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Natasha's Dance: A Cultural History of Russia, by Orlando Figes
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Beginning in the eighteenth century with the building of St. Petersburg and culminating with the Soviet regime, Figes examines how writers, artists, and musicians grappled with the idea of Russia itself--its character, spiritual essence, and destiny. Skillfully interweaving the great works--by Dostoevsky, Stravinsky, and Chagall--with folk embroidery, peasant songs, religious icons, and all the customs of daily life, Figes reveals the spirit of "Russianness" as rich and uplifting, complex and contradictory--and more lasting than any Russian ruler or state.
- Sales Rank: #96862 in Books
- Published on: 2003-10-17
- Released on: 2003-10-17
- Ingredients: Example Ingredients
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 9.16" h x 1.43" w x 6.23" l, 1.68 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 768 pages
From Publishers Weekly
Even if one takes nothing else away from this elegant, tightly focused survey of Russian culture, it's impossible to forget the telling little anecdotes that University of London history professor Figes (A People's Tragedy) relates about Russia's artists, writers, musicians, intellectuals and courtiers as he traces the cultural movements of the last three centuries. He shares Ilya Repin's recollection of how peasants reacted to his friend Leo Tolstoy's fumbling attempts to join them in manual labor ("Never in my life have I seen a clearer expression of irony on a simple peasant's face"), as well as the three sentences Shostakovich shyly exchanged with his idol, Stravinsky, when the latter returned to the Soviet Union after 50 years of exile (" `What do you think of Puccini?' `I can't stand him,' Stravinsky replied. `Oh, and neither can I, neither can I' "). Full of resounding moments like these, Figes's book focuses on the ideas that have preoccupied Russian artists in the modern era: Just what is "Russianness," and does the quality come from its peasants or its nobility, from Europe or from Asia? He examines canonical works of art and literature as well as the lives of their creators: Tolstoy, Tchaikovsky, Chagall, Stanislavsky, Eisenstein and many others. Figes also shows how the fine arts have been influenced by the Orthodox liturgy, peasant songs and crafts, and myriad social and economic factors from Russian noblemen's unusual attachments to their peasant nannies to the 19th-century growth of vodka production. The book's thematically organized chapters are devoted to subjects like the cultural influence of Moscow or the legacy of the Mongol invasion, and with each chapter Figes moves toward the 1917 revolution and the Soviet era, deftly integrating strands of political and social history into his narrative. This is a treat for Russophiles and a unique introduction to Russian history.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Figes (history, Univ. of London; A People's Tragedy) describes the twists and turns of Russian history through cultural and artistic events from the founding of Rus in the 12th century through the Soviet era. He uses Tolstoy's War and Peace as a centerpiece of art imitating life. The title of Figes's book comes from the scene in which Natasha Rostov and her brother Nikolai are invited by their "uncle" to a rustic cabin to listen to him play Russian folk music on his guitar. Natasha instinctively begins a folk dance that is prompted by "unknown feelings in her heart." Tolstoy would have us believe that "Russia may be held together by unseen threads of native sensibilities," writes Figes. Nowhere is the clash between the European culture of the upper class and the Russian culture of the peasantry more evident. "The complex interactions between these two worlds had a crucial influence on the national consciousness and on all the arts of the 19th century." This interaction is a major feature of this book, which traces the formation of a culture. The writing style is distinctly nonacademic, making for a very enjoyable read. Recommended for academic and public libraries. Harry Willems, Southeast Kansas Lib. Syst., Iola
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
The author of A People's Tragedy (1997) takes on the massive task of giving historical perspective to Russian culture and is--for the most part--successful. He manages fairly well to balance hundreds of great names, from Pushkin to Nabokov, with those that are less known to the general public, although he gives short shrift to early twentieth-century Silver Age writers like Blok and Bely. The Futurists, with the exception of Mayakovsky, are barely mentioned. Against this history-by-personality Figes contrasts European St. Petersburg and Russian Moscow. Large sections treat the cultural influences of the peasantry, the Mongols, and the Orthodox Church. The chapter on the Soviet period is elegiac (to put it mildly), and there's a wistfulness to the chapter on Russian emigre culture in Berlin and Paris. However, other than mentioning film director Andrei Tarkovsky, Figes doesn't seem to care much about Russian culture of the past 40 years. Perhaps a second volume is forthcoming that will document the history of Russian culture into the twenty-first century. Frank Caso
Copyright � American Library Association. All rights reserved
Most helpful customer reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
Very engaging
By Gene Zafrin
The book examines roughly 250 years of Russian cultural history from the 1700's of Peter the Great to the middle of the 20th century. It is well organized: each of its eight chapters has a theme and exhibits a collection of facts loosely grouped around it. "Children of 1812", for example, describes how fundamentally Russian culture was affected by the disaffection with Bonaparte. "Descendants of Genghiz Khan" tackles a rather controversial and elusive issue of Russians' relation to the Asian influence in their culture. The narrative, well articulated and largely chronological, makes it a smooth read. The supporting facts and anecdotes are numerous, and constitute the book's main strength.
Although, in the balance of facts and making sense of them facts win by a wide margin. For example, according to Figes, "[Stanislavsky's parents] inhabited the old Moscow's mercantile world. Stanislavsky's father slept (with his grandfather) in the same bed." Was sharing bed with one's father common for the "old Moscow's mercantile world"? And even if it was, is this the best fact that supports the statement about the beliefs and traditions of Stanislavsky's family? What did it mean for Stanislavsky? Did it influence his work and life? Were his parents Old Believers? Was the Old Believers' ethic of hard work in part responsible for his famous method, prescribing an actor to spend innumerable hours practicing? All these questions remain unanswered. More importantly, this statement about sleeping arrangements in Stanislavsky's family is not linked to anything before or after it and is not subject to any comment. Unfortunately, this is symptomatic of many passages. Another example is the statement about Russian emigrants in the early 20's who "were [...] on the whole much better read than either the French or the Germans". No attempt is made to elaborate on this rather interesting fact. Because of this tendency to make statements not supported by much analysis, the book oftentimes reads like a rather raw collection of facts.
Another quality of the book that leaves a queasy feeling is the author's quite lofty statements on one hand and his occasional lack of basic scholarship on the other. Mandelstam, according to Figes, "miss[ed] the whole point of" Chekhov's "Three Sisters". Behind a statement of this kind one would expect a studious researcher. But when the author comments on the etymology of some Russian phrases, 'davai popem' is translated as "come on, let's get drunk", whereas it means "come on, let's have a drink". There is a difference. To see hobbyhorses that Russian kids are riding as a symbol of Russia's Asiatic legacy seems a bit cavalier. Russians did not love Koumis (horse milk) and horsemeat, most of them have never tasted them. The unfortunate slights such as these somewhat undermine the writer's surely learned opinion on other issues.
Overall, I would recommend the book as it presents rich material for thought and further research.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
It is a useful background to understanding the social
By Carolyn Snipes-Hoyt
I haven't finished reading the book yet, but it is really very engaging and informative. It is a useful background to understanding the social, cultural and political situation leading up to and during the 19th century in Russia. An excellent accompaniment to Tolstoy's War and Peace.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Cultural perspective through a looking glass.
By Caveat Emptor
Care to understand the world at large, then it means revisiting the past. Easy to forget world history from college. Natasha's Dance is an enjoyable read told in a story format that ends in the 60's. Bought the book and am interested in learning more.
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