Russia: People and Empire: 1552–1917It is unlikely that a clearer, more stimulating account of the Russians extraordinary period of imperial history will be written. Philip Marsden, Spectator Geoffrey Hoskings landmark book provides us with a new prism through which to view Russian history by posing the apparently simple question: what is Russias national identity? Hosking answers this with brilliant originality: his thesis is that the needs of Russias empire prevented the creation of a