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Amazon.co.uk Review
As epic and ambitious as his first book A People's Tragedy, Orlando Figes's Natasha's Dance is a sweeping panorama of Russian culture over the centuries. It takes its title from a scene in War and Peace in which the upper-crust Natasha Rostov, visiting her countrified "Uncle", falls instinctively into the rhythms of a peasant dance. Figes finds in this scene an ideal metaphor for his book's central theme--the perpetual see-sawing between the European cultural ideals of the aristocracy in St Petersburg and an "authentic" Russianess, usually seen as embodied in the peasantry and the country. The great debate in Russian culture has been between those who have seen it as a naturally "Western" society and those who have seen its destiny as lying in the East and its vast hinterland.
Around this supporting central theme, Figes has constructed an imposing edifice. The range of his knowledge and the sureness with which he deploys it are very impressive. Whether writing about the music of Stravinsky and Shostakovich or the novels of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, the buildings of St Petersburg or the poetry of Akhmatova, he has something new and original to say. The great cultural achievements of Russia often seem, for those who have only a little knowledge of Russian history, like giant mountains suddenly rising out of featureless terrain. Figes's excellent book gives them a context and fills out many of the details of the surrounding landscape.--Nick Rennison --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Independent on Sunday, October 6, 2002 (by Robin Buss)
"One of those books that, at times, makes you wonder how you have so far managed to do without it."
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This really is one of the best books I have ever read. It has an enormous, if not terrifying scope, but Orlando Figes pulls everything together in a totally coherent and interesting way. I am not surprised it took him years to write! For many years I have had an interest in Russian culture, mainly the literature, and I have also read histories of Russia, but by taking culture as the central theme, the book provides an incredibly vivid picture of the history in general. I particularly enjoyed the chapter about the "east". It is superbly written, easy to follow, which is a rarity these days amongst general academic books. The final chapter, which deals with people alive in my lifetime I found particularly poignant and I was desperately sad when I had finished the book, although I now have a very long list of cds to buy! Thank you Orlando Figes for an amazing work of scholarship, which is also a joy to read!
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you are interested in Russian history and culture, this book is definitely worth reading. If you, like me, read every volume of classical Russian literature you can get your hands on, it will explain a lot of background facts and help you connect the dots. The book is written in a bold manner that might be viewed as controversial for the lack of focus (each chapter consists of several stories that are interwoven into each other), but it generally works very well for painting the big picture, and it is fun to read.
One thing that might be viewed as a certain deficiency is the author's bias. He shows occassional tendency to put down widely recognized authors and diminish their credit (Tolstoy, Bunin, Dostoyevsky, Rimsky-Korsakov) and on the other hand, he seems to spend way too much time on two women poets, Akhmatova and Cvetaeva, because he likes them, and their life stories suit his story-telling purposes.
This is all great - if you already know something about the subject, it's very interesting to confront your (or generally accepted) views and experience with a different point of view, that is nonetheless very intelligent and stimulating. But if you are a newcomer, it might give you a slightly distorted view of things. So if you bear in mind that this book is more of a personal confession of passion for and vast knowledge of Russian culture rather than an "academic" overview, you will not be disappointed. Also, the book is a great reference, so it's really worth buying to have it handy.
41 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is an excellent book. Though it is arranged thematically rather than chronologically, timelines are not confusing. The great debates of Russian culture - between East and West, between peasant and aristocrat, between Orthodoxy and the Old Belief - are presented vividly and clearly. The countryside and cities come alive with characters, not just of the great figures of Russian literature and art but of the nameless millions and their beliefs, culture, attitudes and preoccupations. Natasha's Dance made me want to learn much more about Russia, its people, its history, its literature and art. And that, to me, is the measure of success of a cultural history such as this.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fascinating Insight into Russian Culture
The book focuses on a number of crucial trends in the development of Russian culture, including Peter the Great and his Europeanisation of Russia, the impact of victory over... Read more
Published 13 months ago by AV Robinson
Interesting but would have been better with a good edit!
"Natasha's Dance" weaves a dense canvas of information round the average reader's ragbag of knowledge about Russia. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Antenna
Well written
A very well written book but perhaps a bit narrow in scope. I thought that at times it perhaps focussed a bit too much on the author's personal tastes and I think some reviewers... Read more
Published 17 months ago by The Emperor
Orlando Figes does it again
Another masterpiece from the pen of this author and what an author he is. As a Russophile I have been drawn to the books of Orland Figes and am never disappointed. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Roy Meintjes
AWE-INSPIRING
When reading about Natasha's dance I must think of a TV-programme I saw some years ago. The great German soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf was interviewed during one of her master... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Leif Asbjørnsen
Good read
Russian history from an interesting perspective. Recommended, if you have an interest in the arts and their impact on cultural history.
Published 22 months ago by Number 16
Natasha's Dance
A superb history of Russian culture. The thematic (rather than chronological) structure and the elegant writing make this an easy and enjoyable - as well as informative - read.
Published 23 months ago by Patrick Morreau
Fills out the fuller picture.
I particularly enjoy reading about the Soviet Union and began to trace history back from the revolution with Bunin's Cursed days and Bulgakov's White Guard. Read more
Published on 24 July 2009 by Michael Gale
A fascinating read...
I've never really known much about Russian history - everything I know is either from War and Peace or studying the Russian Revolution and the Cold War at school. Read more
Published on 18 Jun 2009 by C. Ball
Great History
Recently having watched Natasha dancing in Bondarchuks epic 'War and Peace', I was drawn back to this book. Read more
Published on 25 May 2009 by Phil
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