Memoirs. In 2 books. Catherine the Great

“Memoirs” of Catherine II the Great (1729-1796) - the central work in the literary heritage of an outstanding Russian statesman. At the same time, this is the brightest document of the Enlightenment, which has put forward the requirement of the value of human life as one of the most important conditions for the development of mankind. In three books of memoirs written at different times, the outstanding figure of the future empress appears in full growth: from the notes of 1756, when Catherine, the Grand Duchess, took the first steps as an independent politician, to the memoirs of 1771, which the monaric status of the author did not prevent the outburst In a relaxed form of a friendly message, and until the last memoirs, begun in 1790, at the end of a long and glorious reign (1762-1796), which grateful descendants will call the "golden age" of the Russian Empire. Extraordinarily interesting is the tenacious look of Catherine at those who were destined to believe the fate of Russia, both bright and mediocre figures, in the interiors of palaces, on hunting, masquerades and church liturgy, on skiing from the mountains, on the conflagration of the palace. And behind all these scenes, an expressive portrait of the illustrious sovereign appears as “through the dull glass”. The new translation of "memoirs", made specifically for this publication E.V. Morozova, a wonderful domestic master, a specialist in the "gallant century", is designed to replace a pre -revolutionary translation, too heavy, not transmitting many shades of the French original. The “Additions” section included pearls of the epistolary heritage of the Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna, the future autocrat, opening the unexpected aspects of her character: friendly and confidential messages to the governess of E. Cardel (1712-1764), who had never been published before; Correspondence with the English ambassador Ch. Hanbury-Uyillams (1708-1759); Notes for the lover - Z.G. Chernyshev (1722-1784), performed by light coquetry and secular sharpness, and his only preserved letter to a radiant correspondent. The publication was prepared by leading specialists: M.A. Kryuchkova - head of the historical department of the New Jerusalem Museum, a candidate of historical sciences, who has devoted many years to the study of the “memoirs” of Catherine II, who wrote a historical article for this publication and compiled a detailed comment and detailed signs, as well as T.I. Akimova - professor of the Department of Russian and Foreign Literature of the Mordovian State University, Doctor of Philological Sciences, the only domestic specialist in the literary heritage of the Russian Empress, to whom her thorough article is dedicated. The book is perfectly designed, contains luxurious illustrative material.