Peter the Great

His Life and World

By: Robert K. Massie

Narrated by: Frederick Davidson

Length: 43 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

This superbly told story brings to life one of the most remarkable rulers––and men––in all of history and conveys the drama of his life and world. The Russia of Peter's birth was very different from the Russia his energy, genius, and ruthlessness shaped. Crowned co-Tsar as a child of ten, after witnessing bloody uprisings in the streets of Moscow, he would grow up propelled by an unquenchable curiosity, everywhere looking, asking, tinkering, and learning, fired by Western ideas.

We see Peter in his 20s traveling "incognito" with his ambassadors to the courts of Europe; as the victorious soldier proclaimed Emperor; as the simple workman at his forge; and as the visionary statesman who single-handedly created a formidable world power. Impetuous and stubborn, bawdy and stern, relentless in his perseverance, he was capable of the greatest generosity and the greatest cruelty.

©1980 Robert K. Massie (P)1991 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Enthralling.... As fascinating as any novel and more so than most!" ( New York Times Book Review)

detailed history

this was one of those books I'd read many years before, and found it to be wonderfully interesting, and got me started liking history in general. Peter was such an intriguing character - and I was glad to see it offered in audible form. It is, however quite detailed, and if you are not interested in how military battles commence, then maybe this is not for you. I do recommend it however, for its insight into not just Peter, but Russian life at the time.

Most annoying narrator ever.

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narration was so terrible, I had to steal myself before returning to the book each time. It's unfortunate, as the story itself is well-written, engrossing, and informative of this period in history.

What other book might you compare Peter the Great to and why?

I loved Catherine the Great by this same author and narrated by Mark Deakins. I was hoping to derive similar enjoyment from this book.

How could the performance have been better?

The author has the most nasally voice imaginable. Little to no variation in his inflection and words run together and fade off at the end of sentences making it a chore to understand what he's even saying.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes.

Narration is BORING!

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Had a hard time understanding the narrators british accent. His reading was so boring I fell asleep several times.

What did you like best about this story?

Interesting take on Russian history

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Frederick Davidson?

ANYONE!

Do you think Peter the Great needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No. It's pretty comprehensive.

Annoying Delivery

What did you love best about Peter the Great?

Masterfully written, this audiobook has everything going for it -- a rich history full of interesting characters and a sweeping saga using primary sources so I could hear the rhythm of the language.

What did you like best about this story?

Certainly not the narrator

Would you be willing to try another one of Frederick Davidson’s performances?

Never

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No... 28 hours????

Any additional comments?

I must add my opinion that the narrator ruined the experience for me. If there were an alternative, even a decent abridged version, I would have gladly jumped ship!

If you can get past the narrator...

Would you consider the audio edition of Peter the Great to be better than the print version?

Robert K. Massie has a rich but direct style of writing, making the audio version easy to follow. The audio version is certainly better for the advantage of hands-free enjoyment of this wonderful book. It's a joy to put in my ear buds and go on a walk, a run on the treadmill, do the dishes, rake leaves, etc., all while being happily entertained with a fascinating and thorough history of the life and times of Peter the Great. There are times when I'd like to take a look at the names of people and places in print, just to see how they're spelled. The narrator frequently drops his voice so that words or phrases become inaudible.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Of course, Peter himself. Intelligent, inquisitive, and quirky -- a perfect hero for the 21st century!

Would you be willing to try another one of Frederick Davidson’s performances?

Absolutely not! He reads as though the material is a dirty rag he can't wait to dispose of.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The Russian Ruler Who Raised the Iron Curtain 250 Years Before it Fell!

Any additional comments?

Robert K. Massie is a wonderful writer. I'd read anything he writes. He never bogs the reader down with his own ego, i.e., trying to impress with inventive use of words. He has an uncomplicated, declarative style that moves right along with wonderful description and easy-to-follow factual detail. He loves his subject matter, and you feel his affection for what he writes. An excellent historian! An excellent writer!

Review

Would you listen to Peter the Great again? Why?

Yes. It's a cool story

Who was your favorite character and why?

Czar Peter. He was extraordinary.

What didn’t you like about Frederick Davidson’s performance?

He has a lisp that is difficult to get over.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No- it's like 40+ hours long...

so much more than I ever wanted to know

If you want a "thorough" biography, this one's for you. But it was so much more than I cared about that I gave up.

Great book, marginal recording

I was warned in the reviews that the recording was poor. But I went ahead anyway. I was going to study the book, so I planned to read a hardcopy as I listened. That went well, because when I had some question, I had the text right there to resolve it. However, I can imagine that, when only listening, it might be a problem. And it's a long and complicated book; it’s not an easy listen.

The book was published in 1980, and the recording was made in 1991. My theory is that it was made on tape. And when it was turned into a digital recording, it was compressed to reduce the tape noise. Often, the end of a sentence or a phrase is cut short; not cut out, but cut short, meaning ending a word in a way that not many people would pronounce it.

Further, the British accent is not easy.

It’s a great book, and I very much recommend it. For my purposes, it was fine. But I recommend that you listen to the full sample, and then ask yourself whether you would be happy after 43 hours, 855 pages.

Peter the Great in Context

Robert Massie has written a number of great books including Castles of Steel, Dreadnought, and the Romanovs. My favorite is his volumes is Nicholas and Alexandra which held my interest throughout. I most recently completed his current best seller Catherine the Great. The only Massie book that had not read was Peter the Great (1981). Last week I returned to that biography. Better late than never! It proved entertaining and informative. Many have reviewed this book and there is little left to say. However, as with Massie’s other books, this is not really a biography of Peter the Great so much as the life of Peter the Great placed in historical context. There is a wealth of European and Russian history here occurring in the 17th and 18th centuries that the reader gets for “free.” This observation could be made about Catherine the Great. If you have not read after Massie, this is a good time to start. My favorites are Nicholas and Alexandra, Catherine the Great, and then Peter the Great. That said, I encountered problems with the audio in the first portion of the Audible download. I suspect it was a problem with my downloading, but it cleared in the later sections (2-4).

A wonderful story, but ...

If you could sum up Peter the Great in three words, what would they be?

Larger than Life!

What did you like best about this story?

Peter Massie writes a great STORY. Story is part of history, of course; but if you want a concise history of Peter the Great with the downside of his policies included, go to Wikipedia. Meanwhile, never was history told with more power to fascinate! Also try his Catherine the Great.