Nikolai Yadrintsev – The History of the Exploration of Siberia. A gift book in a leather binding

Nikolai Yadrintsev – The History of the Exploration of Siberia. A gift book in a leather binding.

The book by the outstanding Siberian publicist, geographer and public figure Nikolai Yadrintsev, “The History of the Exploration of Siberia”, is a monumental economic and historical‑ethnographic work. The author, whom his contemporaries respectfully called “the Siberian Herzen”, dedicated this work to the results of his many years of scientific expeditions and deep reflections. The concept is based on a bold thesis for the 19th century: Siberia is seen as a vast and rich colony whose resources are mercilessly exploited by the European part of Russia. Yadrintsev provides a detailed analysis of three hundred years of Russian colonization, starting from the time of Yermak’s campaign, and debunks many myths about the exclusively peaceful and prosperous development of the region. The writer raises the most acute and painful problems of the region: the catastrophic consequences of turning the region into a penal colony, the barbaric destruction of its forest and fur resources, and the extinction of the indigenous population. At the same time, the scholar describes with genuine warmth the unique character of the old‑timers—peasants of Siberia, noting their independence, high level of development, and diligence. The main demand and leitmotif of the monograph is the need to grant Siberia civil rights, broad education, and the development of local self‑activity. The book’s text combines rigorous statistical data, geographical descriptions, and vivid, passionate civic journalism. The monograph laid a solid ideological foundation for Siberian regionalism and forced the imperial authorities to fundamentally reconsider their peripheral policy. To this day, this classic historical monument remains an indispensable source for studying the geography, sociology, and ethnography of Asian Russia.

The price of the book is 20,000₽

The price of the book in a gift box made of genuine leather is 27,000₽