出版社: USD 35.00
副标题: Portrait of a Woman
出版年: 2011-11-8
页数: 656
装帧: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781588360441
内容简介 · · · · · ·
The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and The Romanovs returns with another masterpiece of narrative biography, the extraordinary story of an obscure young German princess who traveled to Russia at fourteen and rose to become one of the most remarkable, powerful, and captivating women in history.
Born into a minor noble family, Catherine ...
The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and The Romanovs returns with another masterpiece of narrative biography, the extraordinary story of an obscure young German princess who traveled to Russia at fourteen and rose to become one of the most remarkable, powerful, and captivating women in history.
Born into a minor noble family, Catherine transformed herself into Empress of Russia by sheer determination. Possessing a brilliant mind and an insatiable curiosity as a young woman, she devoured the works of Enlightenment philosophers and, when she reached the throne, attempted to use their principles to guide her rule of the vast and backward Russian empire. She knew or corresponded with the preeminent historical figures of her time: Voltaire, Diderot, Frederick the Great, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, Marie Antoinette, and, surprisingly, the American naval hero, John Paul Jones.
Reaching the throne fired by Enlightenment philosophy and determined to become the embodiment of the “benevolent despot” idealized by Montesquieu, she found herself always contending with the deeply ingrained realities of Russian life, including serfdom. She persevered, and for thirty-four years the government, foreign policy, cultural development, and welfare of the Russian people were in her hands. She dealt with domestic rebellion, foreign wars, and the tidal wave of political change and violence churned up by the French Revolution that swept across Europe. Her reputation depended entirely on the perspective of the speaker. She was praised by Voltaire as the equal of the greatest of classical philosophers; she was condemned by her enemies, mostly foreign, as “the Messalina of the north.”
Catherine’s family, friends, ministers, generals, lovers, and enemies—all are here, vividly described. These included her ambitious, perpetually scheming mother; her weak, bullying husband, Peter (who left her lying untouched beside him for nine years after their marriage); her unhappy son and heir, Paul; her beloved grandchildren; and her “favorites”—the parade of young men from whom she sought companionship and the recapture of youth as well as sex. Here, too, is the giant figure of Gregory Potemkin, her most significant lover and possible husband, with whom she shared a passionate correspondence of love and separation, followed by seventeen years of unparalleled mutual achievement.
The story is superbly told. All the special qualities that Robert K. Massie brought to Nicholas and Alexandra and Peter the Great are present here: historical accuracy, depth of understanding, felicity of style, mastery of detail, ability to shatter myth, and a rare genius for finding and expressing the human drama in extraordinary lives.
History offers few stories richer in drama than that of Catherine the Great. In this book, this eternally fascinating woman is returned to life.
作者简介 · · · · · ·
罗伯特·K·迈锡,出生于美国肯塔基州列克星敦(即莱克星顿),曾读于耶鲁大学的美国史专业,后获得罗兹奖学金,进入牛津大学攻读欧洲史专业,于1987至1991年出任美国作家协会主席一职。迈锡曾出版有以下著作:《尼古拉与亚历山大》、《彼得大帝:他的一生与世界》(普利策传记类大奖获奖作品)、《罗曼诺夫王朝: 最后的篇章》、《无敌战舰:不列颠、德意志与大战的来临》和《钢铁战车:不列颠、德意志与大海战》。
Catherine the Great的书评 · · · · · · ( 全部 40 条 )
优雅野心家与配角的戏份
叶卡捷琳娜大帝 ——权与欲的同床异梦
一个人的一生,一个世纪的风云变幻:我读《叶卡捷琳娜大帝——通往权力之路》
“故天将降大任于是人也……”
这篇书评可能有关键情节透露
“故天将降大任于是人也,必先苦其心志,劳其筋骨,饿其体肤,空乏其身,行拂乱其所为,所以动心忍性,曾益其所不能。”这是先秦的孟子所说的,一个人在成功前必先经历磨难与痛苦。《孟子三章》是去年学的文言文,而《生于忧患,死于安乐》便让我想到了一位伟人——叶卡捷琳娜... (展开)没欧洲史基础的读者会有理解偏差,有欧洲史基础的读者又很累
与理想背道而驰的女皇
叶卡捷琳娜大帝 孤独的狠女人
这篇书评可能有关键情节透露
她是路德教教徒索菲亚,是德意志小公主。是国王政治的手腕,是母亲野心的载体。十四岁前往他乡异国,嫁为太子妻。 是东正教教徒叶卡捷琳娜,是俄罗斯女皇帝。是弑夫上位之徒,是剑拔弩张之妇。三十三岁登基,成为叶卡捷琳娜大帝。 若说彼得三世的下台是个必然,但是叶卡捷琳娜... (展开)务实、果敢与多情,俄国最伟大女君主的一生
> 更多书评 40篇
论坛 · · · · · ·
竟然第一个。。。果然是新书,真的很好看不过 | 来自无名 | 2012-02-28 12:06:18 |
这本书的其他版本 · · · · · · ( 全部6 )
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还没人写过短评呢
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