Kutuzov: A Life in War and Peace by Alexander Mikaberidze is about a character, a historical figure, but also the main protagonist of the book that many people claim to have read, but very few actually manage to get through, War and Peace. Those who are familiar with the novel know that the Russian field marshal who leads the Russian armies both in 1805 and then in the decisive showdown with Napoleon in 1812 was Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov, this very interesting character that Tolstoy uses to create his own vision of what a historical figure should be like. This book is the first modern biography of this figure. For some reason, not much attention has been paid to him.
The book looks at his entire life. He was born in 1747 and passed away in 1813 so he didn’t live long enough in that sense. But it was a career that was fascinating to really explore, because he joined the military when he was just twelve years old, spent the rest of his life in the military service, fought in numerous campaigns, and really went through the entirety of the military system. I jokingly refer to him as a jack of all trades because in the military service he was essentially employed in every branch, in every capacity you can imagine
— CHAPTERS —
0:00 Introduction
0:41 What is the book all about?
3:35 Why hasn’t anyone written a biography of Kutuzon in over fifty years?
6:46 Are there many primary sources available from the Russian point of view?
8:36 How did you come to write this book on Kutuzov?
14:24 Did anything really surprise or fascinate you whilst researching for this book?
17:40 What is one thing you want people to know about your book and Kutuzov?
19:31 Outro
15 an hour is 31k per year. No one working FT should make less than at least 45-50k and should have full health benefits and I’m willing to die on that hill.
We should also be doing what some other countries have always done: it should just be a crime for a boss or business owner to pay themselves a certain amount more than any other employee, so if they do want to give themselves millions of dollars they have to start paying all of their workers more first.
This blog is mostly so I can vent my feelings and share my interests. Other than that, I am nothing special.
If you don't like Left Wing political thought and philosophy, all things related to horror, the supernatural, the grotesque, guns or the strange, then get the fuck out. I just warned you.
