New Books In Russian And Eurasian Studies

"The Volga! There is a mystery, a charm in all mighty rivers, which has ever made us gaze upon them with an interest beyond that inspired by other great and glorious sights; but to look on the largest of the European rivers gave a thrill of joy surpassing all former pleasure of the kind." This quote by Robery Bremner in 1830 opens Professor Janet M. Hartley’s latest history, The Volga: A History (Yale University Press, 2021). The book uses the Volga to frame the history of Russia: from its pre-Russian state through the growing Russian Empire, and ending with the Soviet Union and today’s Russian Federation. The book presents the Volga as both a divider between “East and West”, but also a meeting ground of different cultures and ideas — and how that drove efforts to create the Russian identity. In this interview, Janet and I talk about the Volga, and its central place in Russian history. We talk about how the Volga connects to trade, cultural exchange and the formation of the Russian state and identity. Finally