Product Description

This full-length narrative history chronicles the distinctively beautiful city of St, Petersburg from its founding by Peter the Great in 1703 through its modern renaissance in the era of Vladamir Putin.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #399499 in Books
• Published on: 2003-07-14
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 512 pages

From Booklist
St. Petersburg was commanded into existence by Peter the Great, and its inherent artifice has made it one of the world's most storied cities, the stage for political and artistic dreamers. In this comprehensive chronicle, the authors introduce these figures, who were dissatisfied in some way with Russian traditions. Throughout, the Georges devote attention to St. Petersburg's beguiling physical appearance--canals, bridges, promenades, and palaces--but their most lively writing hones in on the interplay between power and intellect, reaction and reform. Presenting capsule biographies of each type in each era (such as Czar Nicholas I and poet Alexander Pushkin), they tend to describe more than analyze, which is the right tack to reach their readers: those interested in St. Petersburg but not yet steeped in its tumult of war, revolution, and aesthetics. The late historian W. Bruce Lincoln (Sunlight at Midnight: St. Petersburg and the Rise of Modern Russia, 2001) owned this audience; the popularity of his many works augurs well for the Georges' solid survey. Gilbert Taylor
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Review
George's books is the first to cover St. Petersburg's history from its founding to the present. George thoroughly discusses St. Petersburg's palaces and buildings, political history, and the private lives of Russia's rulers. His narrative is excellent and often picturesque, especially on court life and pageantry. Should appeal to educated readers. (History:Review Of Books )

About the Author
Arthur L. George, a world-renowned authority on Russian history, lives in Chicago, Illinois.