1837: Russia's Quiet Revolution

Historians often think of Russia before the 1860s in terms of conservative stasis, when the "gendarme of Europe" secured order beyond the country's borders and entrenched the autocratic system at home. This book offers a profoundly different vision of Russia under Nicholas I. Drawing on an extensive array of sources, it reveals that many of modern Russia's most distinctive and outstanding features can be traced back to an inconspicuous but exceptional year. Russia became what it did, in no small measure, because of 1837.The catalogue of the year's noteworthy occurrences extends from the realms of culture, religion, and ideas to those of empire, politics, and industry. Exploring these diverse issues and connecting seemingly divergent historical actors, Paul W. Werth reveals that the 1830s in Russia were a period of striking dynamism and consequence, and that 1837 was pivotal for the country's entry into the modern age. From the romantic death of Russia's greatest poet Alexander Pushkin in January to a colossal fire at the Winter Palace in December, Russia experienced much that was astonishing in 1837: the railway and provincial press appeared, Russian opera made its debut, Orthodoxy pushed westward, the first Romanov visited Siberia—and much else besides. The cumulative effect was profound. The country's integration accelerated, and a Russian nation began to emerge, embodied in new institutions and practices, within the larger empire. The result was a quiet revolution, after which Russia would never be the same.

Table of Contents:
Introduction 1: He Fell, Slandered by Rumor 2: A Life for the Tsar, an Opera for the Nation 3: Philosophical Madness 4: In the Flesh 5: Provinces Animated 6: Guardians of the Benighted 7: Think More About Camels 8: Orthodoxy Marches West 9: A Unicorn, Violent but Submissive 10: Northern Phoenix Conclusion

About the Author :
Paul Werth is Professor in the Department of History at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has held research fellowships in the US, Germany, and Japan, and in 2010-15 he was an editor of the journal Kritika: Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History. His previous research focused on the problems of religion and empire in Russian History, and in 2014 he published The Tsar's Foreign Faiths: Toleration and the Fate of Religious Freedom in Imperial Russia with OUP. Earlier research convinced him of the importance for Russian history of the 1830s-and 1837, in particular.

Review :
Paul Werth makes a compelling argument...In a series of concise and well-written sketches, he demonstrates the breadth and depth of his familiarity with the secondary literature and his great skill at integrating these in a thoughtful, proactive manner. ...succeeds in showing both how the year's disparate events were connected and how, in their totality, they represent a milestone in Russian history... This is a fascinating and highly readable book. With admirable concision and insight, Werth investigates eight novelties of the 1830s across the worlds of culture, politics, religion and industry. Taken together, he suggests, these changes add up to "Russia's quiet revolution"... [a] provocative book. Werth combines solid historical research with a lively and occasionally playful style that makes his book an entertaining read. Reflecting the accumulated wisdom of decades of historical research and writing, this highly readable history reimagines Imperial Russian history in a new and creative way. While focusing on a particular year, it is broad in its coverage, providing a superb introduction to the nineteenth century Russian Empire for experts, students and non-experts alike. This book on the year that heralded Russia's entry into the modern age covers an astonishing breadth of fascinating subjects and is pure pleasure to read. With a winning combination of deep erudition and wry humour, Paul Werth takes us on a vivid and compelling tour of the year 1837. His book makes any number of unexpected and illuminating connections. It will surely do much to shift our perspective on this historical moment, and on modern Russian history as a whole. [T]he book displays the author's dazzling erudition in various areas of Russian history.... [A]n important, original, and bold study that enriches our understanding of nineteenth-century Russian history and culture.... Werth manages to maintain a fine balance between scholarly rigor and riveting story telling, making his study attractive to a variety of audiences.... This rich and thought-provoking study will certainly not disappoint its readers. The codification of the laws is arguably the most important event of the 1830s and adds weight to Werth's overall argument, but it came two years early. Such caveats make the book ideal for discussion in graduate seminars. Werth's writing is light, concise, with occasional humor, and its short chapters with separate conclusions are ideal for classroom use.