{"product_id":"2026200009898-secondhand-catherine-the-great","title":"Catherine The Great","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition remarks:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eCondition: Good to fair. Jacket: No dust jacket. Page Condition: Good - possible tanning. Markings: possible previous owner inscription. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFew rulers in history have commanded as much power, intrigue, and admiration as Catherine II of Russia — the German-born princess who seized an empire and made it her own. Zoé Oldenbourg's biography chronicles the extraordinary life of Catherine the Great, from her precarious arrival at the Russian imperial court to her decades-long reign as one of Europe's most formidable monarchs, illuminating the political cunning, romantic scandals, and Enlightenment ideals that defined her rule.\n\nOldenbourg, celebrated for her richly researched historical narratives, presents Catherine not merely as a collector of lovers and territories, but as a visionary statesman who reshaped Russia's cultural and geopolitical identity. Translated from the French by Anne Carter, with a preface by Arthur Calder-Marshall, this work balances scholarly rigour with the propulsive energy of a grand historical drama. For those drawn to the complex theatre of 18th-century European power, this biography leaves one question unanswered: was Catherine truly great — or simply ruthless enough to appear so?\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Secondhand Stock","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49130604789979,"sku":"2026200009898-SECONDHAND","price":12.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0523\/7646\/9701\/files\/46668efa-e3bf-487c-8657-b0c3485076d5.png?v=1786587385","url":"https:\/\/bookgrocer.com\/products\/2026200009898-secondhand-catherine-the-great","provider":"Book Grocer","version":"1.0","type":"link"}