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Russka: The Novel of Russia Audiobook
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(3.00) - 3,914 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Russka is the story of four families who are divided by ethnicity but united in shaping the destiny of Russia. From a single riverside village situated at one of the country’s geographic crossroads, Russia’s Slav peasant origins are influenced by the Greco-Iranian, Khazar, Jewish, and Mongol invasions. Unified by this one place, the many cultures blend to form a rich and varied tapestry.
Rutherfurd’s grand saga is as multifaceted as Russia itself: harsh yet exotic, proud yet fearful of enemies, steeped in ancient superstitions but always seeking to shape the emerging world. Peter the Great, Ivan the Terrible, Catherine the Great, and Lenin all play their roles in creating and destroying the land and its people.
In Russka, Edward Rutherfurd has transformed the epic history of a great civilization into a human story of flesh and blood.
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"I thought this novel was very good - as are Rutherfurd's other novels. Like his other books, once you finish reading the novel, you really appreciate the culture, people, history of the city, country, etc. Overall, I highly recommend this book even though it took me some time to read it."
— Simon (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Rutherfurd literally personifies history.”
— New York Daily News -
“Impressive…Rutherfurd has indeed embraced all of Russia.”
— Washington Post Book World -
“Russka succeeds where [other books] of trendy Soviet-watching have failed…Rutherfurd can take his place among an elite cadre of chroniclers such as Harold Lamb, Maurice Hindus, and Henri Troyat.”
— San Francisco Chronicle -
“An example of how a skillful historical novelist can illumine the present by dramatically re-creating the past.”
— Houston Chronicle -
“Fast-moving…Rutherfurd believes in adding color and adventure to facts that are exhaustively researched, making history palatable if not delicious.”
— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel -
“Sprawling…Rutherfurd’s close observation of Russia’s religious and ethnic diversity gives this epic a distinctive flavor.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“These interconnected lives present a vast panoramic portrait of Russia and its history.”
— Library Journal -
“What a pleasant way to learn history…[Wanda McCaddon] brings her usual expertise to the reading of this immense opus…Her musical voice allows the listener to enjoy the story while absorbing the history and geography of Mother Russia.”
— AudioFile -
“Well-written, episodic…Crammed with exhaustive and obviously well-researched historical, geographical, and cultural detail…Rutherfurd’s opus extraordinaire may captivate readers of the genre as well as serious history buffs.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
Russka Listener Reviews
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" Love this Edward Rutherfurd historical fiction stuff!! This one centers on the development of Russia. "
— Kathy, 2/12/2014 -
" "Softly the wind moves over the land." A simple phrase, yet beautiful. I'm currently reading this epic account of the history of Russia, told from the viewpoint of individuals in novelized form. "
— Darcie, 2/3/2014 -
" Love all of Rutherford's books, but this was one of my favorites because of all of the Russian history, especially the description of Ivan the Terrible. Sarun and London are good reads, too. "
— marsha, 2/1/2014 -
" Another epic well-researched saga from Rutherfurd. Comparable to Sarum,London and the Irish sagas. "
— Terry, 1/16/2014 -
" This is a book as vast as Russia itself. Covers very early history from AD 180 to 1992. It follows several families and locales through the ages and adds fascinating information about Russia in the process. A very good historical novel. "
— Judy, 1/9/2014 -
" This is the third Rutherford book I've read, and I didn't like it as much as Sarum or the Princes of Ireland. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood to read a looooong book. But, I thought I was... "
— Diane, 1/6/2014 -
" Good, but over 1400 pages long. An excruciating amount of detail about Russia, starting in the year 100, running through present day. "
— Pamela, 1/6/2014 -
" Took it on a long trip, it kept me company, almost 2000 years of Russian history put to fiction, layered in strife and pain of a peoples who have never been free. Takes a certain interest in people/history to want to read this. "
— Janette, 12/30/2013 -
" This book was really long and could be potentially be boring but for some reason I liked it. "
— Raquel, 12/21/2013 -
" Epic tale of 1000+ years of complicated Russian history, made more interesting by the characters woven throughout the book. I liked it, but I enjoyed the author's trilogy of London, Sarum, and New Forest more. I think he had more sympathy for the English characters. "
— Dana, 12/21/2013 -
" Rutherford needs a better editor. "
— Daryoush, 12/17/2013 -
" Very interesting details about this area of the world. Makes me want to go and see for myself! "
— Christine, 12/6/2013 -
" Epic. Traces a family over a 1000 years of Russian history. "
— Leonard, 11/28/2013 -
" Written to follow the beat of the Russian psyche; Rutherfurd captures the vastness of it all. It's a great read -- gave it only 4 stars because it's such a long read. Painfully long, but then, there's the art of it! "
— Leslie, 10/9/2013 -
" One of the best books ever written period. Rutherford gives tremendous insight into 1800 years of Russian history, albeit through a fictional approach. "
— Sera, 9/28/2013 -
" The author made good research about the history of this glorious Nation, making the novel a excellent canvas of blood and flesh and retracing its history for two thousand years... "
— Abel, 8/30/2013 -
" Fascinating tales following the history of Russia. "
— Sarah, 6/20/2013 -
" Was a good read at the beginning but I didn't finish the last century. A bit too long to hold my interest. "
— Lisa, 6/14/2013 -
" While I loved both "London" and "Sarum", I found "Russka" impenetrable and gave up after about 100 pages. "
— Martin, 6/1/2013 -
" It is a long sweeping saga of Russia from the point of view of the peasant and the effect of politics on the family and business. It took all summer to get through all 946 pages. It's as equally as good as his other novels. "
— Fran, 2/18/2013 -
" I liked this book. Very interesting with a few things I would have liked to skip. "
— Honey, 1/24/2013 -
" Tried my hardest to get through this book but couldn't. It is like four stories in one and they don't tie together. I was hoping it would be a historical fiction of sorts but was disappointed with the way this book read. "
— Heather, 12/2/2012 -
" I tried but found this so hard to read. "
— Gemma, 10/29/2012 -
" Loved this one. Fast read just like London and Sarum. "
— Erin, 10/10/2012
About Edward Rutherfurd
Edward Rutherfurd is one of the most renowned writers of historical fiction. He was born in Salisbury, England, christened in Salisbury Cathedral, and spent his early childhood in Salisbury Close. He was educated at Cambridge University and Stanford University in California. He has written several bestselling books, including Sarum, Russka, and London.
About Wanda McCaddon
Wanda McCaddon (d. 2023) narrated well over six hundred titles for major audiobook publishers, sometimes with the pseudonym Nadia May or Donada Peters. She earned the prestigious Audio Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine.