This five-star (review average) book is included as one of Amazon.com’s “best books” of November, 2012.  “The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and The Romanovs,” Amazon tells us, “returns with another masterpiece of narrative biography, the extraordinary story of an obscure young German princess who traveled to Russia at fourteen and rose to become one of the most remarkable, powerful, and captivating women in history.”

Here’s another reason to check out this new book: “Empress Catherine’s diamonds to go under the hammer,” is the title on this current news item.

Catherine was Empress of Russia (from 1762 through 1796).  Although she eschewed the title in her lifetime, nevertheless she’s known in history as Catherine the Great.  Born as an impecunious little princess in an insignificant prinicipality buried deep in Germany where she was known as Sophia Fredericka of Anhalt-Zerbst, Catherine the Great converted to Orthodoxy and was married to the heir to the Russian throne, the Grand Duke Peter of Holstein, grandson of Peter the Great.  She was then fourteen.

According to reviewer John D. Cofield, the groom, Peter, “…was a snivelling little wretch who hated Russia, his aunt, and Catherine. Covered with smallpox scars, mentally undeveloped and psychologically unbalanced, Peter refused to have anything to do with Catherine and spent night after night playing with toy soldiers.”  He was fifteen.

During her reign, Catherine the Great expanded Russia’s borders to the Black Sea and into central Europe. She promoted westernization and modernization though within the context of her autocratic control over Russia and increasing the control of landed gentry over serfs. Catherine the Great promoted education and the Enlightenment among the elite. She kept up a correspondence with many figures of the Enlightenment in Europe.

The book first appeared a few days ago.  Check it out!

(The photo on the main page is of Catherine Zeta-Jones playing Catherine the Great in a 1995 television movie, later released on DVD on February 27, 2001 by A&E Home Video.)