---
product_id: 5793593
title: "A Concise History of Russia (Cambridge Concise Histories)"
price: "R642"
currency: ZAR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/5793593-a-concise-history-of-russia-cambridge-concise-histories
store_origin: ZA
region: South Africa
---

# A Concise History of Russia (Cambridge Concise Histories)

**Price:** R642
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

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- **What is this?** A Concise History of Russia (Cambridge Concise Histories)
- **How much does it cost?** R642 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.za](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/5793593-a-concise-history-of-russia-cambridge-concise-histories)

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## Description

desertcart.com: A Concise History of Russia (Cambridge Concise Histories): 9780521543231: Bushkovitch, Paul: Books

Review: Excellent source for developing an understanding of the complex Russian history - The author does an incredible job covering the history of this very complex country from the dark ages to today. And unlike many history books, he accomplishes this by just the right amount of detail and facts, thus keeping interest level high. I've always found Russian history fascinating, and this book was the best I've found on Russia. Some have complained the author jumps back and forth too much in time, but I found that to be one of the books strong points. When he is talking about the politics and chronology of events leading to a major event, he covers that over the appropriate time frame. But then when talking about culture or art, he tends to cover those topics separately. For me, trying to integrate too much into the same time period is more confusing than taking a couple or three cuts at it. But everybody has their own way of absorbing information. For me, the author allowed me to learn a ton I didn't know before, even though I've read several books on this topic. It's fairly lengthy, but then again, some books would be this lengthy while only covering 200-300 years while this one covers 1500 years or so.
Review: Russian literature and arts were intricately intertwined with the thrust towards the 1917 Revolution - This is not exactly "concise" as the title promises, since the book is a very densely-packed 460 pages long. The writing is complex and sometimes difficult to follow. I found myself re-reading sentences, or sometimes whole paragraphs to be sure I understood what Paul Bushkovitch was trying to say. That said, this is definitely worth reading. One of the things I found enlightening is the way the author was able to demonstrate that Russian literature and arts were intricately intertwined with the thrust towards the 1917 Revolution. I was surprised at this, and initially skeptical, but came away with a greater vision of the origins of the communist revolution. The book may be dense, but it is packed with information and a unique point of view about the underpinnings of modern Russian historical development. The portions of the book about Russian history prior to the Romanovs are useful, but a bit vague. This is probably because the facts themselves are sparse and ambiguous. I am a big fan of the Cambridge history series, and this does not disappoint. If you are interested in Russian history, I recommend this. Be prepared to pay careful attention, though. This is not for the casual reader.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #185,736 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #16 in European History (Books) #181 in Russian History (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (287) |
| Dimensions  | 5.5 x 1.17 x 8.5 inches |
| Edition  | New |
| ISBN-10  | 0521543231 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0521543231 |
| Item Weight  | 1.3 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Part of series  | Cambridge Concise Histories |
| Print length  | 518 pages |
| Publication date  | December 5, 2011 |
| Publisher  | Cambridge University Press |

## Images

![A Concise History of Russia (Cambridge Concise Histories) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61Tq5Kk7MIL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent source for developing an understanding of the complex Russian history
*by G***W on March 2, 2018*

The author does an incredible job covering the history of this very complex country from the dark ages to today. And unlike many history books, he accomplishes this by just the right amount of detail and facts, thus keeping interest level high. I've always found Russian history fascinating, and this book was the best I've found on Russia. Some have complained the author jumps back and forth too much in time, but I found that to be one of the books strong points. When he is talking about the politics and chronology of events leading to a major event, he covers that over the appropriate time frame. But then when talking about culture or art, he tends to cover those topics separately. For me, trying to integrate too much into the same time period is more confusing than taking a couple or three cuts at it. But everybody has their own way of absorbing information. For me, the author allowed me to learn a ton I didn't know before, even though I've read several books on this topic. It's fairly lengthy, but then again, some books would be this lengthy while only covering 200-300 years while this one covers 1500 years or so.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Russian literature and arts were intricately intertwined with the thrust towards the 1917 Revolution
*by J***Y on November 20, 2015*

This is not exactly "concise" as the title promises, since the book is a very densely-packed 460 pages long. The writing is complex and sometimes difficult to follow. I found myself re-reading sentences, or sometimes whole paragraphs to be sure I understood what Paul Bushkovitch was trying to say. That said, this is definitely worth reading. One of the things I found enlightening is the way the author was able to demonstrate that Russian literature and arts were intricately intertwined with the thrust towards the 1917 Revolution. I was surprised at this, and initially skeptical, but came away with a greater vision of the origins of the communist revolution. The book may be dense, but it is packed with information and a unique point of view about the underpinnings of modern Russian historical development. The portions of the book about Russian history prior to the Romanovs are useful, but a bit vague. This is probably because the facts themselves are sparse and ambiguous. I am a big fan of the Cambridge history series, and this does not disappoint. If you are interested in Russian history, I recommend this. Be prepared to pay careful attention, though. This is not for the casual reader.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ TO THE POINT
*by D***D on April 9, 2021*

As an undergraduate I took a strong minor in world history, particularly of Russia. However, as do many things with time, my grasp of Russian history has faded. I purchased this Concise History as a review to support my post-retirement infatuation with great Russian Literature. And it did so beyond my expectations. I keep it as a handy reference as I read Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Gogol, Pasternak, etc. Concerning Pasternak, I found "A Concise History of the Russian Revolution" to be a useful supplement to Dr. Zhivago. The text is very readable and addresses my needs very well. There are some Russian words that, when anglicized, baffle me, so I keep my smartphone internet handy. I recommend this text to anyone wanting an understanding of a millennium of Rus/Russian history without the time or inclination to delve into it's deep scholarship. Thumbs up!

## Frequently Bought Together

- A Concise History of Russia (Cambridge Concise Histories)
- The Story of Russia

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*Product available on Desertcart South Africa*
*Store origin: ZA*
*Last updated: 2026-02-28*