Understanding Russia
A Cultural History
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Understanding Russia
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Narrated by:
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Lynne Ann Hartnett
About this listen
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, LLCListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Understanding Russia
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MS ROSA M MATTHEWS
- 28-05-22
Less of an enigma
The cultural history provided in this course provides a different framework for understanding Russia history that I found compelling. The music at first was off putting for me - but by about 3rd lecture I realised how wholly appropriate it was. Makes ‘Russia’ much less of an enigma than the previous, although very good, audio books and courses on Russia that I have listened to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 13-06-22
Fascinating
Absolutely fascinating lectures explaining Russian history and culture.
Extremely pertinent in the current political situation.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Tone
- 06-03-22
Orlando Figues is better
it's adequate for a sweeping although somewhat superficial, gushing and over romantic picture of a vast subject.
Not improved by an annoying high pitched narrator who sounds like an infant's teacher.
Good for middle school Geo History
Lacking for those wanting a more detailed window into the Russian psyche and philosophy..
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Mr. Douglas Macintyre
- 10-08-19
Not worthy of The Great Courses brand name.
Superficial, fast sweeping content. Omission of facts such as transient name changes, and completely silly inserts of dramatic music. It is competently read, but no reader could overcome the superficiality of the script.
I've listened to a great many Great Courses series and this is the only one so far to dissapoint me.
There is another course on the history of russia here:
https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/A-History-of-Russia-From-Peter-the-Great-to-Gorbachev-Audiobook/B00DCAGNLK?pf_rd_p=763a8d97-e086-4e41-a6d0-a33e3bcf3c97&pf_rd_r=8YD0BZJCYWJCEQJA74SW&ref=a_lib_c4_libItem_B00DCAGNLK
Which I have now started and which is immediately, obviously better, and more in keeping with the kind of content that you expect from the brand.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Felixstones
- 31-01-19
Not a great Great Course
I will admit it upfront - I am judging this on only the first seven chapters. But that's because I have handed it back after enduring only the first seven. Its the 8th Great Course that I have taken. Six were brilliant and I reviewed them positively. One was acceptable, but I am not a fan of the first seven chapters of this course. I have two main reasons for giving it a poor review. Firstly, while it provides a linear narrative of what happens when, it is very light on how and why, which is, in my view, what is really important. There is little analysis or opinion. Secondly, it is delivered as a reading it a way that I find quite disengaging; a bit sing-song, a bit over dramatic. A teacher at the front of the class reading from a textbook rather than engaging with the audience and the material.
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9 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- ANON
- 02-03-21
Over produced and annoying
This is annoying - trying too hard to make things sound dramatic. Very disappointing. There are many good books on Russian history and the content (so far) doesn’t stand up to those either. It’s pretty superficial.
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1 person found this helpful