I've read many histories of the Russian empire, the USSR, and the Russian Federation, from Anglophone authors as well as Russian ones, and I usually dread the solo authors of books on ambitious topics who seem to feel they can sum up Russia in simple terms, often spouting the perspectives that reflect whatever generation they grew up in. But I was pleasantly surprised that this author allows for the ambiguity and plurality of viewpoints that are unavoidable when studying a such a large, complex place where records and statistics were often hidden, altered, lost, or never kept in the first place.

Plus, at 224 pages, this is a handy reference for anyone who needs to get up to speed quickly.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

So anyone who has been with me for a while knows I inherently dislike short histories of complex topics, people, and places. However, Kievan Rus calls loudly to me and I can never turn down a book that covers that period in Russia's history.

When the author says 'short history', this is no minimalistic exaggeration. This could easily be the shortest book ever written about such a massive and complex place that has no natural borders, holds two continents together, and has been invaded time and time again to the point where today we can truly say there is no one core identity of people.

I was truly surprised to see how well the author managed to pull everything together while remaining true to the title. He's managed to hit on the key ideas and events that have shaped Russia over the centuries, but also provides suggestions of resources for readers might turn next if they want more information about specific periods. This is done chapter by chapter and I feel it was an excellent approach, because this way readers are not becoming glossy-eyed over one massive bibliography at the end, trying to figure out where to go next.

All of this is done through the lens of how Russia became Russia - and continues to become - due to both the outside influence of long-ago invaders, as well as how the country frames those victories and defeats in the annals. As we know, those defeats are not taken lightly, and the propaganda machine is so good it practically erases those failures from Russia's history altogether.

You will not find in-depth analysis, but you will find a concise and well-written starting-off point if learning more about Russia is something that interests you. The timelines at the beginning of each chapter were also valuable in showing what big events contributed to a particular era. Russian history is so vast, the sheer volume of material available is overwhelming. If you already have a solid foundation in Russian history, you can skip this one.

“Russia is a country with a certain future; it is only its past that is unpredictable.”
Even before the table of contents, Mark Galeotti sets up his new book, A Short History of Russia, perfectly. He relays the above Soviet joke, which is funny on the surface and then becomes more so when Galeotti illuminates the truth behind it. Russia’s leaders have manufactured and modified its history time and again depending upon what benefits the desired national self-concept. That is why a book like this is necessary. It divides truth from probable fiction while still explaining why the fiction was originally seen as necessary. It explains (as the book’s subtitle eludes) how Russia invented itself.
Throughout the book, Galeotti uses the metaphor of a palimpsest to describe the nature and motivations of the Russian people. If you blink, you’ll miss the metaphor’s introduction. A palimpsest is “a document that has been used and reused, time after time, over decades, and yet on which the earlier writings are still just about visible.” The Russian people, Galeotti writes, are just like this, “citizens of a patchwork nation that more than most shows these external influences in every aspect of life.” He explains more fully:
Russia is a country with no natural borders, no single tribe or people, no true central identity . Its very scale astounds — it stretches across 11 time zones, from the European fortress-region of Kaliningrad, now cut off from the rest of the Motherland, all the way to the Bering Strait, just 82 kilometers (51 miles) from Alaska . Combined with the inaccessibility of many of its regions and the scattered nature of its population, this helps explain why maintaining central control has been such a challenge, and why losing that grip on the country such a terror for its rulers . I once met a (retired) KGB officer who admitted that “We always thought it was all or nothing: either we held the country in a tight fist, or else it would all fall apart .”
Thus the palimpsest metaphor is perfect. It is a patchwork of itself and other nations, of its current self and its past self. As much as Russia has tried to transform itself and cover-up its former self, its history remains etched into its nature.
Galeotti’s goal, then, is to provide a brief but thorough outline of this history. He begins with the Ryurikids and the Kievan Rus’, then follows the thread through the Mongol invasions, Ivan III, and Ivan IV (AKA “the Terrible”). All of the tsars get anywhere from a glancing mention to an extended chapter, with Peter the Great and Catherine the Great rightfully weighing more heavily in the narrative. But in this short history, Galeotti balances depth with breadth, moving right along to the social movements of the 19th and 20th centuries and evaluating the necessary aspects of the Soviet Union before jumping into post-Soviet Russia and now the Russia of Putin.
Two features of this work are distinct, and they bookend each chapter. The beginning of each chapter provides a timeline of important events, essentially acting as an outline for the chapter for reference as you read. This is an immense help in providing a framework for each chapter, aiding with comprehension. At the end of each chapter, Galeotti provides some resources for further reading, giving the reader the best books on the subjects in that chapter. Instead of simply listing them, he quickly explains why each book is helpful or comments on its features. I plan on coming back to these sections when I want to dive deeper into Russian history so that I can pick out some of the books he recommends.
Galeotti, being an expert on Russia both historically and in the modern-day, makes some very insightful connections between Putin’s Russia and the Russia he has laid out throughout the book. It helped me immensely in both understanding the historical content I teach and understanding Russia in the world today. If either of those interest you in the least, I recommend reading A Short History of Russia. It’s not as huge a commitment as the Chinese history Superpower Interrupted, yet it gives as broad an overview with plenty of specific tidbits for any historical appetite.
I received a review copy of A Short History of Russia courtesy of Hanover Square Press and NetGalley, but my opinions are my own.

As the very straightforward title itself promises right at the start, this is indeed a short history of Russia. But no one can accuse author Michael Galeotti of taking shortcuts and taking the dull route of many condensed histories by being little more than a collection of dates and names filled in with a minimum of detail. What one will find here instead is a work that is focused specifically on the various outside forces and also the trends, movements, and historical reinventions of the Russians themselves that have shaped their national identity over the centuries. And while changing national identities is anything but a rare phenomenon among counties and peoples, Galeotti’s intriguing narrative here reveals a land that seems to have been particularly conflicted over itself and its direction throughout the course of its existence.

While this book won’t turn anyone into an expert, it certainly has a great deal to teach about all the fascinatingly numerous influences that has made Russia into Russia. And for those who find themselves wanting to learn more beyond what is provided in these pages, the author very thoughtfully provides a generous collection of recommended books at the end of every chapter for any curious reader who wishes to delve into a particular era even further. As far as condensed histories go, “A Short History of Russia” serves as a great introduction and also an excellent jumping-off point for any curious about a land whose sense of national self has experienced more than its fair share of pressures from both outside its shifting borders and from within.

Read if you: Want a succinct and thought-provoking overview of Russian history.

Squeezing the history of Russia into a (just over) 200 page text must have been a monumental task, but Mark Galeotti has created a fine overview for those intimidated by gigantic tomes. Don't mistake brevity for a quick read; this is not a "Russian History for Dummies," but rather a thoughtful examination of key points.

Many thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.