Understanding Russia

A Cultural History

By: Lynne Ann Hartnett, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Lynne Ann Hartnett

From the earliest recorded history of the Russian state, its people have sought to define their place in the world. And while many of us look to make sense of Russia through its political history, in many ways a real grasp of this awe-inspiring country comes from looking closely at its cultural achievements.

The 24 lectures of Understanding Russia: A Cultural History survey hundreds of years of Russian culture, from the world of Ivan the Terrible to the dawn of the Soviet Union to the post-war tensions of Putin’s Russia. Blending history with cultural studies, they are designed to bring you closer than ever before to the Russian people - not just the authoritarian rulers like Peter the Great, the Romanovs, and Stalin but the everyday men and women who sought their own meaning in the poetry of Pushkin, the comfort of early folk tales, the faith of medieval iconography, the avant-garde films of Eisenstein, and more.

You’ll discover surprising insights into centuries of cultural history, including peasant superstitions, such as avoiding whistling indoors, and the culture of queuing for goods and services that defined everyday life for ordinary Soviets. You’ll also spend time in the company of novelists, painters, poets, filmmakers, impresarios, composers, revolutionaries, and intellectuals who shaped Russia in myriad ways, including The Five, a group of composers who created a distinctly national sound based in part on Russian folk music; and Sergei Eisenstein, the filmmaker whose Battleship Potemkin revolutionized the language of cinema.

In a time when the eyes of the Western world are constantly drawn to Russia, it’s amazing how little we really know about its culture. These lectures will help you finally understand that complex, thrilling, and undeniably fascinating spirit.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 The Great Courses (P)2018 The Teaching Company, LLC

Fantastic look at the history of Russia!

Fantastic look at the history of Russia and the leaders who shaped its fortunes. Well done!

Great introduction to Russian history and culture

I enjoyed how it focused on historical periods and then would dive into social and cultural topics. The historical context made the art more meaningful and gave a strong impression of the Russian culture.

Amazing overview of Russia's Harrowing History

Every single stage of Russian history is absolutely appalling and hair-raising to learn about but endlessly fascinating, too. I highly recommend this enthralling and easy-to listen-to set of lectures. The author is deeply knowledgeable and explains it all very well! I will definitely be listening to it more than once, though, as there is so much to absorb.

Very good info overall, felt disjointed at times

I wavered between 4 and 5 stars on this because I did think the lecture series was high quality. I learned a lot, professor Hartnett! You clearly know your stuff, and it was an enjoyable series.

With that being said, it feels almost as though each individual lecture was made to be presented as a standalone entry. So there often wasn't the feeling of getting a coherent narrative that flowed from one lecture to the next. I also found myself pausing more frequently than I'd like and thinking, "Didn't she cover this already? Did I accidentally skip back?" in a new lecture when information covered in some previous lecture was presented again (to give context for the new stuff). If I was being introduced to these lectures one at a time and there was a gap of potentially weeks between them, this may be a helpful approach. But in a continuous listen, it can feel a bit jarring at times and takes away from the feel of this as a coherent lecture series vs a series of standalone discussions on Russian topics. I'd still recommend it highly though!

Great perspective on today's Russia

Easy to listen and understand. This provided me a great perspective on today's Russia and international issues the world faces today.