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

~ James Billington (Author) "REDUCED TO ITS SIMPLEST OUTLINE, Russian culture is a tale of three cities: Kiev, Moscow, and St. Petersburg..." (more)
Key Phrases: higher order masonry, populist age, cursed questions, Old Believers, Peter the Great, Eastern Europe (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"A rich and readable introduction to the whole sweep of Russian cultural and intellectual history from Kievan times to the post-Khruschev era." - Library Journal. Illustrations, references, index.

From the Inside Flap

"A rich and readable introduction to the whole sweep of Russian cultural and intellectual history from Kievan times to the post-Khruschev era." - Library Journal. Illustrations, references, index.

Product Details

• Paperback: 880 pages
• Publisher: Vintage; illustrated edition edition (December 12, 1970)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394708466
• ISBN-13: 978-0394708461
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #72,658 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique combination of history, art, culture, and character, January 29, 2001

By	C. C. Justice (Easley, SC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Treat for any Russophile, August 18, 2000

By A Customer

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.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best works on Russian history., February 25, 1998

By A Customer

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.