The Icon and the Axe : An Interpretive History of Russian Culture

Billington is a comic book New England blue blood, like the U.S. President who appointed him Librarian Of Congress. He is a direct descendant of the Mayflower Billingtons, was schooled at Princeton University and later at Oxford U. in England. Many thought his Librarian Of Congress appointment might be a preliminary step to his becoming U.S. ambassador to Russia, but his boss, Mr. Bush, was not reelected in 1992, as expected, so Mr. Billington remained as LC chief for the following decade up to the present time.

Billington tells an interesting tale in his book about Russia. The influences of Asia on the Moscow headquartered country barely located in Europe give the Russian cultural tradition an oriental caste difficult for western countries to understand and identify with. Russia has always been a mysterious country to westerners, Mr. Billington informs us, and this has been a headache for Russian leaders. Peter the Great made a point of bringing French culture to Russia, and trying to "westernize" the Moscow capital so western diplomats, whose help the Czar needed, wouldn't be scared off (or at least as scared off as before). Peter The Great was partially successful, but the continuing Russian traditions and the eastern/Asian personality of these traditions didn't go away for Peter the Great or his successors, right down to the Communist Party leaders of post-1918 Russia and the U.S.S.R. The result, according to Billington, is that Russia always was and still is a "wanna be" western country.

James Billington relates a fascinating and brutal tale of an oriental country trying to become western for centuries, and mostly failing, stuck with the reality of its past. It is a tale of politics and poignance well worth buying and reading. His book is now 30 years old, yet it stands as a classic all libraries and individuals interested in Russia should obtain and re-read often.