Russia in Search of Itself

by James H. Billington

In the turbulent decade since the collapse of the Soviet Union, conditions have worsened considerably for many Russians, and a wide-ranging debate has raged over the nature and destiny of their country. In Russia in Search of Itself , James H. Billington, the Librarian of Congress and a noted expert on Russia, examines the efforts of a proud but troubled nation to find a post-Soviet identity. The agenda has not been controlled from the top-down and center-out as in Russia's past. Nor has it been set by any intellectual giant such as Sakharov or Solzhenitsyn. Billington describes the contentious discussion occurring all over Russia and across the political spectrum. He finds conflicts raging among individuals as much as between organized groups and finds a deep underlying tension between the Russians' attempts to legitimize their new, nominally democratic identity, and their efforts to craft a new version of their old authoritarian tradition. After showing how the problem of Russian identity was framed in the past, Billington asks whether Russians will now look more to the West for a place in the common European home, or to the East for a new, Eurasian identity. Billington sees three elements shaping Russian Orthodox Christianity; a special feeling for nature; and an intermittent, sometimes excessive passion for imported innovation. Out of this mix, he suggests, Russia must find its own moral anchor for its venture into democracy if it is to avoid falling back on a negative and authoritarian nationalism in order to recreate some sense of common purpose in society. The prospects for world peace in the twenty-first century depend in large measure on the way Russians decide to define themselves in the next few years. Drawing on his vast knowledge of Russian history, his frequent visits to Russia in the past decade, and his longstanding relationships with Russians from many different regions and segments of society, Billington provides an authoritative exploration of one of the world's most pressing issues.

Genres: Russia, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published March 19, 2004

About the author

James Hadley Billington, the Librarian of Congress Emeritus, was a leading American academic and author who taught history at Harvard and Princeton before serving for 42 years as CEO of four federal cultural institutions. He served as the 13th Librarian of Congress after being nominated as 13th by President Ronald Reagan in 1987, and his appointment was approved unanimously by the U.S. Senate. He retired as Librarian on September 30, 2015.
(Source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Michael Samerdyke · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book is outdated (published in 2004), it remains of interest. Billington brings a lifetime of interest in Russian culture to the tumultuous thought of the post-Soviet era, and identifies the major trends (resentment of the West, insistence on a Eurasian way, and apathy toward politics) that would shape the society described by Masha Gessen in "The Future is History."

Even more importantly, Billington does this with such style and grace that "Russia in Search of Itself" is a pleasure to read.

[Sean Glover · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that Billington basically gave a review of the ideas of many diverse Russian intellectuals. However, the book was a little hard to get through, not because it was excessively deep and inaccessible. The opposite is true, I think that in an effort to make his work more accessible, Billington comprised some of the depth of the ideas. A tough predicament, but the book is still above average.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is tight. bellington takes a borderline unbiased approach to basic russian history, and a more indepth look at the latest 2 of seven russia's, the soviet union and the democratic capitalist.

[Moll · Rating 2 out of 5]

RUSS 100: Russia and the West

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't be bothered to read it closely. I think you need to have a pre-existing interest in the Russian identity crisis. I would've enjoyed this more had it been about China.