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rinn4's review against another edition
5.0
Great read. She is a wonderful writer that makes Catherine's amazing life really interesting to read about. I feel like I really got a sense of her as a person and a realistic view of what life was like in court at the time. It reads like a novel but its all true. I would recommend this to anyone whose interested in history.
lauraannlb's review against another edition
4.0
The ONLY reason I didn't give this five stars is because the later parts of her life seemed like they were "throw-away" parts of the biography. I really loved this one though. It's the second bio of Cate the Great that I've read (have requested the Robert K. Massie bio for Christmas) and included so many of her personal letters and memoirs which I missed in the Henri Troiat biography.
annebrooke's review against another edition
5.0
This is a fascinating and very good biography of this powerful and fascinating woman. It's clearly laid out and the facts are well conveyed. I loved it - what an amazing ruler Catherine the Great was!
toxicbeachgoth's review against another edition
5.0
This book gives great insight into Catherine's personality, background, life, and interests. It is a fantastic read with copious citations from Catherine's own memoirs and those of her courtiers and confidants, and really gives one a good feeling for the time period. My only complaint is that it could use to cover her foreign policy and actual accomplishments better; I am writing an essay on her motivations for forming the League of Armed Neutrality, yet what is arguably her most well-known accomplishment is neglected in this book. However, this book is wonderful for the areas it does cover.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
Ms Rounding has provided a biography of Catherine which, while it is based on the person, covers the history and politics as well. So, who was Catherine and how did a relatively minor princess who was not even Russian born become the longest reigning monarch in Russian imperial history?
This is a fascinating study in power and politics as well as a personal journey through the life of one of the most intriguing women documented in history. Catherine herself was a complex character: a tireless legislator; a generous patron of philosophers (including men such as Denis Diderot and Voltaire); and an art collector (her systematic acquisition formed the basis of the great ‘Hermitage’ collection). Catherine was a dutiful daughter, a domineering mother and an indulgent grandmother. Catherine was also a prodigious writer, and it is largely through her writings that Ms Rounding has compiled this biography.
This is a fascinating study in power and politics as well as a personal journey through the life of one of the most intriguing women documented in history. Catherine herself was a complex character: a tireless legislator; a generous patron of philosophers (including men such as Denis Diderot and Voltaire); and an art collector (her systematic acquisition formed the basis of the great ‘Hermitage’ collection). Catherine was a dutiful daughter, a domineering mother and an indulgent grandmother. Catherine was also a prodigious writer, and it is largely through her writings that Ms Rounding has compiled this biography.
lnatal's review against another edition
4.0
Great book by Virginia Rounding who made an extensive historical research work on Catherine's The Great life. The book is very well written, keeping our attention during the whole story. Looking forward for other books by this author.
Sending as a passport-book to Bettie.
Sending as a passport-book to Bettie.
latisha's review against another edition
4.0
Although at times certain ordering of the events seemed a bit muddled, especially combined with numerous similar names and odd dates (obviously not the author's fault), I feel like I learned a lot about such a gossiped over Empress. I was fully engrossed in this biography and feel it did great justice to Catherine II's story.
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