Great Catherine Audiobook By Carolly Erickson cover art

Great Catherine

The Life of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia

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Great Catherine

By: Carolly Erickson
Narrated by: Davina Porter
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Prize-winning historian and biographer, Carolly Erickson has created an eminently readable biography that recognizes the humanity of Great Catherine—Empress of Russia—with her majesty and immense capability. Dispelling some of the myths surrounding her voracious sexual appetite, the biographer portrays Catherine as a lonely woman far ahead of her time—achieving greatness in an era when women were executed on a husband’s whim.

©1994 Carolly Erickson (P)1995 Recorded Books, LLC Biographies & Memoirs Russia Women Historical Politics & Activism Thought-Provoking Royalty World Inspiring
Fascinating Biography • Compelling Historical Account • Wonderful Narration • Rich Life Story • Detailed Personal Insights

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Where does Great Catherine rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Among the best.

What did you like best about this story?

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book and was disappointed when it ended.That this book was taken from Catherines' actual memoirs was particularly intriguing. The book highlighted her frailties, remarkable strengths and basic needs as a woman needing to be loved by men, her children and her subjects. A grand life in Russian proportions.

What about Davina Porter’s performance did you like?

I thoroughly enjoyed her sympathetic narration.

What a woman. Sad to reach the end. Well read.

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What made the experience of listening to Great Catherine the most enjoyable?

Davina Porter could make anything interesting - even a laundry list! That said, the author has done a wonderful job with the subject matter and it's an enjoyable read.

Davina Porter brings Catherine the Great to life.

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I really wanted to like this book and I did finish it, but it was so dry - listening to it definitely made it a better "read" than having read it. Davina Porter does a wonderful job of narrating and makes it all the more interesting but as I got deeper and deeper into the story, it is so obvious that Carolly Erickson, even though she did quite a bit of research, just strung together the letters and history that was recorded. I felt absolutely no compassion for any of the characters at all. I have to admit to some prurient interest in the rumors which the author does touch upon briefly .. as in "the empress had a strong sexual appetite" or something like that. But the book does not encourage the listener to form strong opinions about any of the characters. In fact, I got more information reading about them through Wikipedia than I did in this story. I really enjoy historical novels but this one doesn't come close to Hilary Mantel's fabulous books. They are gripping, fascinating, and full of detail. This book is dry and full of detail but more like a history text than like a really good read. Too bad.

Not so Great -- Catherine

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If you could sum up Great Catherine in three words, what would they be?

Uncritical entertaining hagiography

What was one of the most memorable moments of Great Catherine?

When a peasant revolt threatened to bring Bolshevism to Russia a century and half early

Which character – as performed by Davina Porter – was your favorite?

Potemkin

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Reformism betrayed

Any additional comments?

The author is obviously a great admirer of Katherine and seems to spend a great deal of time focussing on courtly life and relatively little on the partition of Poland or the brutal suppression of peasant revolts under her regime.

More hagio than bio graphy

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I loved it! I couldn't stop listening to it, I love history and have found so few podcasts and movies that go so in depth about the lives of various royals and other historical figures.

Very well done!

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