hildegard's review against another edition
4.0
Many reviewers are criticizing this biography because it frames Catherine's story quite heavily in the context of her role as Russian Empress. Having read both Catherine's Memoirs and Massie's biography, I have an idea of where these readers are coming from: Massie's bio absolutely reads like a heroine-centered novel. (To be fair, I read both of those books before reading this one, a fact which likely impacted my reading, as Catherine was a fully formed character in my imagination before I started this book.)
All of that said, I think some of the reviews were a bit harsh (One to two stars? Come on. . .the level of research is worth more than that.). I think it is worth recalling that Catherine's fame is directly related to her government; therefore, to divorce her story too much from her work is to distort her story. I found the explanation of how Catherine's government worked -- and who played what role -- fascinating, and I think these details fill in what is missing in a more "strict biography" approach like Massie's. (Massie's book is absolutely worth reading -- I do not condemn him for his approach. But it does leave questions unanswered that Dixon's book by its more contextual approach answers.)
Dixon's work is an enjoyable and highly informative read -- very much worth the commitment that its length requires.
All of that said, I think some of the reviews were a bit harsh (One to two stars? Come on. . .the level of research is worth more than that.). I think it is worth recalling that Catherine's fame is directly related to her government; therefore, to divorce her story too much from her work is to distort her story. I found the explanation of how Catherine's government worked -- and who played what role -- fascinating, and I think these details fill in what is missing in a more "strict biography" approach like Massie's. (Massie's book is absolutely worth reading -- I do not condemn him for his approach. But it does leave questions unanswered that Dixon's book by its more contextual approach answers.)
Dixon's work is an enjoyable and highly informative read -- very much worth the commitment that its length requires.
chyde's review against another edition
4.0
16th book of 2010. Catherine the Great intrigues me to no end. This book is a bit slow at times, but definitely worth reading. I want to read more books about this incredible monarch.
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