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.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Phoenix (August 1, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1842124196
ISBN-13: 978-1842124192
Product Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 9.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
Customer Reviews: 20 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,209,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3491 in Russian History (Books)
- #949 in Historical Russia Biographies

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Brad

Fascinating, Horrifying

April 11, 2000

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

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.

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L.K.Hill

Get to know Ivan, but not too much.

October 25, 2010

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book is very easy to read and is great for someone who knows nothing or very little of Russian history and Ivan the terrible. The information is quite vague--not much more specific than a history textbook--but it's informative nonetheless, and much easier to get through than a textbook would be. The book goes through Ivan's life and has good information and a well-laid out format.
Bottom line, if you just want to do some light reading to inform yourself a bit about Russia's bloodiest Tsar, this book is for you. If you already know a bit and want to get more specific, choose a different title, as you'll be disappointed with this one. What the book accomplishes, though, it accomplishes well and gives a hearty and true-to--life adventure all the while.
Visit me at [...]

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Eduardo J. Tellez A

Brutal, sadico y violento pero terriblemente astuto

October 28, 2006

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Para la desdicha de todos los rusos el Duque de Moscú hizo caso omiso a la advertencia del patriarca griego de Jerusalén, "Si contraes segundas nupcias, tendrás un hijo malvado, el terror y la desdicha asolaran tus estados, correrán ríos de sangre, rodaran las cabezas de los grandes y tus ciudades serán pasto de las llamas."

Y con esta profecía comienza la historia del primer zar de Rusia, el zar Ivan IV, contada magníficamente por el biógrafo de origen armenio Henri Troyat, aunque Iván IV Vasilievich es mas conocido en Occidente como Iván EL TERRIBLE, fue un reformador, unificador y iniciador del estado ruso. Claro que esto lo logro haciéndele honor a su calificativo de terrible, organizando varias campañas militares contra todos los que se le oponían, persiguiendo y encarcelando a varios de los mas poderosos boyardos (señores feudales de la Rusia del renacimiento), centralizando el poder político en la figura del Zar, instituyendo un código penal, abriendo Rusia al comercio con otros estados Europeos entre ellos Inglaterra. La relación con Inglaterra siempre fue muy cordial durante el reinado de Iván, tanto que ofreció matrimonio varias veces a Elisabeth I la cual muy hábilmente logro usar en provecho de su reino. Troyat describe un retrato de un monarca paranoico, desconfiado, con un horrible gusto por la violencia y la tortura, llevo a su reino a la guerra total contra polacos, suecos y otros países eslavos, sin faltar su cruzada contra los pueblos tártaros, los cuales vengarían las atrocidades de Iván por las conquista de Kazan, quemando Moscú ante los ojos impotentes del Zar.

Pero el libro de Troyat no se centra por completo en la figura del Zar, nos transporta y muestra el entorno político y militar de la sociedad rusa, una región desordenada y bárbara, la cual solo pudo ser dominada por la mano cruel y inhumana de un Monarca que creció en estas tierras, al principio veras un Iván joven y reformador no tan terrible como te lo imaginas, pero de pronto hay un cambio impresionante, el cambio a un ser malvado, capas de acabar con la vida de su propio hijo en un ataque de ira, un Stalin del siglo XVI.

Esta es una biografía amena y entretenida, muy bien lograda, tiene una cronología de eventos en Rusia y alrededor del mundo, un libro muy recomendado si te gusta la historia de Rusia o si simplemente quieres saber si Ivan fue tan terrible como lo cuentan. La forma de escribir de Troyat me gusto mucho y de aquí salte a otras Biografías escritas por el, Rasputin, Catalina la Grande, y uno de mis escritores favoritos Tolstoy(solo en Ingles), Peter the Great, Las Zarinas.

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S. Mills

Great book!

July 22, 2007

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I knew nothing about history and decided to start learning. I was looking for something readable and easy to understand. I found the book very readable, but I wouldn't call it a page-turner. It was easy to understand, and I didn't feel like the author was expecting me to come to the book with previous knowledge. The book was brief, but I did not feel anything was missing. I did like that it described his relationship with the other Monarchs/Emperors/Popes of time, which I think really put it in context of other events going on (plus there is a nice chronology appendix that shows where events in Ivan's life compares to other European events). I would have given the book 5 stars if 1) It was more of a page-turner (but do not hesitate to buy, it was very interesting and I read it in spurts and finished in two days), 2) It had a few maps and family trees, 3) The book was a bit prettier (I like to have something nice on my shelf). I was displeased that there were so many people of prominence with either the same first name or last name, harder to keep straight, but that was hardly the author's fault!

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A. Miller

A TRUE HORROR STORY

March 21, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The late Henri Troyat was a fine historian, and his biography of Catherine the Great makes for superb reading. This work on Ivan the Terrible, however, does not rise up to the quality and depth of the aforementioned book, but it does cover the appalling habits and crimes of this Russian ruler.

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RazzM80

Terrible is a bit tame for this psychopathic blood sucker

September 20, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Quite the guy, this Ivan. Terrible is a bit tame for this psychopathic blood sucker... He took wicked to a higher level...

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Thomas J. Vageline

A story of survival...

April 20, 2014

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This is a biography set in old Russia. It is a tale of the first emperor to take the title Tsar and wield autocratic power in Russia. The backdrop is a country of terrible poverty lead by a Tsar with no limit to his spending. This is a pattern seen in Peter the Great and Catherine the Great to follow. The loss of his wife leads to strange behavior and ultimately madness.

It is a good basic reader for those interested in the history of Russia.

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Ivan the Terrible Paperback – August 1, 2001