Once Upon a Time. Stories About Geniuses, Villains and the Eras They Changed

From the Moscow fire of 1812 to the mysterious death of Peter Tchaikovsky: we uncover the most intriguing secrets of Russia’s 19th-century history!

Nikita Isanov is a historian and the author of the popular podcast “Under the Tsar Pea,” where he tells surprising, unknown, and sometimes frightening stories from the past of our country. How, over many centuries, people loved, created, made mistakes—and what came of it. Geniuses and villains, wives and mistresses, tsars and courtiers, politicians and poets, soldiers and pioneers—each of them changed the era in which they lived.

The 19th century in Russia is rich in events: the assassination of Paul I, the fire of Moscow in 1812, the gold rush in Siberia, the last duel of Alexander Pushkin, the cholera epidemic, the sale of Alaska, the mysterious death of Peter Tchaikovsky, the appearance of color photography, and many other significant episodes from both national and world history.

On the pages of this book, readers will find 20 captivating stories about terrible tragedies, great discoveries, feats, intrigues, and conspiracies whose echoes can still be heard today.