Product Description

'It is unlikely that a clearer, more stimulating account of the Russians' extraordinary period of imperial history will be written.' Philip Marsden, Spectator Geoffrey Hosking's landmark book provides us with a new prism through which to view Russian history by posing the apparently simple question: what is Russia's national identity? Hosking answers this with brilliant originality: his thesis is that the needs of Russia's empire prevented the creation of a Russian nation. The Tsars, and before them the Grand Dukes of Moscow, were empire builders rather than nation builders and, as consequence, profoundly alienated ordinary Russians.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #227354 in Books
• Published on: 1998-03-16
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 576 pages

Review
'Hosking's book is a tour de force of historical argument, vividly written [and] courageously argumentative.' Michael Ignatieff, Observer 'Brilliant!an elegantly written, humane and rigorous work of empirical history.' Michael Burleigh, Independent on Sunday '"Russia: People and Empire" is the most interesting and authoritative account of Russian imperial history in English. It is a masterful synthesis, intelligent and lucid, passionately argumentative, but always fair, which should be read by everyone who wants to understand the origins of Russia's predicament today.' Orlando Figes, The Times

About the Author
Geoffrey Hosking has been Professor of Russian History at the School of Slavonic Studies, University of London, since 1984. He is the author of the award-winning History of the Soviet Union for Fontana Press. In 1988, Professor Hosking was invited to give the annual BBC Reith lectures and spoke on the subject of Change in Contemporary Soviet Society, in doing so accurately predicting the imminent collapse of the Soviet Union.

Customer Reviews

Very intelligent and consisitent argument
This volume is so much more than a history of Russia under the Tsars. It is an elegantly argued, masterful analysis of why Russia developed the way it did and as such essential for those seeking to understand post 1917 Soviet history and also modern day Russia. I studied as a postgraduate under Geoffrey Hosking as SSEES when this book was published and was impressed by how openminded he was considering how compelling his analysis always is. A great historian.

A welcome account of Russian history pre-1917
Hosking gives an interesting survey of 400 years of the peculiar history of Russia. It is no mean feat to review several centuries of the diverse history of a country so large but Hosking does so with a lucid account that is made up of both narrative and thematic approaches. Herein lies the strength - the book sets the scene with a quick romp through the key events of the age (although sometimes too quickly) and follows it up with a series of well selected chapters on aspects of Russian society before taking a more in depth look at the story that leads up to 1917. The book is extremely useful in giving the long-term background to the events of 1917 and is invaluable for anyone who wants a clear overview of Russian history since the early modern era. Although the book is authoritative, it sometimes lacks the illumination that anecdotes can shed on topics that can be, at times, heavy reading.

An engaging historical work
Hosking's easy to read, yet informative, style is compelling. An excellent work of great historical merit. A must read for those interested in the fascinating history of Russia