Catherine
Massie
One of the books I’m most looking forward to this fall is—surprise!—not a novel. It’s the latest biography of a Russian ruler from Robert K. Massie. His last few books have been on World War I, so it’s exciting to see him returning to the subject that made him famous. Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman (Random House) will be published on November 29.
Though Catherine’s eventful life would be a gripping read in any case, I have high hopes for Massie’s version: his 1981 book, Peter the Great won the Pulitzer and is pretty much the best bio ever. The first time I read it, while taking a European history class in college, I peppered my friends with tidbits about Peter for weeks. (Roach problem? Peter the Great was afraid of roaches! Your dorm room is too small? The cabin Peter built for himself was only about 700 square feet, and his bedroom was barely large enough for him to lie down! Hate your boyfriend’s beard? Take a page from Peter and tell him if he enters your presence wearing one, you’ll rip it out!)
By the time you finish, you feel as though you know this temperamental, 6-foot-7 red-headed Russian tsar personally—maybe that’s why I hopped straight into his lap when we met inside the Peter & Paul Fortress almost two years ago.
Catherine the Great is possibly the only ruler whose life story can equal Peter’s. We’re lucky that Massie is planning on telling it! Apologies in advance to my colleagues and friends if my conversation this fall centers on a former German princess who was more beloved by the Russians than her native-born husband, whose assassination she may or may not have participated in . . .
Edited to add: I interviewed Robert K. Massie about this book—check it out here.
I sense hostility toward beards.
The condemnation of beards expressed herein is solely the opinion of Peter the Great, Tsar of All the Russias, and does not necessarily reflect those of the BookPage staff.
Thanks for the review! I’ll look forward to the book. Somehow I didn’t realize he was still writing. Delighted he is.
I didn’t either, Brenda, which made this an even more welcome surprise.
I would’t expect much. Massie doesn’t know Russian, and his Peter the Great is generally scorned by people who know
russian history and historiography.Some don’t even think he writes very well.
A Pulitzer for Peter the
Great (groan)
I am so looking forward to your new book, I love your writing, and I have given many friends Peter the Great, even my European History I teacher love the book and I can’t wait to read your new book on Catherine the Great. You are truly a great writer, went I read Peter I thought I was there, I truly hope I can go to Russia one day.You make me feel like I am there. Thank you
Joanna Storta
ul. K. Dulęby 3/18
20-357 Lublin
POLSKA
Nazywam się Joanna Storta, mieszkam w Polsce w mieście Lublinie.
Mam wykształcenie wyższe prawnicze oraz ekonomiczne, pracowałam ponad 17
- lat w Sądzie Okręgowym w Lublinie. Jestem w 100% pewna z uwagi na
ostatnie zdarzenia nieszczęśliwe w mojej rodzinie ze strony matki Reginy
Czerwińskiej z domu Barszcz, że jej babką była ANASTAZJA NIKOLAJEWNA
ROMANOWA (wywieziona do Polski) – przybrane nazwisko pod którym żyła to
Leokadia Barszcz. Obecnie żyje jej jeszcze jedna córka Maria. Z tego
powodu systematycznie mordowani są przez “komuchów” członkowie
naszej rodziny, gównie mężczyźni ze strony matki.
Moja matka Regina Czerwińska jest identyczna z wyglądu to jest włosy,
rysy twarzy, oczy, grubość kości, usta, rowek pomiędzy ustami a nosem,
wyraz twarzy, haluksy, hemofilia, syn jej migdały itp. Ponadto uroda
kobiet dziedziczona na naszej babce z pokolenia na pokolenie jest
identyczna. Jej wnuczki oraz wnuk są jej odbicie.
Z uwagi na powyższe chciałam prosić o sprawdzenie tych danych.
z poważaniem
Joanna Storta
I am looking forward to reading Robert K. Massie’s biography about one of the most interesting people from history. In May I visited the palace in Zerbst where Catherine the Great grew up.
I read Robert K. Massie’s enjoyable biography of Peter the Great. When I went to Russia in 1989 I saw the statue of the Bronze Horseman built by Catherine the Great. I am looking forward to reading the biography about Catherine the Great, in May I visited the palace in Zerbst where she grew up and lived before her departure to Russia.
I have a question, completely out of the scope of this webpage: Dos anyone know the contact info for Robert K. Massie? I would like to ask if he’d be willing to sign a book for me, for a gift to my uncle. Any and all information would be greatly appreciated. Please respond here, or email me directly me at usscvr@bellsouth.net. Thanks!
I’ve been looking for contact info for Massie all afternoon. He’s the reason I traveled to St. Petersburg 10 years ago. Do read Catherine… I received it today and cannot put it down. He is a master and I wish us both luck in contacting Mr. Massie, if only to thank him for his work.
Hi Trisha, I too cannot wait for Massie’s book on Catherine the Great. I loved Peter the Great (read it before traveling to St. Petersburg) and would read it late into the night–it’s definitely flashlight worthy. In the morning, I’d relate the latest antics/achievements of Peter to my husband who also thoroughly enjoyed the story as seen through my eyes. By the way, I have a similar picture sitting on Peter’s lap.
obviously like your website but you need to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I in finding it very bothersome to inform the truth however I’ll certainly come again again.
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