Peter the Great Modernizer of Russia

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	• Peter the Great Robert K. Massie Ballantine Books, 1981 - 928 pages average customer review:based on 102 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Peter the Great Modernizer of Russia - A Must Read

To preface this review I must say that this is probably my favorite biography of all time. Massie's ability to express and craft a work along with the fascinating life of Peter the Great combine to form one of the best narratives. This is a very long book at 928 pages but don let this discourage you: this book reads fast and while a little history knowledge might help I don't think it is required to enjoy this work. Peter was the ruler of Russia who brought Russia out of the Middle Ages and helped more than any other ruler to make Russia a European nation. By debasing the power of the Boyars, building a Navy, reforming the Army and making a tour of Europe Peter, radically changed the role and scope of the emperor of Russia. Prior to Peter's rule, the Russian emperor had little power outside of Moscow and the Boyar class held a great deal of the power. Also the Russia looked upon Europeans as different and rejected their ways clothes and culture. Peter by building a new capital under the European model made an effort that could not be erased by his death. Beyond all of this Peter is something of a man's man enjoying combat drinking heavily and fireworks. He chose not to lead armies but to fight as a Corporal and often went in disguise to avoid the pomp of his imperial role.

This book is really among the best biographies I have ever read and ranks among my favorite books. This is one you will not want to put down and one that every fan of history will enjoy. I recommend this book highly.

Ted Murena

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Awesome biography, perfect script for a movie

Peter the Great is probably one of the most influential leaders in world history, and is considered by many as the one who modernized Russia. Such a grand personage requires a grand biography, and this book delivers just that.

It tells the life of Peter in chronological order, starting by showing how he was born into one of several families competing for political power in Russia. The book continues with his family's exile from political power, his education in military and political affairs, and his rise to leadership of Russia. The book then covers his trip west to learn from other European nations, and his return home, upon which he set upon a mission to modernize Russia. These efforts included the building of a modern navy, the construction of St. Petersburg, mandatory government service for the aristocracy, and of course, cutting of beards.

The book also describes in detail the military conquests and defeats of Peter the Great, and the political scheming and posturing he led Russia thru vis-a-vis England, France, Austria, Poland, Germany, Turkey and a host of other empires.

The book was quite entertaining to read, and many comical anecdotes are recalled. The book is also easy to read as the author goes out of the way to explain Russian terminology and culture to non-Russian readers. Overall, a great book whether for a history class or pleasure reading. I think it also makes a great script for a movie. I highly recommend it.

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A great read

This is a grand book, not because it is over 700 pages long or because it covers the life-span of a man that brought many changes to the Russia that existed in the late 17th and early 18th century, but rather because its author has produced a biography with authority, compassion and general enthusiasm. Robert Massie read and reviewed many documents and books for his biography of Peter The Great and has done a wonderful job at bringing to his readers a comprehensible, fun and enjoyable book. Unlike other biographies, this book gives the reader a real glimpse of what life in Russia was like, how people lived, what they ate, what the customs were, and how this life compared to the lives that other Europeans lived in the same time period. Against this backdrop, Massie portrays Peter as a real human being. He discusses in details his relationship to his father and mother, to his first and second wife and his much-beloved son. A rebellious youngster with tremendous physical strength (he stands over 6 feet as a grown men, something very unusual at that time), Peter grows to be a curious and intelligent man, who brings many changes to a very religious country whose government is deficient, whose army is outdated and whose economy is mainly based on agriculture. During his life time, Peter builds Petersburg, defeats the ruling Swedish army, goes against outdated religious traditions, builds a fleet of ships and brings much prosperity to his country men. Not always a kind human being, Peter rules with authority and a quest to make his country a driving force in the European community. To that end, Massie does not only discuss Peter's accomplishments, but also describes his flaws and some of the difficult decisions he makes during his life. This biography is uncommonly non-biased and portrays Peter The Great in all his complexity and against a wonderful descriptive historical backdrop. A great read!

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Well done

This is a well-done work: readable and informative. One note, however: it was published in 1986 during the Soviet era. I wonder how a post-Soviet biography would read now that many of their archives are open to Western historians. Regardless, this work is highly recommended.

Best Biography I've Ever Read

I have read many biographies in my life, but this is by far the best. Part of the reason is that Massie weaves a fantastic story full of details and part of the reason is that the subject matter is so interesting. While this book is long and quite dense, when I finished I couldn't wait to read it again.

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