From the great storyteller of Russia, a fascinating account of the stories that shape the country's history and offer insight into the present. Russia is unique in its division over the past and in the way it repeatedly retells and rewrites its history. This process of storytelling and reinvention is an essential part of Russian culture, history, and beliefs. To understand Russia's future and to grasp the significance of the current regime of Putin, it is necessary to unravel the underlying ideas of that history. In The Story of Russia brings Orlando Figes, as the great storyteller, clearly to life the influential figures from Russian history. From the coronation of the sixteen-year-old Ivan the Terrible in a candlelit cathedral, to Catherine the Great who has her husband arrested in his palace, and the last days of the Romanovs. This masterpiece is a beautifully written, deeply researched, and defining work on the rich history of Russia.