A rich and readable introduction to the whole sweep of Russian cultural and intellectual history from Kievan times to the post-Khruschev era.

Originally published: New York : Knopf, 1966.

Background: Kiev ; The forest -- The confrontation: The Muscovite ideology ; The coming of the West -- The century of schism: The split within ; The Westward turn -- The century of aristocratic culture: The troubled enlightenment ; The anti-enlightenment ; The "cursed questions" -- On to new shores: The turn to social thought ; The agony of populist art ; New perspectives of the waning century -- Uncertain colossus: Crescendo ; The Soviet era ; Fresh ferment ; The irony of Russian history.