaved serfs. Her fascination and financial support of many liberal French and Swiss political reformers and philosophers and then her horror when such philosophies actual came to fruition in the French Revolution.
Ultimately, Catherine was a woman of her times and indisputably proved to be a most able successor to the earlier Peter the Great inasmuch as she made Russia a major player on the European stage and greatly expanded the territory under her control. The personalities involved make for a highly entertaining read.
I've seen some of the comments labeling the prose as dry or tedious and tend to disagree. Certainly, writing style of non-fiction historical biographies differs from that seen in fictionalized accounts. In addition, this is a translation which perhaps hinders certain elements of style that others might prefer. All in all, I was not dissatified with the writing or the content. I recommend this book to any seeking an understanding of Russian or Eastern European history and/or culture during the mid to late 18th century.
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LibraryThing member iayork
Great book of a women who knew what she wanted: The daughter of a minor German prince, it almost easy to imagine Catherine the Great came to the throne by accident. But Catherine had a mission. Almost from the day she was chosen to be the wife of Grand Duke Peter, Catherine set her sights on
Catherine saw herself as a liberal monarch. In fact, she regularly corresponded with Volraire and Diderot. But in the end, Catherine's main accomplishment was the maintain the power of the monarchy.
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greater power. She suceeded, some say by murdering her own husband, Tsar Peter III. Catherine lead the Russians in the battle for the Crimea, eventually winning the region for the empire. The book also goes extensively into the many loves of Catherine. But short of using them to define who the Tsarina was, Troyat treats them as the diversion that Catherine saw them as. Catherine saw herself as a liberal monarch. In fact, she regularly corresponded with Volraire and Diderot. But in the end, Catherine's main accomplishment was the maintain the power of the monarchy.
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LibraryThing member diovival
History doesn't have to be dry and boring. This book is amazing.
LibraryThing member standrewsparish
Born a German princess, not Russian at all, she came to embody Russia as the Russians went to battle after battle and through war after war.
Subjects
Awards
Notable Books List (1980)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1977
Physical description
7 inches
ISBN
0425051862 / 9780425051863