Rating: 
Summary: Engrossing & Intimate
Review: To popularize the history surrounding Peter I of Russia is no mean feat. In fact, to popularize history at all leaves most historians at a loss. What is meant by "popularizing" in this instance is the accomplishment of mutating true history (with the attention to accuracy and research that is necessary) into a dramatic format that appeals to those outside the sphere of the scholarly historian. The author succeeds in this endeavor beyond all expectations.
Massie, who studied modern European history at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and has published three best-selling books on Russian history, has captured the "triple crown" with this work: (1) he provides accurate, even-handed, and exhaustive detail (2) about a compelling historical figure (3) in a suspenseful and enjoyable writing-style.
The book opens with a stunning description of Moscow at the time that Peter's father, Alexis, ascends the throne. Adequately placed in this rich setting, the author takes us through Peter's childhood. Massie argues that the future Peter was brought into existence by the fortuitous fact that he was not the first in line for the throne, and therefore was not leashed by the upbringing expected of a future Tsar during his minority. Peter was free to eschew the religious and scholarly training that was given to his older half-brother Ivan V in favor of the practical trades and skills that became his (and therefore, his country's) life-long interests.
There are many examples within the work that illustrate Massie's balanced handling of historical contradictions. One example that is indicative of this is the description of Peter's half-sister and regent Sophia. Conventional wisdom labels Sophia as ambitious, ruthless, and more like a man than a woman in both temperament and appearance. In his memoirs, a French ambassador calls Sophia ugly and fat, with hairs on her face and tumors on her legs. Massie reasons how this was probably not an accurate portrait of the woman. First, the French ambassador visited Moscow during the end of Sophia's reign, when Russia had aligned itself with Austria, France's enemy during that time. Secondly, the author is skeptical that the French ambassador would have ever seen Sophia's legs to make such an observation. And lastly, Massie argues, if Sophia had been so hideous, other visitors to her court would have certainly said so, and there is no other account in existence that describes Sophia in such a way. This is an illustrative example of the even-handed manner in which Massie handles all people inhabiting Peter's world, with an exhaustive examination of the evidence, but also with a firm grasp on how primary sources can be skewed for other purposes besides historical accuracy.
The "meat" of this 900-page epic centers around The Great Northern War, as it should, since the majority of Peter's reign was spent overseeing this monumental conflict. The middle-third of the book is by far the most entertaining, as Massie expertly builds a slow crescendo of suspense that explodes at the Battle of Poltava, perhaps the single-most important event in Peter's reign, both for Russia as well as for Sweden. Massie gives a sizeable helping of information concerning Peter's counterpart Charles XII, as equally compelling a figure as Peter himself. In fact, the work bounces back and forth between the Russian and Swedish camps during this conflict as effectively as any Tom Clancy novel.
But it is not just the generous treatment of Peter and Russia that makes this such an excellent work. We meet all of Peter's contemporaries, including Leopold I of Austria, Louis XIV of France, William of Orange, Augustus I of Poland, Frederick William I of Prussia, and the many sultans (and their viziers) that ruled the Ottoman Empire. These personages are introduced within their historical contexts, with a concise exposition of their countries and recent histories. (Massie spends eight pages describing Louis XIV and Versailles for the reader, even though Peter never actually meets the Sun King and does not travel to Paris until the reign of the boy-king Louis XV.) These peripheral details make the work entertaining to the casual reader and, at the same time, invaluable to the novice historian.
The most moving episode comes toward the end of the book with the description of Peter's relationship with his son and heir Alexis. Massie leans just a bit in the direction of Alexis as the sympathetic figure in this drama, but refuses to speculate about the mysterious circumstances surrounding Alexis' death in prison after he had been sentenced to die for treason. (Some believe that Alexis was killed in private to spare Peter the infamy of publicly executing his own son.) This is another example of Massie's even-handedness; the evidence either way is not there, and Massie does not invent it nor does he extrapolate false conclusions.
In the last paragraph of the book, Massie furnishes his conclusion concerning his subject: "[Peter] has been idealized, condemned, analyzed again and again, and still ... he remains essentially mysterious. One quality which no one disputes [however] is his phenomenal energy. He was a force of nature, and perhaps for this reason no final judgment will ever be delivered." The judgment made here, however, is that those wishing to learn more about Peter and his world could hardly begin in a better place than with this enjoyable epic.
Rating:
Summary: One of the very best biographies
Review: There are a handful of biographies that simply stand apart from the crowd as true masterworks; this is one of them. Massie captures the essence of Peter the Great, engagingly telling the story from Peter's childhood so we can understand the psychological forces that pushed and pulled on the man.
In addition to revealing the man the was Peter the Great, Massie captures the age in which Peter lived, illuminating for the reader many of the characters that defined the age in Europe including Augustus II, King of Poland and Frederick Wilhelm I, King of Prussia. In particular, Massie focuses on Charles XII of Sweden, and Peter's arch-rival to the extent that the book almost serves as a dual biography.
Fantastic stuff - highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: BEST BOOK I EVER READ!!
Review: I majored in Russian History in college, so I've always had an interest in the subject and always intended to find a good book on Peter the Great. This book far exceeded my expectations. Not only is it a fascinating, in-depth portrait of one of the greatest leaders in Russian history - it succeeds on every level as a compelling read, whether you're interested in Russian history or not. Massie is a masterful writer - providing all the context information you need to fully understand the specifics of Peter's life and reign. Every stage of Peter's life is gripping, from the story of how he wrested power from his half-sister Sophia to his military battles against Sweden. (I'm not even interested in military history, but during the war chapters, my heart was pounding as I read his recounting of each battle!) Not only is this the best book on Russian history I've ever read, it's the best book I've ever read! It's a real page-turner, and that's saying something as this book is over 800 pages long!
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece and epic in it's telling
Review: This is an excellent book about one of the greatest tsars of all time. Its incredible what he has done for my country and how he almost singlehandedly brought it out of the dark ages. Since he has been a personal hero of mine since I was little this was very enjoyable. Book is very well written.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing...
Review: Massie has written THE definitive biography on Russia's most influential and important Czar, Peter I. The story of his life reads like fiction, although it is all true: escaping a palace revolt as a child, learning several trades in order to better understand the work, traveling abroad, building a new capital for the Russian empire, modernizing the Russian army, streamlining the Russian beauracracy, expanding the Russian empire's borders, "westernizing" Russia. This laundry list of accopmplishments and changes are highlighted by Massies lucid and vivid writing, making Peter a flesh and blood ruler - a person with passion and temper, intelligence and a sense of humor. The scholarship is first rate, adding to the strength of the book. I highly recommend it, not only as a biography or history, but as simply good writing.
Rating:
Summary: The classic biography
Review: The Greatest Russian Peter the Great was a giant. He embodied all that was Russia and aspired too many of the things Russia would later become. As a young man he had learned much about Russia's long and storied history. As Tsar he embarked on unrelenting campaigns against all of Russia's neighbors and forged a modern empire. Massie's Biography of this seminal leader is the standard on the subject. It explored every facet of Peter's long life; his relations with family, his military genius, his ambitions, his fears, his obsessions and his weaknesses. Successive chapters detail the Northern war, the Wars with the Ottomans, the wars in Europe proper, and the final campaign along the coast of the Caspian. In his life Peter `Piervui' redeemed the Russians at the battle of Poltava and thus set the foundations for the building of Peters `window on Europe', the city on the Neva named after his saint, St. Petersburg. The brilliant writer, Massie, delivers a tour de force in describing the building of Peter's northern capital. Massie also looks into the dual personality of Peter, his obsession with Europe and his own inward struggles with his weak son. Massie examines relations with both the Ottoman east and the European West. Peter in his life looked forward to a vast Russian empire, one that would one day stretch the length of the continent and on which the `sun would never set'. Peter dreamed of a world class navy operating from the Baltic to the Mediterranean. He dreamed of liberating the Christians of the Caucasus and Balkans and saw a role for Russia in Europe, all dreams that would be realized by successors like Catherine the Great. A brilliant book, an epic of detail and flavor!
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating biography of a fascinating ruler
Review: This book is very interesting and well-written. Mr. Massie divides Peter's life and rule into several major subdivisions and then proceeds to thoroughly discuss each one. The book traces Peter's near-revolutionary reforms in both foreign and domestic policy. These changed Russia from a poor, isolated state on Europe's periphery to a major power on the European scene. In the sphere of foreign policy, Peter built a formidable Russian navy from almost nothing, and used it to end Swedish hegemony in the Baltic. He also opened up and/or expanded Russian trade contacts with Western Europe. On the domestic scene, Peter imported crucial Western technology (and Western Europeans) to better develop Russia. I especially enjoyed Mr. Massie's detailed atention to the different political actors in Europe in Peter's time, and his sympathetic portrayal of Peter.
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