Peter

I have just finished reading a wonderful book titled, Peter The Great, His Life And World by Robert K. Massie.  This was an amazing historical saga about a larger than life tsar of Russia in the late1600's, early 1700's.  Peter was 6'7" which in that day was extremely rare.  In an era of opulance and grandeur, he preferred simple clothes and hated pomp and circumstance, however the people were still taxed to death to fund the armies, wars and building projects that he demanded.  St. Petersburg is called the city built on bones for all the lives lost creating a city built in a swamp.  I became captivated with all the history, not just of Russia, but the neighboring countries as well.  In spite of the revolution of 1918, many artifacts have been preserved from Peter's reign and I would love to see them.  Oh, aren't books wonderful!!!