Ivan the Terrible [Paperback]

Henri Troyat (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 28, 2001

The author of the best-selling Tolstoy, winner of France's prestigious Prix Goncourt, member of the Académie Française, and renowned expert on Russia paints yet another indelible portrait of one of Russia's imposing historical figures. Henri Troyat, author of acclaimed biographies of Catherine the Great, Tolstoy, and Turgenev, turns his attention to one of the most violent, demented rulers ever, Czar Ivan IV. Though this larger-than-life ruler inflicted torture on friends and enemies alike, destroyed villages and even killed his own son, he also forged what became 20th-century Russia.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

So just how terrible was he? He wiped out entire cities and villages, leaving every inhabitant dead; he tortured his enemies and at times his closest associates; and he murdered his own son. Pretty terrible. Ivan believed he was a direct descendant of Caesar Augustus as well as being divine and was the first Russian to take the title czar. To his credit, however, his extreme methods instilled such fear in his subjects that his empire actually functioned well, and his zest for conquering land made modern Russia a large, powerful country. This 1984 title captures Ivan the IV in gory detail.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix Press (August 28, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1842124196
• ISBN-13: 978-1842124192
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #964,406 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, Horrifying, April 11, 2000

By 

Brad Shorr "Brad Shorr" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ivan the Terrible (Dorset Press Reprints) (Hardcover)

Troyat paints a vivid picture of one of history's true monsters...Driven by paranoia, exulting in his God-like ability to dispense punishment at a whim, Ivan takes sadistic pleasure in torturing enemies and innocents alike. Although the author describes the political and military events of Ivan's reign in fine style, his gruesome descriptions of Ivan's brutality and distrubing probes into his psychology are the strength of this book. You will feel nothing but pity for all who face Ivan's wrath, and that includes everyone from the lowliest peasants to the ruling classes to his own son. In addition to exploring all facets of the first Czar's twisted psyche, Troyat also spends a plenty of time on his crude manners, limited intellect, and ineffectual strategies. Still, Troyat's account has enough balance to make you feel at least a twinge of sympathy for Ivan, and more than a twinge of respect for his accomplishements in forging a kingdom out of the barbarous and disordered world he was born into.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars popular history-writing at its best, April 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ivan the Terrible (Dorset Press Reprints) (Hardcover)

Henri Troyat has done an excellent job in vividly describing the life and times of Ivan the Terrible. Although his Russian epitaph should technically speaking translate as "the Formidable", this book gives you a pretty good idea why "the Terrible" is much, much closer to the truth. Here lies the start of Russia's ever- since fascination with rulers providing it with the smack of firm government, even if it is handed out with the help of the knout. A spellbinding book, if not always for the faint of heart.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Medieval Stalin, June 13, 2003

By 

Dana Keish (Ohio, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ivan the Terrible (Paperback)

Lately I have been reading a lot about Russian and Soviet history and one thing that becomes very clear, is that for centuries the Russian people have had to endure some of the most barbaric, inhuman rules ever to roam the earth. During the mid-1500's, Ivan the Terrible decimated cities simply out of boredom or jealously. People around him died for no other reason than he wanted them to. The Russian populace endured almost unbelievable cruelty, yet always believed in their "father" and never really questioned his authority or even his sanity.
Author Troyat does a magnificent job of making Ivan a real person. Orphaned at a young age and mistreated by the boyars around him, Ivan spent his adult life as a pious mass murderer. Ordained by God to rule as he pleased, Ivan never questioned his cruelty and went to this death blaming others for the events that he himself caused. I have read several other Troyat biographies of famous Russians, and his is one of his best.