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lo_daviss's review against another edition
4.0
This took me FOREVER!! But actually pretty good. I’m also interested in Catherine though so maybe that has something to do with it. But Massie is a really good storyteller. Might have to look into others of his…
kcrawfish's review against another edition
5.0
This biography of Catherine the Great was a fascinating introduction to Russian history. Catherine’s own memoirs and plentiful letters and writings paint a vivid image of the monarch, which Massie combines with historical knowledge and the memoirs and writings of others to flesh out the context. I found her early life endearing and darkly humorous, and her later life the mature actions of a young idealist, and eventually the disillusioned actions of a cynic who had reversed her idealistic positions.
The vast life of someone so powerful, yet still human, shows the complexities the Russian government had to deal with as even someone as powerful and willful as Catherine tried and failed to effect change in the fates of the peasantry. France’s revolution devolved into butchery and brutality, and eventually Russia would follow. If there’s one thing we can learn, it’s that suppressing change through censorship can only lead to a darker reality further down the line.
A ruler of wit and wisdom, and a disillusioned woman who still tried to fight for a better future for her country. I really look forward to learning more about this time period and the rulers who shaped our current world.
(Also, we Americans have Catherine the Great and Austria to thank for our freedom from British rule, as 20,000 Russian troops were requested by, and denied to, King George)
The vast life of someone so powerful, yet still human, shows the complexities the Russian government had to deal with as even someone as powerful and willful as Catherine tried and failed to effect change in the fates of the peasantry. France’s revolution devolved into butchery and brutality, and eventually Russia would follow. If there’s one thing we can learn, it’s that suppressing change through censorship can only lead to a darker reality further down the line.
A ruler of wit and wisdom, and a disillusioned woman who still tried to fight for a better future for her country. I really look forward to learning more about this time period and the rulers who shaped our current world.
(Also, we Americans have Catherine the Great and Austria to thank for our freedom from British rule, as 20,000 Russian troops were requested by, and denied to, King George)
marieintheraw's review against another edition
3.0
sometimes things seemed in an odd order, but it's a great and informative read.
kathleenguthriewoods's review against another edition
5.0
The history—Russian, European, and world history—is fascinating. What really blew my mind was learning about how she managed to overcome extreme limitations and succeed in a time when women had almost no rights, no power.
Full disclaimer: I listened to the audio, which runs just under 24 hours. The narrator, Mark Deakins, was good, except he has a habit of taking on a simpering voice when he’s speaking for the female characters. Super-annoying, but the book is still worth reading/listening to.
Full disclaimer: I listened to the audio, which runs just under 24 hours. The narrator, Mark Deakins, was good, except he has a habit of taking on a simpering voice when he’s speaking for the female characters. Super-annoying, but the book is still worth reading/listening to.
roseleaf24's review against another edition
4.0
For such a lengthy work of non-fiction, I'm surprised I found this as readable as I did. Catherine is a fascinating woman. As a minor German princess, she comes to Russia to marry the heir to the throne and quickly realizes that he's not really fit to rule and that her marriage will be miserable. But she has her eyes on the throne, even as a fourteen-year-old girl, and she never loses sight of that goal. Because of her determination, her ability to win the hearts of the right people at the right time, and her honest desire to be a benevolent autocrat, she becomes Catherine the Great. I must admit I found the last section more scattered and less interesting than the rest of it, but this is well worth reading.
labunnywtf's review against another edition
4.0
First and foremost, if you are like me (prior to this book) and know literally nothing about Catherine the Great, please take advantage of this Youtube playlist. Before I even started the audiobook, I watched this series of videos. And I actually think they used this book as their research, because they did a really good job of book reporting the information.
That being said, I repeat, I knew literally nothing about Catherine the Great before starting this. Including that she was Catherine the Great OF RUSSIA. She could've been CtG of Uzbekistan for all I knew.
So, why did I decide to read this book?
Maybe because I'm out of things to learn about The Tudors? Maybe because I want to be knowledgeable about even more useless things? Most likely because I really enjoy strong women in history.
Catherine the Great was kind of a bad ass. Like, no equivocation. She wasn't someone with a title that history has taken literally ("Well, they said she was great, so...?"). Her mother, Johanna, hated her for being a girl, auctioned her off to the highest bidder, then got pissy when the highest bidder didn't treat Johanna like the royalty she felt she was.
She then put up with Empress Elizabeth, a woman who ran hotter and colder than a hotel shower you've never operated before. Her husband was useless in every way, from baby making to avoiding being overthrown.
She brought to Russia medical care, education, art, philosophy, enlightenment. She was a strong, decisive leader who racked up victory after victory. Like Elizabeth I, she never let a lover get in the way of her ruling her country. Unlike Elizabeth, she took those lovers publicly and shamelessly.
She certainly had her faults. The rampant slavery of the times is incredibly difficult to read about, sandwiched between chapters of her belief in enlightenment and her otherwise forward thinking.
This book, and specifically this author, have opened doors to a brand new world of history for me. I desperately want to read more about the Emperors and Czars from this period of time. As well as other monarchs and historical figures mentioned throughout while discussing what was going on during this time frame.
Including my ever-increasing desire to read about the life of Marie Antoinette. Some day.
And with all of that, I want to read more historical works by this author. Historical works scare me off by being notoriously dry. This was rich and beyond entertaining. Bring me more!
That being said, I repeat, I knew literally nothing about Catherine the Great before starting this. Including that she was Catherine the Great OF RUSSIA. She could've been CtG of Uzbekistan for all I knew.
So, why did I decide to read this book?
Maybe because I'm out of things to learn about The Tudors? Maybe because I want to be knowledgeable about even more useless things? Most likely because I really enjoy strong women in history.
Catherine the Great was kind of a bad ass. Like, no equivocation. She wasn't someone with a title that history has taken literally ("Well, they said she was great, so...?"). Her mother, Johanna, hated her for being a girl, auctioned her off to the highest bidder, then got pissy when the highest bidder didn't treat Johanna like the royalty she felt she was.
She then put up with Empress Elizabeth, a woman who ran hotter and colder than a hotel shower you've never operated before. Her husband was useless in every way, from baby making to avoiding being overthrown.
She brought to Russia medical care, education, art, philosophy, enlightenment. She was a strong, decisive leader who racked up victory after victory. Like Elizabeth I, she never let a lover get in the way of her ruling her country. Unlike Elizabeth, she took those lovers publicly and shamelessly.
She certainly had her faults. The rampant slavery of the times is incredibly difficult to read about, sandwiched between chapters of her belief in enlightenment and her otherwise forward thinking.
This book, and specifically this author, have opened doors to a brand new world of history for me. I desperately want to read more about the Emperors and Czars from this period of time. As well as other monarchs and historical figures mentioned throughout while discussing what was going on during this time frame.
Including my ever-increasing desire to read about the life of Marie Antoinette. Some day.
And with all of that, I want to read more historical works by this author. Historical works scare me off by being notoriously dry. This was rich and beyond entertaining. Bring me more!
cherrymaple's review against another edition
3.0
Most of the book had me very interested. I don't know much about Russian history and it was nice to learn so many new things. I had to force myself near the end unfortunately. Also, I was not at all interested in the sexual deviancy of a philosopher. It wasn't necessary to add those details, in my opinion.
lisade's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed at the beginning. Lagged a bit at the end (post-Potemkin chapters). Doesn't insult your intelligence, but doesn't assume a deep knowledge of Russian history and culture at that time period.
jay_sy's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.5
Catherine the Great is a biography about Catherine's life and accomplishments.
Thoughts while reading:
-it's unfortunate to hear about how the desire to have a son in air can shape how people treat their children causing the young Catherine (Sofia) to be so neglected by her mother. But Catherine's childhood was quite interesting to hear about including how she developed her charm and other intellectual qualities out of a desperate desire to escape from her mother through marriage as well as belief that she was not beautiful
-it was really interesting to hear about the freedom with which Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great, lived including having multiple supposed lovers despite being unmarried. She sounded like someone who was very affable and it's amusing that she chose to wear a men's pants to show off her legs, and spent a great deal of time talking and playing cards with soldiers
-it was really sad to hear how the young Peter was abused by his tutor, to the point of losing any love of learning or even his former passions like music. Then, by the time he reached Russia, he was so ignorant that even Elizabeth, who thought that too much learning was injurious to health, was shocked by his ignorance
-I like hearing about how the young Sophia went over the Russians by her eagerness to learn their language and join the Orthodox Church, particularly when it was found out that she fell ill supposedly because she stayed up too late trying to study the language. Her behaviour was also a stark contrast to Peter who seemed to want nothing to do with Russia
-it's both fascinating and disturbing how childish Peter was, such as when he drilled holes into the door so he could see what his aunt Elizabeth was doing, completely invading her privacy as she entertained guests
-its remarkable that both Catherine and Peter were both so sheltered that their marriage remained unconsummated for 7 years, though granted, they were married very young. It's also a little sad that even at a young age, Catherine knew not to ever expect love from Peter who was childish and petty. And because they didn't bear any children, it's disturbing how restricted their life became with constant duenna that reported on their behaviour. However, it is a little amusing that there were people that snuck toys into their bed chamber so that Peter could play with toy soldiers all night
-it's interesting that fires were very common due to the tile stoves that were often old and cracked, and the way that fires were stopped were by tearing down buildings rather than by putting out the fire
-it's remarkable how badly Peter behaved when his aunt Elizabeth died, despite him being in his 30s. He didn't uphold of the traditions of mourning, and during the procession when her body was moved, he moved erratically to play pranks on the officials who were holding his train. Then, he tried to undo Russian traditions and instate Prussian traditions, including implementing Protestant customs, and trying to change the army uniforms and traditions to the ones he grew up with. He even changed the Russian army uniforms which were thick and loose to thin and fitted uniforms even though the thick uniforms protected the soldiers from the weather
-it was quite interesting to learn about serfdom in Russia and how wealth wasn't measured in the amount of land a noble owned but how many serfs they had. The serfs were essentially slaves, and nobles could do anything they liked to them other than kill them, although they could inflict punishment that amounted to death. And because the Russians enjoyed spectacle, some of these serfs could play instruments or dance and put on elaborate theatrical performances. But because the nobility relied so much on the serfs, Catherine was unable to undo the institution of serfdom, despite her efforts to free them via laws or other methods
-Catherine was so forward thinking about the smallpox vaccine during a time when Europeans were reluctant to take the vaccine, even though it was used in America. It's admirable how she changed public sentiment and set up clinics all throughout her country to help her citizens
-it was interesting to learn about Catherine's young lovers, and the complicated relationships she had with them due to her desire to be loved. Because of her position and the age gap between them, she often took on the role of mentor or teacher, but it seemed as though many of the young men only wanted power
-I was fascinated about the section on the revolution in France. I only know a broad overview of the subject so I enjoyed hearing more details about how events developed and Catherine’s (horrified) reaction to what was happening. It was brutal how many people were killed, and how officials were having each other guillotined to avoid being guillotined themselves
-I know the book is meant to focus on Catherine, but I wish we had learned more about what happened after she died
Some parts of the book were fascinating while others were a little slower so I would give this a 3.5 out of 5
Thoughts while reading:
-it's unfortunate to hear about how the desire to have a son in air can shape how people treat their children causing the young Catherine (Sofia) to be so neglected by her mother. But Catherine's childhood was quite interesting to hear about including how she developed her charm and other intellectual qualities out of a desperate desire to escape from her mother through marriage as well as belief that she was not beautiful
-it was really interesting to hear about the freedom with which Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great, lived including having multiple supposed lovers despite being unmarried. She sounded like someone who was very affable and it's amusing that she chose to wear a men's pants to show off her legs, and spent a great deal of time talking and playing cards with soldiers
-it was really sad to hear how the young Peter was abused by his tutor, to the point of losing any love of learning or even his former passions like music. Then, by the time he reached Russia, he was so ignorant that even Elizabeth, who thought that too much learning was injurious to health, was shocked by his ignorance
-I like hearing about how the young Sophia went over the Russians by her eagerness to learn their language and join the Orthodox Church, particularly when it was found out that she fell ill supposedly because she stayed up too late trying to study the language. Her behaviour was also a stark contrast to Peter who seemed to want nothing to do with Russia
-it's both fascinating and disturbing how childish Peter was, such as when he drilled holes into the door so he could see what his aunt Elizabeth was doing, completely invading her privacy as she entertained guests
-its remarkable that both Catherine and Peter were both so sheltered that their marriage remained unconsummated for 7 years, though granted, they were married very young. It's also a little sad that even at a young age, Catherine knew not to ever expect love from Peter who was childish and petty. And because they didn't bear any children, it's disturbing how restricted their life became with constant duenna that reported on their behaviour. However, it is a little amusing that there were people that snuck toys into their bed chamber so that Peter could play with toy soldiers all night
-it's interesting that fires were very common due to the tile stoves that were often old and cracked, and the way that fires were stopped were by tearing down buildings rather than by putting out the fire
-it's remarkable how badly Peter behaved when his aunt Elizabeth died, despite him being in his 30s. He didn't uphold of the traditions of mourning, and during the procession when her body was moved, he moved erratically to play pranks on the officials who were holding his train. Then, he tried to undo Russian traditions and instate Prussian traditions, including implementing Protestant customs, and trying to change the army uniforms and traditions to the ones he grew up with. He even changed the Russian army uniforms which were thick and loose to thin and fitted uniforms even though the thick uniforms protected the soldiers from the weather
-it was quite interesting to learn about serfdom in Russia and how wealth wasn't measured in the amount of land a noble owned but how many serfs they had. The serfs were essentially slaves, and nobles could do anything they liked to them other than kill them, although they could inflict punishment that amounted to death. And because the Russians enjoyed spectacle, some of these serfs could play instruments or dance and put on elaborate theatrical performances. But because the nobility relied so much on the serfs, Catherine was unable to undo the institution of serfdom, despite her efforts to free them via laws or other methods
-Catherine was so forward thinking about the smallpox vaccine during a time when Europeans were reluctant to take the vaccine, even though it was used in America. It's admirable how she changed public sentiment and set up clinics all throughout her country to help her citizens
-it was interesting to learn about Catherine's young lovers, and the complicated relationships she had with them due to her desire to be loved. Because of her position and the age gap between them, she often took on the role of mentor or teacher, but it seemed as though many of the young men only wanted power
-I was fascinated about the section on the revolution in France. I only know a broad overview of the subject so I enjoyed hearing more details about how events developed and Catherine’s (horrified) reaction to what was happening. It was brutal how many people were killed, and how officials were having each other guillotined to avoid being guillotined themselves
-I know the book is meant to focus on Catherine, but I wish we had learned more about what happened after she died
Some parts of the book were fascinating while others were a little slower so I would give this a 3.5 out of 5