Natasha's Dance

A Cultural History of Russia

By: Orlando Figes

Narrated by: Ric Jerrom

History on a grand scale - an enchanting masterpiece that explores the making of one of the world's most vibrant civilizations.

A People's Tragedy, wrote Eric Hobsbawm, did 'more to help us understand the Russian Revolution than any other book I know'.

Now, in Natasha's Dance, internationally renowned historian Orlando Figes does the same for Russian culture, summoning the myriad elements that formed a nation and held it together.

Beginning in the 18th century with the building of St. Petersburg - a 'window on the West' - and culminating with the challenges posed to Russian identity by the Soviet regime, Figes examines how writers, artists and musicians grappled with the idea of Russia itself - its character, spiritual essence and destiny.

He skillfully interweaves the great works - by Dostoevsky, Stravinsky, and Chagall - with folk embroidery, peasant songs, religious icons and all the customs of daily life, from food and drink to bathing habits to beliefs about the spirit world.

Figes' characters range high and low: the revered Tolstoy, who left his deathbed to search for the kingdom of God, as well as the serf girl Praskovya, who became Russian opera's first superstar and shocked society by becoming her owner's wife.

Like the European-schooled countess Natasha performing an impromptu folk dance in Tolstoy's War and Peace, the spirit of 'Russianness' is revealed by Figes as rich and uplifting, complex and contradictory - a powerful force that unified a vast country and proved more lasting than any Russian ruler or state.

©2018 Orlando Figes (P)2018 Audible, Ltd

The History of Russia from the inside out.

Loved the book. I learned much about Russia's history and culture. The author masterfully describes how Natasha's Dance is inherentl in the Russian culture and its people.

Very Detailed...Listen at 1.1. or 1.2

I did not know what to expect when I started listening to this. Orlando Figes always writes in such a richness of voice about Russian life and hardships, and with such vividness that the reader feels transported to anther place and time. With this work, Russian culture is fully espoused in every possible way. However, the detail is very overwhelming, and it's easy to get wrapped up in them and lose one's focus. So I highly recommend listening at a faster rate than 1.0 speed. This keeps the reader on his or her toes. It did mine. And it helps with getting bogged down overly detailed segments. I settled at 1.2. Perfect.

Ric Jerron is a masterful reader for this work. Perfect pairing or author and narrator. Looking forward to the next work.

the Story Behind the Story

Extremely interesting! The hero is Russia herself. Mother Russia has somehow weathered all the storms.

The heart and soul of Russia

I was planning a trip to Petersburg and needed a comprehensive introduction to not only this great Western Russian city, but also an introduction to the people who made it the link between the east and the west. I was familiar with Pushkin, Chekhov, Doestevsky as well as many other Russian authors, poets and musicians but I was not prepared for the overwhelming contributions to western thought supplied by the creative geniuses of this Asiatic melting pot. Figes’s presentation of the cultural Rus, primarily Pre Revolution was an amazing explosion of information I did not expect. It was a joy traveling through the minds and souls of the Russian people. It was just as much a sad journey following the terrorizing depths and loss of civilization presented through the Stalin and Soviet debacle.
This book is a must read ( or listen)for everyone who would rather learn the post Petrov Russian story through the culture of it’s people rather than through a timeline of events. The book was my best preparation for my first trip to Petersburg.
Andy Wolin aka Andre Pavelovitch Volinsky

Comprehensive Cultural Study of Russia

Excellent book that will be best enjoyed by those who have a genuine interest in Russia and an extensive introoduction to her history, literature, music and visual arts. Knowledge of the Russian language is not required.