Books by Sigismund von Herberstein
Notes on Russia
by Sigismund von Herberstein
The author...ended up being Hapsburg ambassador to Moscow – which is a rarity already... Herberstein spends years and years [in Moscow] and writes this book. Also he has agents travelling all over Russia...and he tells you all the history and geographics of the country. I think the book is brilliant. First of all it gives you a complete, colourful, Western insight on living in Moscow. And he gives you very probably the best picture of 16th-century Russia.
Interviews where books by Sigismund von Herberstein were recommended
The best books on Tsarist Russia, recommended by Andrei Maylunas
From the days it was known as Muscovy to the Russian Empire described by the great novelists of the 19th century, historian Andrei Maylunas recommends books that give a feel for the country. Two are works of history, one is notes from a visiting ambassador in the 16th century, two are novels. All are entertaining to read and key to understanding the present.
