James Cracraft Books

Many books chronicle the remarkable life of Peter the Great, but none analyze how his famous reforms took root and spread in Russia. By century's end, Russia was poised to play a critical role in the Napoleonic wars and boasted an elite culture on the cusp of its golden age. Here, Cracraft offers a brilliant new interpretation of this pivotal era.

Focusing on early modern Russian history, particularly the reign of Peter the Great, this collection features key articles and reviews by Professor James Cracraft, showcasing over forty years of scholarly work. It includes insights into Russian history and the nature of historical research itself. The editor's preface and the author's introduction highlight Cracraft's contributions and suggest new research directions, emphasizing that history is a crafted discipline, akin to the work of professional scientists.

In Two Shining Souls, Cracraft explores the decades-long encounter of Jane Addams (1860-1935), the famous American social reformer and peace activist, with Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), the acclaimed Russian writer and sage. This hitherto untold story highlights the crisis in global pacifism precipitated by World War I. Never before had the quest for international peace seemed more promising; never since, in the wake of World War II, the Cold War, and the "War on Terror", has it seemed more impossible. Yet perhaps the story of these two shining souls has never needed to be told more.