Catherine the Great, Portrait of a Woman
by Robert K. Massie
For the past four months, I have been immersed in biographies. From Keith Richard to Regis Philbin, from Carol Burnett to Carrie Fisher, I have been in a gravitational pull toward biographies of all kinds. This one is of exceptional interest to me since my heritage is German Russian.
Like many of us with this ancestry, I have read a number of books about Catherine the Great. I didn’t think there was much more I could learn about her life. And,I wouldn’t have considered reading another Catherine book except for two reasons.
First, my daughter told me about this new book. I was impressed that she heard about it, so I checked out the link she forwarded to me. It was an NPR interview with the author, Robert K. Massie, entitled “First she read, then she ruled.” This phrase accurately described Catherine’s life and I hoped the headline would inspire others to devote more time to reading. You can listen to the interview at www.npr.org/2011/11/05/141992986/catherine-the-great-first-she-read-then-she-ruled.
Second, as I listened to the interview, I realized I had read two other books by Massie: Nicholas and Alexandra and Peter the Great. These books were my first introduction to Russian history in the ‘70s and ‘80s. So, despite not planning to read another book about Catherine, Massie’s book intrigued me and I had to read it. I am glad I did.
Massie weaves together the lives of families, friends, and enemies of the Russian court, and makes the complicated and treacherous political maneuvers easily understandable. He builds full personalities of all the major players in Catherine’s life. Their motives, favors and eccentricities are well documented and balanced without making caricatures of them. His details guide the most knowledgeable Catherine fans to deepen their understanding of her life. Massie crafts complete personalities without fictionalizing or creating a textbook version of her life.
Due to his thorough research, Massie deftly builds a three dimensional character out of one of the saddest people in Catherine’s life, her husband, Peter III.
Peter, the pro-Prussian Prince of Holstein-Gottrop, is normally portrayed as an inept, pompous and cruel individual. While these attributes cannot be denied, Massie broadens the perspective of Peter. After his bout with smallpox, he returns to the palace and sees Catherine for the first time since his skin has been scarred. When he realizes how repulsed she is by his appearance, he is embarrassed and retreats from her. Massie evokes sympathy for Peter in this brief scene yet it does not change one’s overall opinion of him.
There are not direct references to Catherine’s Manifesto inviting Germans to settle in the Volga area, however, it is not a reason to miss this book. Massie has captured the essence of her life and survival. Her role, which was instrumental to our ancestors and to our own existence, is a worthwhile read. It is one of the best vehicles to bring a new generation to our unique history. As I mentioned, my daughter told me about the book. Isn’t that why we research and learn our history? To pass it on to our children? I am blessed to have had my daughter pass this story on to me.
Massie says he will miss Catherine after spending over eight years with her. I read the book this past month, shed tears at the end, and already miss the time I spent with her. You will, too.
