《学校图书馆杂志》(School Library Journal)书评

Gr 6-8-The first three chapters deal with the childhood of Ivan, his role as a reformer, and his military conquests that significantly extended the Russian empire. They reveal positive aspects of his character and decision-making but at the same time expose his character flaws and describe a milieu characterized by political infighting and intrigues often fought using brutal means. A broader historical background is woven into these chapters as well. The second half of the book chronicles the reign of terror that Ivan imposed on his people from 1564 until his death. These three chapters are not for the fainthearted. Nardo begins the fourth chapter with a discussion of theories that help to explain the tsar's often bizarre behavior. The writing is lucid, the chapters are subdivided with bold headings to each section, and the narrative flows smoothly. The author uses quotations from foreign observers and citations attributed to Ivan in Russian chronicles to good advantage. The only slight confusion that might arise is the appearance of the tsar's son, also named Ivan, in the final chapter because he had not been mentioned earlier. Black-and-white reproductions of paintings and etchings appear where appropriate. While Thomas Butson's Ivan the Terrible (Chelsea House, 1988) is a more detailed account, Nardo's book offers more than sufficient information in a very readable format.-Elizabeth Talbot, University of Illinois, Champaign (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.