Eyewitness: Russia [Hardcover]

Kathleen Berton Murrell (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: DK Eyewitness Books

Discover the turbulent past of this vast land -- from empire and communist superpower to today's federation.

Here is a visually stunning introduction to the fascinating and diverse land of Russia. Superb color photographs of costumes, crafts, jewels and palaces offer a unique "eyewitness" view of Russia and the lives of its inhabitants through the ages. See a Mongol warrior's imposing suit of armor, the stunning diamond-encrusted crown jewels, beautifully painted wooden crafts, and the spectacular architecture of Russia's most famous cities. Learn about the sinister secret police, how religious icons are restored to their former glory, about the opulent and extravagant life-styles of the tsars, why the peasant, Pugachev, was locked up in a cage, and about the revolutionary Bolsheviks. Discover the importance of the Russian Orthodox Church, the 13th-century paper made of birch bark, what happens inside a banya, the great tradition of tea drinking, and much, much more!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up-It is rare to find a book that will appeal to such a wide range of readers. While youngsters will be attracted by its visuals, older readers will learn much from the commentaries. Geography, historical periods, and cultural topics are presented in two-page spreads that include an introductory paragraph, colorful illustrations, and fascinating captions. For example, notes accompanying a traditional sleigh point out the significance of its design, the meaning of its coat of arms, and how the construction of the footrest is meant to protect the coachman's feet. Pictures of artifacts and objects from museums and libraries around the world distinguish this book. Included are items of clothing, religious objects, folk art, posters, regalia from tsarist times, and much more to illustrate both the natural and physical world of this culture, its history, and achievements. Teachers will appreciate the many images and fascinating details available in one volume. There are no full translations of the words in the illustrations, but this is a mere quibble not meant to distract from the value of this outstanding book. While this title does not present in-depth information on any one aspect of Russian culture, it does offer an abundance of topics for further research.
Elizabeth Talbot, University of Illinois, Champaign
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-8. Murrell provides an overview of an important country from the earliest time to the present. Following the traditional Eyewitness format, the book presents topics in large double-page spreads, generously illustrated with clear, full-color objects set against a white background. The narrative, composed of brief paragraphs and factoid captions, may be a problem for report writers, but the flow is generally chronological. In addition to history, the author touches upon the land (Russia spans 11 time zones), the various peoples who inhabit the region, religion, architecture (including an explanation of how onion domes are constructed), science and industry, writers and artists, arts and crafts, and culture. This attractive introduction to the changing nation should be popular with browsers. Kay Weisman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN; 1st edition (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789458802
• ISBN-13: 978-0789458803
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #945,373 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful account of the history of Russia - not just for, April 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Russia (Eyewitness Books) (Hardcover)

If you are afraid that you need to read War and Peace to learn about Russia, fear not. Russia (Eyewitness Books) succinctly and beautifully illustrates the life and people of Russia. The content is a bit deep for the audience of 9 to 12 year olds. But there is something here for lovers of things Russian of any age.

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Russia Revealed, November 30, 2001

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Eyewitness: Russia (Hardcover)

A few years ago, my father came home from a trip to Russia, he brought some matroyoshka nesting dolls and a gold toned porcelain hand painted serving dish. Now that one of my best friends is living in Russia, I was even more interested in seeing what her new world looks like.

As the largest country in the world, there is so much to see although I would not mind heading over there to see a Siberian tiger! You will love the pictures of the ice festival in which the winter is enlivened with sculptures carved out of ice. There is also some interesting history to the story.

This is a journey from Early Russia to the New Russia. While this book is written for children, adults will find it very interesting for the historical details alone.

Educational!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A kid's book with lots of information., October 5, 2007

By 

Anne Omniuss - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Eyewitness: Russia (Hardcover)

My teen-aged son is fascinated by all things Russian. I wanted to get him a book that wasn't too little kiddie but also one that wasn't a slog to read through. This book is a children's book but it has lots of pictures and enough information to keep a teen or adult interested. My son has several books in the Eyewitness series and they're consistently good books. Eyewitness Russia is no exception.