People and Cities. A Guide to Russian Medieval Times

Russian history is often presented either as a series of conquests and victories or as an endless chronicle of violence and oppression. But there is another perspective. The heroes of this book are the holy fools and saints, pilgrims and icon painters, as well as ordinary people who affirmed freedom and mercy in the face of cruelty and indifference. Each chapter connects fate and city: Metropolitan Philip argues with the Tsar, Fevronia outwits the Murov boyars, Stephen of Perm teaches tolerance for the other, and Simon Ushakov seeks a new language of icon painting.

«People and Cities» by writer, poet, and journalist Ivan Davydov is a guide to the forgotten pre-Petrine Russia, an invitation to the rich world of ancient Russian literature, and a reflection on how to remain human in inhumane times.