There is one great question that courses through this amazing book and that is, “Is there such a thing as Russian Culture?”.  In just under 700 pages, Figes, one of my favorite historians, traces Russia from its roots through the collapse of the Soviet Union, reviewing art, music, literature and culture in general.  To say the least, Russians (let’s exclude the peasant class for now) have been torn between their experience with Asia (Mongols, etc.) and their disillusionment with the West.  They have moved first one way then the other, all the time denying the worse of their history while attempting to create a new world for themselves.