Monday, July 14, 2025

Review of Saint Joan of Arc by Vita Sackville-West

This book review was written by Eugene Kernes   

Book can be found in: 
Book Club Event = Book List (11/22/2025)
Intriguing Connections = 1) Biographies: Auto, Memoir, and Other Types

Watch Short Review

Excerpts

“The Hundred Years’ War means, in brief, that for a hundred years the Kings of England attempted to unite France and England under one crown – their own.  They tried hereditary justification, and they tried force of arms.  Neither attempt, in the long run, was successful.  A certain amount of blood was shed, and a considerable amount of suffering entailed, all to no purpose.  The Hundred Years’ War was one of the most foolish and ill-advised wars ever undertaken.” – Vita Sackville-West, Chapter II: The Hundred Years’ War, Pages 16-17


“The spirits who habitually appeared to her were three in number – the Archangel Michael, Saint Margaret, and Saint Catherine.  She claimed also to have seen the Archangel Gabriel and several hundred of other angels, but it was with her three familiars that she was chiefly concerned.  She saw them with her bodily eyes, and wept when they left her, wishing that they could have carried her away with them.  They came always accompanied by the cloud of heavenly light.” – Vita Sackville-West, Chapter IV: Domremy (2), Page 59




“Jeanne stood not the slightest chance from the first.  Those who ask whether she was given a fair trial may find their answer.  She was given a trial conducted with all the impressive apparatus of ceremony, learning, and scholasticism that the Holy Catholic Church, the court of the Inquisition and the University of Paris between them could command, but in essence the whole trial was a preordained and tragic farce.  The most remarkable thing about it, to my mind, is that they troubled to give her a trial at all, let alone a trial in which one cardinal, six bishops, thirty-two doctors of theology, sixteen bachelors of theology, seven doctors of medicine, and one hundred and three other associates were involved, and that the Burgundians had not sewn her into a sack and thrown her into the Oise at Compiègne forthwith.  It is an astonishing tribute to her achievement, to the awe she inspired, and to the position she had attained in the public mind, that it never occurred to them to apply such off-hand methods as were in current use for proletarian upstarts coming forward with the claim of unusual powers.” – Vita Sackville-West, Chapter XV: The Trial (1), Pages 288-289


Review

Is This An Overview?

Joan of Arc, or rather more appropriately, Jeanne d’Arc, was a source of inspiration for France during The Hurdred Years’ War.  A war in which the sovereignty of France was being fought over by the French and the English.  Jeanne d’Arc was a peasant from a devoutly Catholic family, who claimed to be visited by spirits, by Angels.  Jeanne d’Arc had become the chosen of the King of Heaven.  Meant to liberate Orleans and crown the king of France.  Jeanne d’Arc was the Pucelle, the maid, the virgin.  A feature that meant the Devil could not have corrupted Jeanne d’Arc, that the voices heard were not from the Devil. 

 

Jeanne d’Arc had unquestionable conviction, which was able to convince others to join the cause.  Jeanne d’Arc made an audacious request to be introduced to the Dauphin, the heir to the throne of France.  An absurd request for a peasant to make, but eventually obtained the introduction.  Jeanne d’Arc claims were tested, and seeming miracles were performed.  One test included the Dauphin pretending to not be the Dauphin, but Jeanne d’Arc was still able to identify who the Dauphin was.  Knew of the Dauphin’s secret.  Jeanne d’Arc became recognized by the Dauphin, and became an official savior. 

 

Jeanne d’Arc was not a military commander, Jeanne d’Arc did not have military experience.  Jeanne d’Arc’s achievement was not in military prowess.   Jeanne d’Arc’s achievement was psychological.  Jeanne d’Arc encouraged and inspired the military forces.  The inspirational efforts enabled the military to end the siege of Orleans.  During the siege, Jeanne d’Arc was brave, and wounded in a manner that Jeanne d’Arc prophesied.

 

After the siege of Orleans lifted, the Dauphin was crowned, as King Charles VIII.  Further advances were limited.  After a failed attempt to take Paris, Jeanne d’Arc was captured.  Charles VIII owed everything to Jeanne d’Arc, but did not attempt a rescue.  Jeanne d’Arc was put on trial for heresy, blasphemy, idolatry, and sorcery.  The trial garnered the attention of various powerful institutions, but the outcome of the trial was preordained.  The trial was based on religious authority, not political.  But the people in charge of the trial, supported the English cause.  Jeanne d’Arc was convicted, and burned to death as a heretic.  Centuries later, canonized as a saint.  

 

What were the characteristics of Jeanne d’Arc?

To be part of the army, Jeanne d’Arc dressed in masculine clothes, and favored masculine clothes.  Jeanne d’Arc had feminine traits such as a womanly voice and was ready to tears. 

 

Jeanne d’Arc reputation was spreading, even before Jeanne d’Arc did anything worthy.

 

Religious observance was more important than military strategy.  During a Sunday, Jeanne d’Arc enabled enemy to escape.

 

During the trial, the questions asked were meant to expose Jeanne d’Arc for sacrilege.  Questions meant to trap Jeanne d’Arc into professing guilt.  Jeanne d’Arc was able to evade traps with sagacity.  But, provided many other responses which condemned Jeanne d’Arc. 

 

Caveats?

The book can be difficult to read.  What Jeanne d’Arc did might be known, but not how.  What is not known is how Jeanne d’Arc survived certain events, or known certain information.  Jeanne d’Arc was able to convince others, but what is not known is how Jeanne d’Arc convinced others or why they were convinced. 

 


Questions to Consider while Reading the Book

•What is the raison d’etre of the book?  For what purpose did the author write the book?  Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•Who was Joan of Arc (Jeanne d’Arc)?
•What was The Hurder Years’ War?
•What did people think of the war?
•How did religion affect Jeanne d’Arc?
•Why is Jeanne d’Arc referred to as the Pucelle? 
•How did religion affect France? 
•What was Jeanne d’Arc’s appearance? 
•What did Jeanne d’Arc think of clothing? 
•What were Jeanne d’Arc personality characteristics?
•How much is known about Jeanne d’Arc?
•Where is Jeanne d’Arc from? 
•Who were Jeanne d’Arc’s parents and what did people think of them?
•What did Jeanne d’Arc’s father want from Jeanne d’Arc?
•What happened in the scrimmages between Domremy and Maxey?
•What was the culture of Domremy?
•When did Jeanne d’Arc receive the quest? 
•Which spirits (Angels) appeared to Jeanne d’Arc?
•What was the appearance of the spirits?
•What did Bertrand de Poulengy think of Jeanne d’Arc request to see the Dauphin? 
•How did Jeanne d’Arc depart from Jeanne d’Arc’s parents? 
•What happened with the Duke of Lorraine? 
•What could have caused the Dauphin to see Jeanne d’Arc?
•What did Jeanne d’Arc think of travelling?
•How did Jeanne d’Arc reputation spread? 
•What was the financial situation of the King of France?
•What secret did Jeanne d’Arc know about the Dauphin? 
•What was the character of the Dauphin?
•What happened with Talbot? 
•What sword did Jeanne d’Arc use?
•Why did Jeanne d’Arc carry a standard? 
•What happened at the siege of Orleans? 
•What did Jeanne d’Arc do at Orleans? 
•How did Jeanne d’Arc interfere in the personal lives of the army?
•What signal was misunderstood at Orleans?
•How did Jeanne d’Arc get the Dauphin into Reims? 
•What happened in Paris? 
•How was Jeanne d’Arc captured?  
•What happened during incarceration? 
•What happened during the trial of Jeanne d’Arc?
•What were the charges against Jeanne d’Arc?
•What was the outcome to the trial of Jeanne d’Arc? 

Book Details
Publisher:               Doubleday, Doran & Company
Edition ISBN:         9780802138163
Pages to read:          382
Publication:             1936
1st Edition:              1936
Format:                    Paperback

Ratings out of 5:
Readability    3
Content          3
Overall          3







Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Review of How States Think: The Rationality of Foreign Policy by John J. Mearsheimer, and Sebastian Rosato

This book review was written by Eugene Kernes   

Book can be found in: 
Genre = Politics
Book Club Event = Book List (08/30/2025)
Intriguing Connections = 1) To Cooperate Or To Defect?



Watch Short Review

Excerpts

“Contrary to what many people think, we cannot equate rationality with success and nonrationality with failure.  Rationality is not about outcomes.  Rational actors often fail to achieve their goals, not because of foolish thinking but because of factors they can neither anticipate nor control.  There is also a powerful tendency to equate rationality with morality since both qualities are thought to be features of enlightened thinking.  But that too is a mistake.  Rational policies can violate widely accepted standards of conduct and may even be murderously unjust.” – John J. Mearsheimer, and Sebastian Rosato, Preface, Page 8


“Rationality is all about making sense of the world for the purpose of navigating it in the pursuit of desired goals.  In the foreign policy realm, this means it has both individual and state-level dimensions.  Rational decision makers are theory-driven – they employ credible theories both to understand the situation at hand and to decide the best policies for achieving their objectives.  A state is rational if the views of its key decision makers are aggregated through a deliberative process and the final policy is based on a credible theory.  Conversely, a state is nonrational if it does not base its strategy on a credible theory, does not deliberate, or both.  A careful review of the historical record shows that judged by these criteria, states are regularly rational in their foreign policy.” – John J. Mearsheimer, and Sebastian Rosato, Chapter 1: The Rational Actor Assumption, Page 17


“Policymakers confront serious information deficits regarding most of the elements that matter for designing grand strategies or navigating crises.  The farther they peer into the future, the larger these deficits become.  Among other things, policymakers may not have good data about their own people’s resolve or how their weaponry and combat forces will perform in a war.  Additional uncertainties apply when it comes to assessing other states, friends as well as enemies.  It is difficult to measure the military assets, objectives, intentions, and strategies of other states, especially since states often conceal or misrepresent their capabilities and thinking.  Taken together, these information deficits mean that decision makers are bound to have limited knowledge about how their states’ interactions with other states are likely to play out and to what outcomes.  To further compound these problems, unforeseen factors sometimes shape events in significant ways.” – John J. Mearsheimer, and Sebastian Rosato, Chapter 2: Strategic Rationality and Uncertainty, Page 33


Review

Is This An Overview?

Rationality is a thinking process that attempts to make sense of reality for the pursuit of desired goals.  Using credible theories and a deliberation process.  Those who are not rational do not base their decisions on credible theories, do not deliberate, or both.  Everyone is biased, but credible theories depend on realistic assumptions, are logically consistent, probabilistic, and are subject to evidentiary support.  The deliberation process is a systematic method of considering the advantages and disadvantages of alternative options and policies without coercion, deception, or withholding information.  A deliberation process that results in a decision being made. 

 

Rationality is not based on outcomes, as rational policymakers can fail to achieve goals due to factors they could not anticipate or control.  A prerequisite for rationality, is for states to have their survival as the highest priority.  In pursuit of desired goals, states can be rational even as they violate accepted standards of conduct. 

 

International politics is an information-deficient occupation, operating within uncertainty.  Policymakers can lack information or lack reliable information about their own state and other states.  Policymakers do not have appropriate data on how their people will perform, do not know the effectiveness of their weapons and combat forces.  Other states can conceal their capabilities and thinking.  Internal and external information limitations inhibit understanding the interactions and outcomes of decisions, which can still be affected by unforeseen factors.  Policymakers are rational even though they do not know all possible outcomes.

 

Caveats?

This book is a defense for rationality, that policymakers generally use credible theories and deliberate before making a decision.  Much of the book is about various explanations for rationality, which can sometimes become repetitive, and have some contradictions.  A variety of historic examples are used to express how perceived nonrational decisions, were actually rational.  The examples are short, which would require the reader to do more research to understand the state. 

 

Questions to Consider while Reading the Book

•What is the raison d’etre of the book?  For what purpose did the author write the book?  Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•What is rationality?
•What priorities do states need to be rational? 
•What is nonrationality? 
•Are policymakers generally rational or nonrational? 
•Is rational moral?
•What do psychologist and economists think of human rationality? 
•What is risk and uncertainty?
•How much information do policymakers have on their own state and other states?
•What is a rational aggregation process? 
•What is a credible theory?
•What is expected utility?  
•What is the role of emotions? 
•What is Mutual Assured Destruction? 
•What is the effect of forcible democracy promotion? 
•Was Putin rational to invade Ukraine?  
•What was American policy toward USSR after WWII?
•What was Japanese policy before Pearl Harbor? 
•What was American policy during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
•What was German policy before WWI?
•What was France policy towards Nazi before WWII?
•Why did America expand after Cold War?

Book Details
Publisher:               Yale University Press
Edition ISBN:         9780300274967
Pages to read:          176
Publication:             2023
1st Edition:              2023
Format:                    eBook 

Ratings out of 5:
Readability    4
Content          4
Overall          4






Saturday, July 5, 2025

Review of Why? The Purpose Of The Universe by Philip Goff

This book review was written by Eugene Kernes   

Book can be found in: 
Genre = Philosophy
Book Club Event = Book List (08/09/2025)


Watch Short Review

Excerpts

“The reason is that consciousness is not publicly observable.  I can’t look inside your head and see your feelings and experiences.  Consciousness is not something we discovered in a particle collider or looking down a microscope.  We know that consciousness exists not from observation and experiment, but from our immediate awareness of our own feelings.  If you’re in pain, you’re just directly aware of your pain.  Moreover, the reality of one’s own feelings and experiences is known with greater certainty than anything we know through experiments.  Even though consciousness is not publicly observable, its reality is hard data that any adequate theory of reality must account for.” – Philip Goff, Chapter 3: Consciousness Points to Purpose, Page 60


 

“For the sake of simplicity, for the moment I’ll work with a particle-based interpretation of panpsychism, according to which the physical universe is made up of tiny fundamental particles, each of which has conscious experience of a very rudimentary form.  Human experience is incredibly complex, but subjective experience come in all shapes and sizes.  If there is something that it’s like to be a bedbug, then it’s incredibly simple compared to what it’s like to be a human being.  There seems to be no inherent limit to how simple subjective experience could be.  If particles have experience, then it is presumably of an incredibly simple form, corresponding to their incredibly simple physical structure.” – Philip Goff, Chapter 3: Consciousness Points to Purpose, Page 71


“This hopeful commitment to our capacity to advance the purposes of the universe transforms our ethical situation.  True ethics is not about helping your kin alone – the exclusive concern of a Mafia boss – or helping your nation alone – the exclusive concern of the fascist.  True ethics is a concern to make reality better.  If there is no cosmic purpose, then making reality better is mostly a negative project, in the sense that it largely consists in removing bad stuff, such as suffering and injustice.  Removing suffering and injustice is incredibly important, and one can live a highly meaningful life as a humanist dedicated to this end.  But if cosmic purpose is still unfolding, and if our actions can contribute – even in some small way – to bringing about the next stage of cosmic evolution, then the potential consequences of our actions are so much greater than they would be in the absence of cosmic purpose.  We may be able to contribute to bringing about a vastly superior state of existence to the one we currently inhabit.” – Philip Goff, Chapter 7: Living with Purpose, Page 152


Review

Is This An Overview?

Even without cosmic significance, there is meaning in human activity.  What people do affects the present and changes the opportunities for the future.  People have the capacity to make reality better, to enable a cosmic evolution. 

 

Meaning can be found without purpose provided by an omnipotent being.  There are alternative options to a moral omnipotent being and atheism.  A being who can create a universe is not necessarily moral, or necessarily omnipotent.  There is the possibility that humanity is part of a simulation experiment run by beings that possess advanced technology.  Another possibility is that of panpsychism. 

 

Panpsychism assumes that every particle has a conscious of their own.  Human consciousness is not publicly available, as consciousness cannot be verified through objective experimentation, but there is certainty in feelings and experiences.  Even simple organisms have a consciousness.  There is no uniform consciousness, for the complexity of the conscious can come in different degrees, with no limit to how simple.  Particles, which are assumed to be inanimate objects, possibly have a conscious of their own, in a rudimentary form.  A conscious that enables the particle to respond rationally to their experiences.

 

Caveats?

This book covers a range of ideas about why and how the universe exists, along with limitations of those ideas.  The book can be difficult to read, as the author acknowledged.  Each chapter makes an argument, and contains a more technical section.  The technical section is explicitly difficult as the author tries to cover potential critiques for an academic audience.  The book can be read without engaging with the technical section. 


Questions to Consider while Reading the Book

•What is the raison d’etre of the book?  For what purpose did the author write the book?  Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•Is there cosmic significance to human activities? 
•What is the probability of the existence of life?  
•What does Hume think of passion? 
•What is value fundamentalism?
•What is value nihilism? 
•What is the multiverse theory and what are its limitations? 
•What prevents understanding consciousness?  
•Was is a meaning zombie? 
•Was is Schrodinger’s cat?
•What is panpsychism? 
•What is empiricism?  
•What is the cosmic sin intuition? 
•Why do people think a being created the universe? 
•What are non-standard designers?
•Is our universe a simulation by an advanced civilization? 
•Was it true ethics? 

Book Details
Publisher:               Oxford University Press
Edition ISBN:         9780198883784
Pages to read:          165
Publication:             2023
1st Edition:              2023
Format:                    eBook 

Ratings out of 5:
Readability    2
Content          2
Overall          2






Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Book Review of Tao Te Ching: The Essential Translation of the Ancient Chinese Book of the Tao by Lao Tzu

This book review was written by Eugene Kernes   

Book can be found in: 
Genre = Philosophy
Book Club Event = Book List (08/02/2025)
Intriguing Connections = 1) What Is The Power Of Belief Systems?


Watch Short Review

Excerpts

“Not to Honor the Worthy

Puts an end to Contending

Among the folk.

Not to Prize Rare Goods

Puts an end to Theft

Among the folk.

Not to Display Objects of Desire

Removes Chaos

From the Heart-and-Mind

Of the folk.

 

The Taoist rules by Emptying Heart-and-Mind

And Filling Belly,

By softening the Will to Achieve,

And strengthening Bones.

The Taoist frees the folk

From False Knowledge and Desire.

Those with False Knowledge

No longer dare to Act.

The Taoist Accomplishes

Through Non-Action,

And all is well Ruled.”

Lao Tzu, Chapter 3: Non-Action, Page 51


“Letting Go is better

Than Filling to the Brim.

A blade overly sharpened

Does not last long.

Halls stuffed with gold and jade

None can preserve.

Wealth, Rank, Pride,

All bring Calamity.

The Tao of Heaven-and-Nature

Is to Accomplish

And to Withdraw.”

– Lao Tzu, Chapter 9: Letting Go, Page 67


 

“Which is Dearer”

Name

Or True Person?

Which means more:

Person or Property?

Which causes greater Harm:

Gain or Loss?

Undue love

Comes at Great Cost.

Hoarding entails

Heavy Loss.

To Know Sufficiency

Averts Disgrace;

Whosoever Knows

When to Halt

Averts Misfortune,

Endures”

– Lao Tzu, Chapter 44: Sufficiency, Page 171

 

Review

Is This An Overview?

Taoism is often contrasted to the authoritarian Confucianism.  Taoism means way or road.  Meant as a practical guide to improve people’s lives, to enable the person to become kinder, and gentler.  Taoism focuses on inner freedom. 

 

Outwardly expressions of greatness create chaos for others, and bring calamity upon oneself.  With possession comes great loss.  Taoists rule through non-action, through nonintervention.   A Taoist ruler does no violence, for violence rebounds.  A Taoist is inclusive with people and knowledge, and is attentive to minor details for even minor details have complexity.  Taoists prevent false knowledge and desire, and understand that there are limits to knowledge.  That complete complexity cannot be understood.  Those who think they understand, are enabling misunderstanding.  Taoist apply and put ideas into practices more than consider the ideal version of ideas.

 

Caveats?

Taoism is expressed through poetry, that has various contradictions.  Meant as a personal method of reflection, to enable the individual to think for themselves on how they would respond to the demands of society and on how they would resolve the contradictions.  This version of the book contains various commentaries, from various philosophers, to guide the reader through Taoism.


Questions to Consider while Reading the Book

•What is the raison d’etre of the book?  For what purpose did the author write the book?  Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•What is Confucianism?
•What is Taoism?
•Why is Confucianism and Taoism seen in contrast?
•How did Taoism effect Chinese culture? 
•Who is Lao Tzu?
•What is non-action?
•What is dust?
•Why let go? 
•Why is Tao ineffable?
•What does it mean to return to the root?
•What is the value of Sages?
•Who is the best traveler?
•How does a Taoist treat others?
•What is the outcome of violence?  
•How to find what is valuable? 
•What is the value of perfection?
•What is the effect of meddling?
•What is the effect of studying? 
•How to cultivate a future?
•What is the difficulty in the easy?
•What are beautiful words? 

Book Details
Ancillary Author:   John Minford
Translator:              John Minford
Original Language: Chinese
Translated Into:       English
Publisher:               Penguin Books [Penguin Random House]
Edition ISBN:         9780525560319
Pages to read:          284
Publication:             2019
1st Edition:              4th Century B.C.E.
Format:                    eBook 

Ratings out of 5:
Readability    2
Content          1
Overall          1






Friday, June 27, 2025

Review of Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie

This book review was written by Eugene Kernes   

Book can be found in: 
Book Club Event = Book List (11/01/2025)
Intriguing Connections = 1) Biographies: Auto, Memoir, and Other Types


Watch Short Review

Excerpts

“During this solitary winter when Paul was born, Catherine decided to change her behavior.  She had met her obligation in coming to Russia; she had given the nation an heir.  And now, as a reward, she found herself abandoned in a little room without her child.  She resolved to defend herself.  Examining her situation, she saw it from a new perspective.  She had lost the physical presence of her baby, but, by his birth, her own position in Russia had been secured.  This realization prompted her decision “to make those who had caused me so much suffering understand that I could not be offended and mistreated with impunity”” – Robert K. Massie, Chapter 29: Retaliation, Page 171



“Peter had provoked and insulted the Orthodox Church, infuriated and alienated the army, and betrayed his allies.  Nevertheless, effective opposition still needed a specific cause around which to rally.  Peter himself supplied this by endeavoring to impose on his exhausted country a frivolous new war – against Denmark.” – Robert K. Massie, Chapter 42: The Brief Reign of Peter III, 250


“She sat on the throne of Peter the Great and ruled an empire, the largest on earth.  Her signature, inscribed on a decree, was law and, if she chose, could mean life or death for any one of her twenty million subjects.  She was intelligent, well read, and a shrewd judge of character.  During the coup, she had shown determination and courage; once on the throne, she displayed an open mind, willingness to forgive, and a political morality founded on rationality and practical efficiency.  She softened imperial presence with a sense of humor and a quick tongue; indeed, with Catherine more than any other monarch of her day, there was always a wide latitude for humor.  There was also a line not be crossed, even by close friends.” – Robert K. Massie, Chapter 45: Coronation, Page 281


Review

Is This An Overview?

Before needing to convert into Orthodoxy for marriage, Catherine was a Lutheran called Sophia.  As Sophia, as a child, was neglected by Sophia’s mother, Johanna.  As a princess, Sophia had the option of either marriage or being sent to a convent.  Sophia was eager for marriage.  At the time, Elizabeth, empress of Russia had come to the throne and was looking for a bride for the heir, Peter Ulrich.  Peter’s and Catherine’s views on Russia were different. 

 

Peter disapproved of Russia.  Disapproved the culture, and language.  Peter favored Prussia, and was an admirer of Fredrick the Great.  Catherine had a different approach.  Catherine was eager to embrace Russia and learn about Russia.  Catherine’s eagerness to be immersed into Russia gained approval of the people.  Catherine learned the customs of Russia, which included bribing people with gifts. 

 

When Catherine and Peter married, Catherine was neglected and failed to produce an heir.  In isolation, Catherine turned to books.  Learned various ideas for governance and justice.  After Paul was born, Catherine’s behavior changed, as that meant Catherine’s political position was secured.  At least until Elizabeth’s death.  Peter wanted to marry someone else, and therefore tried to remove Catherine.

 

When Peter became emperor, enabled some policies that were approved of, but generally Peter stigmatized the church, military, and allies.  Attempted to change Russian institutions to be more aligned with Prussia, and deferred to Prussia on political situations.  Catherine obtained supporters, for Catherine was a stark contrast to Peter’s views and policies.  Supporters who then put Catherine on the throne of Russia. 

 

Catherine became empress through the support of Russia.  Supported by the army, church, nobility, and people.  Catherine was courageous during the coup.  While on the throne, ruled through rational politics, enlightenment ideas, and practical efficiency.  Tempered by humor.  Catherine became empress without experience in administration, but took on the responsibility.  Wanted to understand the problems Russia faced, and be provided with the information to find appropriate responses rather than just defer to others.  The threats that Catherine faced were competitors to the throne, general corruption in government, and a rise in grain prices. 

 

What Catherine did was stop deference to foreign powers, which appeased the exhausted army.  Funded medical infrastructure, and knowledge.  Reformed laws to make them systematic and proportionate.  Reformed the church.  Catherine tried to correct the mistreatment of serf, for if the unbearable conditions were not corrected, the people might revolt.  Catherine’s ability to change Russia was limited due to the dependence on nobility, culture, and the vastness of Russia. 

 

Who Was Peter III?

Peter was Elizabeth’s nephew.  The son of Elizabeth’s favored older sister Anee, and a cousin of Johanna.  After Anne died, Elizabeth adopted Peter, who then became heir to the throne of Russia.  By becoming heir to Russia, Peter had to relinquish the claim on the crown of Sweden.  As Peter’s source of solace was barrack life, wanted command and obedience. 

 

As a child, and later, Peter was tormented by a tutor, who thought that ill-treatment was meant to toughen Peter, but had the opposite effect. 

 

Elizabeth was anxious about the succession, as Peter scorned Russia and sympathized with Prussia.  But Elizabeth did not change the succession plan.

 

Caveats?

As a biography, this book covers the personal accounts of the person, Catherine the Great.  There are various references to Russia’s history, and how Russia effected and was affected by other states.  Deference is toward the personal reactions of Catherine, on the politics of Russian royalty.  This book provides background on the culture and history of Russia, but more research would be needed to understand many of the events. 


Questions to Consider while Reading the Book

•What is the raison d’etre of the book?  For what purpose did the author write the book?  Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•Who was Catherine the Great?
•Who is Peter the Great?
•Who was Elizabeth?
•Who are Elizabeth’s parents?
•Why was Elizabeth able to take the throne? 
•Why was Elizabeth not able to marry?
•What did Elizabeth think of Catherine?
•What were the features of Elizabeth’s evening balls? 
•Who is Peter Ulrick of Holstein? 
•What did Catherine think of Russia? 
•What did Peter think of Russia?
•How did Sophia become Catherine? 
•How did Catherine’s and Peter’s relationship change?
•What happened during the marriage of Catherine and Peter?
•How did Catherine change after Paul was born? 
•What threats did Catherine face when Elizabeth was close to death?  
•Why did the Count Nikita Panin support Catherine? 
•Why did the Gregory Orlov support Catherine? 
•Why did the Catherine Dashkova support Catherine?
•How was Catherine treated during the reign of Peter III?
•What policies were enacted during the reign of Peter III?
•How did Catherine take the throne of Russia? 
•What happened to Peter III after Catherine took the throne? 
•How was Catherine’s succession different than what was expected? 
•How did Catherine effect Russian sovereignty? 
•How did Catherine effect Russian religion?
•How did Catherine effect Russian army?
•How did Catherine effect Russian navy?
•How did Catherine effect Russian medicine?
•What happened to the Catherine’s imperial allowance? 
•What kind of authority did Catherine think was needed in Russia? 
•What did Catherine and Voltaire correspond on?
•What did Catherine think of the French Revolution?
•What did Catherine think of Diderot? 
•What did Arseniy want for Religion? 
•How did Catherine effect serfdom?
•What was Catherine’s love life as empress?
•How did Catherine handle Gregory Orlov?
•Who was Potemkin?
•What were Potemkin villages? 
•How did Catherine change Russian laws? 
•Did Catherine marry someone after Peter? 
•What was Catherine’s relationship with her son, Paul? 
•What happened to Paul’s marriage?
•How did rumors change the court of Russia?
•Who is Otto Brümmer? 
•How did Brümmer treat Peter? 
•Who was Staehlin? 
•How did Johanna treat Sophia (Catherine) as a child? 
•Who was George Lewis?
•What was Prussia’s status during the 18th century? 
•What did Frederick think of Sophia (Catherine)?
•What happened to Ivan VI?
•Who was Bestuzhev?
•What was Johanna’s responsibility in Russia?
•Who is Madame Krause? 
•Who were the Chernyshevs?
•What did Catherine think of the treatment of Elendsheim? 
•What happened when Catherine wanted to go to Carnival in 1758?
•What was the situation with Khitrovo? 
•What was Poland’s political structure? 
•How did Catherine effect Poland?
•Why was Poland partitioned? 
•How did the Ottoman Empire effect Russia?
•Who are the Cossacks?
•Who was Pugachev? 

Book Details
Edition:                   Random House Trade Paperback Edition
Publisher:               Random House Trade Paperbacks [Random House]
Edition ISBN:         9780345408778
Pages to read:          572
Publication:             2012
1st Edition:              2011
Format:                    Paperback

Ratings out of 5:
Readability    5
Content          4
Overall          5