In this new essay, the well-known American researcher of Russian history has collected and commented on the most vivid and substantial testimonies of foreigners who visited or lived in Russia from the 16th to the early 20th century. A rich and diverse picture has formed: mainly Western European outsiders’ perceptions of the national character, behaviour, manners and culture in representatives of various strata of the Russian people. It is for the reader to judge whether this colourful picture allows us to delineate the main features of the «Russian soul», to fully comprehend what it means «to be Russian».
To be Russian
Notes of foreign travelers about the Russian national character
Pipes, Richard. To be Russian. Notes of foreign travelers about the Russian national character. Translated from English (Discovering The Russian People. How Foreign Travelers Perceived Russian National Character. Harvard University, 2014). Moscow: Moscow School of Civil Education, 2014. 60 p.
