Customer Reviews

The Icon and the Axe: An Interpretive History of Russian Culture

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I read this book as a young university student in the early 1970s, it kindled an interest that has endured to this day. In fact, I went on to graduate school in Russian Area Studies and spent 16 years as a Soviet specialist in the Department of Defense, primarily as a result of the reading and study sparked by Billington's masterpiece. It is not conventional history. People have asked me again and again to explain why the Russians believe or behave in a particular manner. I refer them to "The Icon and the Axe." If it is possible to explain a People (as the Russians would say a "narod"), Billington does so. Truly a great work.

The subtitle of this book, "an interpretive history of Russian culture", accurately warns the reader about what he is going to encounter. It is not a Russian history book, and in fact you may want to keep an outline history of Russia handy to get names and dates straight. It is also rather different from the usual run of "cultural histories", whether topical, like A.L. Basham's admirable book, "The Wonder that was India" or Elizabeth Massey's bedside book on Russian culture, "Land of the Firebird." Billington has written an interpretive history. While staying within a chronological framework, he talks at length about various topics that he finds illuminating, even if they are out of the mainstream curriculum on Russian history, art or literature.

In the hands of some other writer, this could lead to an eccentric collection of pet subjects being aired for our review, but in this case the result is consistently absorbing and illuminating. In fact, the book is something of a Christmas turkey, cram packed with all sorts of odd snippets of lore about Russia; the notes alone are fascinating reading. And it all manages to hang together and create a coherent picture. Indeed, it sometimes seems that Billington is trying to create an image of Russia that haunts you in a sweet, melancholy sort of way, rather like a Tchaikovsky symphony.

In fact, you may feel it hangs together a bit too well; to the less romantically inclined, it may be a bit too pat. Certainly the same themes run through the book, and Billington himself refers to the "irony" of Russian history. But make no mistake - there is an incredible amount of scholarship here, to the extent that you find yourself wondering how one person could actually be so familiar with so much material. If you are the sort of person that loves things Russian to the point of being obsessive (and there are a surprising number of us out there) the book is a must read.

This is by far one of the best works out there on Russian history. Billington's discription of Russian culture helps the reader clearly understand Russian history, not only the when and what, but also the why. His coverage is very detailed and complete and taking into account the amount of information he provides, it is suprisingly easy to read. An excellent piece of work overall. Anyone interested in Russian history or culture should look at this book.

James Billington, the present (2000) Librarian Of Congress, was well known as an expert on the subject of the Soviet Union and Russia prior to his 1989 appointment by President George Bush as head of "the Nation's Library" (as Billington likes to label LC). His 1970 book about the roots of Russian culture and cultural history should be on the bookshelf of any person who seeks to understand Russia. He wrote it during his days as a Harvard U. history professor and put a lot of work into it. The result is a very thick (some would say huge) volume which discusses and presents the influences in Russian history, religion, and culture which have brought that country to the present age.

Billington is a comic book New England blue blood, like the U.S. President who appointed him Librarian Of Congress. He is a direct descendant of the Mayflower Billingtons, was schooled at Princeton University and later at Oxford U. in England. Many thought his Librarian Of Congress appointment might be a preliminary step to his becoming U.S. ambassador to Russia, but his boss, Mr. Bush, was not reelected in 1992, as expected, so Mr. Billington remained as LC chief for the following decade up to the present time.

Billington tells an interesting tale in his book about Russia. The influences of Asia on the Moscow headquartered country barely located in Europe give the Russian cultural tradition an oriental caste difficult for western countries to understand and identify with. Russia has always been a mysterious country to westerners, Mr. Billington informs us, and this has been a headache for Russian leaders. Peter the Great made a point of bringing French culture to Russia, and trying to "westernize" the Moscow capital so western diplomats, whose help the Czar needed, wouldn't be scared off (or at least as scared off as before). Peter The Great was partially successful, but the continuing Russian traditions and the eastern/Asian personality of these traditions didn't go away for Peter the Great or his successors, right down to the Communist Party leaders of post-1918 Russia and the U.S.S.R. The result, according to Billington, is that Russia always was and still is a "wanna be" western country.

James Billington relates a fascinating and brutal tale of an oriental country trying to become western for centuries, and mostly failing, stuck with the reality of its past. It is a tale of politics and poignance well worth buying and reading. His book is now 30 years old, yet it stands as a classic all libraries and individuals interested in Russia should obtain and re-read often.

I had expected this book to be a more traditional political and military history, a "who and where" type. This book is actually a very thorough handling of Russian religion, art and literature. The author seems to assume that the reader already knows basic facts of Russian history, such as its leaders, its major wars, etc. However, even if the reader is not familiar with these aspects of history, the book is still very readable. I feel I have a greater understanding of Russian literature and culture than I might have with a more traditional history. It is unfortunate that the the book only covers up to the mid 1960s, because the events of the past 15 years are unprecedented since the revolution of 1917.

This reflective review and interpretation of Russian history is as fresh today as it was when it was published as a first edition. The book is absolutely spectacular. It is probably one of the best historical interpretation of all periods of Russian History; I particularly enjoyed its account of the 17th Century Raskol or "schism". I came across this book back in University. Many years later I bought it from Amazon and I am still enjoying its wealth of info. A must buy!

This book evidently is the result of a disertation as it has the typical structure of such a document. It really needs to be read in conjunction with other books on Russian History to get its full impact. It is highly documented with lots of notes. It gives Russian history a new look, telling you why Russia had to do certain things. It was very enlightening and well organized and written. I would give it a must buy recommendation.

There should be a number of apologies made for this book simply on account of its age. There is one recent competitor to it in English, Figes's "Natasha's Dance", but I have not read it, and cannot compare the two.

There is a sort of symbol of the book's flaws in its frequent use of the term "organic religious civilization". The term is never defined, never showed: It is simply used as a short hand to remove medieval and early modern Rus from the reader's sphere of reference and retain its alien nature. Certainly, the Orthodox religion is key to understanding the differences between West European and Russian culture, but Billington seems to have little understanding of it, which leads to deep misunderstandings in the work. Hesychasm is interpreted as an analogue to Protestantism; the basic issues over which the Old Belief schism happened are confused or misstated; Orthodoxy is, in short, throughout displayed as a shadow of Western Chrisitanity. It is not a mistake of his age, either. Billington had access to the great theologians and religious historians of the Russian emigres, but except for a couple of citations from Lossky regarding iconography, he seems to have ignored it.

The other issue with the work is a very mid-20th century whitewashing of the Soviet state and the Communist Revolution. Billington primarily portrays it as the triumph of westward-looking St. Petersburg over Moscow, and in the context of the book's narrative, that sounds like an endorsement. Stalin is simply seen as being on a continuum with Ivan the Terrible, and is interpreted for the book's West European readers as just another example of Russian strangeness.

This review is in no way exhaustive, and I would certainly note that the book deserves the three stars which I gave it. However, I worry that when the book showed stark weaknesses in areas that I am very familiar with, that it may have shown weaknesses in others I am more ignorant of. I can forgive mischaracterizations in Billington's brief asides into military history (after all, such is not the focus of the work), but shortcomings in its core need to be taken seriously.

This is an impressive chronicle on Russian culture, emphasising its `intellectual and artistic' qualities over the past six centuries and bringing many unknown facets to light. Billington speaks of three `forces' in particular that dominate the main narrative; `The natural surroundings, the Christian heritage, and the Western contacts of Russia'. Each of these themes reveals a wealth of insight and understanding; `the natural surroundings' become an elemental power where a...`Telluric sense of communion with the earth' alternates `with a restless impulse to be `skitaltsy' or wanderers over the Russian land'. `The Christian heritage,' looks at Russian Orthodoxy in the broader context of an all encompassing `spiritual culture' that `permeates' through all of life; and `the Western contacts of Russia' relates the growing inevitability of Russia impinging upon Europe and itself being altered through European currents of action and thought. We read how... `Catherine substituted the city for the monastery as the main centre of Russian culture. She, and not Peter, closed down monasteries on a massive scale'...and so on for page after page, as though mining a rich seam. This is a hugely ambitious book that succeeds triumphantly and is truly worth the immersion!

_The Icon and the Axe: An Interpretive History of Russian Culture_, first published in 1966 and made available here by Vintage Books, by renowned Russian scholar James H. Billington is a fascinating and highly detailed account of Russia's unique cultural history. James H. Billington (1929 - ) is a renowned Russian scholar who was a professor at Harvard and Princeton and is currently serving as the Librarian of Congress. His work has chiefly focused on Russian history and culture and also revolutionary movements including his excellent book _Fire in the Minds of Men_ (1980). Billington's scholarship is of the highest caliber, but his books may prove difficult for some given the fact that they are heavily footnoted and extremely scholarly. Billington defines this book as an "interpretive history of modern Russian thought and culture" and explains that resulting from his own reflections it offers a selective account of the rise and development of Russian culture and thought in the last 600 years. Russian culture offers a unique heritage and this book explores that heritage as it has existed in Russia's history. In his Preface, Billington explains that two artifacts have been chosen to serve as the title for this book - the icon and the axe - and that each has a unique and important meaning. The icon or holy picture represents Russia's spiritual heritage; while the axe is an unholy weapon. Both of these artifacts may be found "hung together on the wall of the peasant hut in the wooded Russian north" and "suggest both the visionary and earthy aspects of Russian culture". However, as the author notes ironically, the icon has been wielded by charlatans and demagogues while the axe has been wielded by saints and artists. Several important components play into Russia's cultural heritage including the history of the tsars, the lives of the peasants represented strongly in the traditions of their religion Eastern Christianity, and later the arrival of the Marxists who took over Russia in the form of Bolshevism. Billington identifies three supra-personal forces at work in Russian culture - nature itself, Eastern Christendom, and the impact of the West. This book explores all such important components in detail. The book is expertly footnoted and includes several detailed maps and various images and pictures.

Billington begins his book with a Preface in which he explains his understanding of an interpretive cultural history, explores the notions behind the artifacts of the icon and the axe, and traces out his cultural history of Russia. This is followed by a section detailing his Acknowledgements. The first part of the book is entitled "Background". Here, Billington begins by detailing the earliest history of modern Russia as it existed in "Kiev", the role of the Slavs and Mongols, and the arrival of Christianity in the form of Eastern Orthodoxy. Billington explores ancient Russia literature and various sagas and lays. Following this, Billington turns to "The Forest" where he traces out Russia's earliest history, noting the relationship between the ancient tribes, how Eastern Christianity came to dominate, and the history of earliest Russia. Billington details this through sections exploring "Axe and Icon" and "Bell and Cannon". The second part of this book is entitled "The Confrontation" and explores the early Fourteenth to the early Seventeenth centuries. Billington traces out "The Muscuvite Ideology", noting the rise of Moscow as the "third Rome", tracing the heritage of the Russian rulers from the time of the semi-legendary Riurik, and exploring the mystical traditions of the Eastern Church and the Hesychasts. Billington next examines "The Coming of the West", noting the problematic role of Russia's relationship with the West. Billington discusses such things as "Novgorod", ""The Latins"", ""The Germans"", and "The Religious Wars". In particular, Billington notes the importance of Spain on Russia, the relationship between the Eastern churches and the Roman Catholics, the role of the tsars and the tsar seen as an Old Testament king, the notion of "Holy Rus", and various other relationships between Russia and the West. The third part of this book is entitled "The Century of Schism" and discusses history between the periods of the Mid-Seventeenth to the Mid-Eighteenth centuries. Billington discusses such things as "The Split Within" mentioning the schism of 1667 and considering such responses as "The Theocratic Answer", "The Fundamentalist Answer", and "The Great Change". Billington also discusses "The Westward Turn" mentioning such things as "New Religious Answers", "The Sectarian Tradition", "The New World of St. Petersburg", and "The Defense of Muscovy". The fourth part of this book is entitled "The Century of Aristocratic Culture" and discusses the Mid-Eighteenth to the Mid-Nineteenth centuries. Billington first discusses "The Troubled Enlightenment". Here, Billington examines such topics as "The Dilemma of the Reforming Despot", "The Fruits of the Enlightenment", "The Alienation of the Intellectuals", "Novikov and Masonry", and "The Frustration of Political Reform". Following this, Billington examines "The Anti-Enlightenment". Billington examines the forces operating against the Enlightenment in the form of the "Catholics", the "Pietists", the "Orthodox", and "The Legacy". Next, Billington considers ""The Cursed Questions"", examining the problems taken up by aristocratic intellectuals. Billington examines such topics as "The Flight to Philosophy", "The Meaning of History", "The Prophetic Role of Art", "The Missing Madonna", and "The "Hamlet Question"". The fifth part of this book is entitled "On to New Shores" and examines thought as it developed in the second half of the Nineteenth Century. Billington examines such issues as "The Turn to Social Thought", "The Agony of Populist Art", and "New Perspectives of the Waning Century" (including discussion of "Constitutional Liberalism", "Dialectical Materialism", and "Mystical Idealism"). The sixth part of this book is entitled "The Uncertain Collosus" and examines the period of the Twentieth century including the rise of the Soviets. Billington first devotes a section entitled "Crescendo" in which he examines periods following the revolution of 1917 and discussing such things as "Prometheanism", "Sensualism", and "Apocalypticism". Following this, Billington discusses "The Soviet Era" mentioning such topics as "The Leninist Legacy" and "The Revenge of Muscovy". Next, Billington discusses "Fresh Ferment", mentioning some of the accomplishments in Russian culture under Bolshevism. Here, Billington discusses such things as "The Reprise of Pasternak" and "New Voices". This part ends with a discussion of "The Irony of Russian History". Here, Billington discusses the concept of irony and absurdity, traces the role of Russian history from the time of the tsars to the post-Stalinist era, and discusses Russia in a post-Stalinist world. The book ends with an extremely detailed Bibliography, References, and an Index.

This book offers an extremely rich source of valuable material on Russia's unique and lasting cultural contributions. Many themes play out throughout the book including the natural spirituality of the Russian people and the role of the Eastern churches, the history of the Russian tsars and the courtly culture, the role of aristocrats and intellectuals, the role of artists, writers, and poets, the problematic of Russia's relationship with the West, and finally the rise of the Soviet state and Russia under the Soviets. If one seeks to understand these contributions of Russian culture, one can surely look in no better source than here. While the book is difficult, it remains an essential study meandering through the threads of Russian cultural history and bringing forth much detailed and rich information. It is highly recommended to all those who seek to understand in depth Russian culture.