As Russia wages war, the historian Orlando Figes offers a guide to the literature that illuminates the tensions and the myths of the regionRussia and Ukraine share much of their history. At times they have taken different paths, but never have they been at war like this – a war over history itself. Putin has denied the right of Ukraine to exist as a sovereign state. The ideas fuelling his aggression have their roots in ancient Russian myths and ideologies which I explore in my forthcoming book, The Story of Russia. It retells the Russians’ history in part through the myths and stories they have told themselves about their past.These five books have done as much as any to shape my understanding of the complex region. Continue reading…
As Russia wages war, the historian Orlando Figes offers a guide to the literature that illuminates the tensions and the myths of the region
Russia and Ukraine share much of their history. At times they have taken different paths, but never have they been at war like this – a war over history itself. Putin has denied the right of Ukraine to exist as a sovereign state. The ideas fuelling his aggression have their roots in ancient Russian myths and ideologies which I explore in my forthcoming book, The Story of Russia. It retells the Russians’ history in part through the myths and stories they have told themselves about their past.
These five books have done as much as any to shape my understanding of the complex region.