`Alexander demonstrates that he posesses two important skills which enable him to address a popular readership: the ability to tell a good story well and an understanding of the effective use of descriptive contemporary accounts and interesting detail to enliven the text. An academic readership will also find this study of value' Slavonic Review 'a balanced, comprehensive portrait of the ... Read morewoman whom custom calls "the Great", whom gossip painted as scarlet, but whom Diderot described probably accurately as "the soul of Brutus in the body of "Cleaopatra"' Sunday Times `Alexander's biography is the best there is and likely to remain so' Times Literary Supplement `a serious and highly readable work' Times Higher Education Supplement 'this is a serious and highly readable work, which draws on a wealth of published sources, notably Catherine's own voluminous writings' Lindsey Hughes, University of London, THES 'A very well researched book that's also very readable' Scottish Home and Country 'one of the most comprehensive studies of this woman written in modern times ... Well worth buying.' Irish Independent 'an excellent analysis of the historical context in which she cut such a flamboyant figure' Saturday Magazine 'Catherine the Great: Life and Legend 's principal service to the scholar is to trace the chronology of Catherine's reign in unparalleled detail ... a perceptive biography.' Scottish Slavonic Review, No. 17 Show Less