| Working the Rough Stone Contributor(s): Smith, Douglas (Author) |
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ISBN: 087580246X ISBN-13: 9780875802466 Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press OUR PRICE: $48.46 Product Type: Hardcover Published: May 1999 Annotation: Utilizing archival sources previously unavailable, this first study of eighteenth-century Russian Freemasonry to appear in English examines the Masonic lodges and their meaning for the men who were drawn to them. Among the earliest organizations in Russia to open membership beyond social class, the lodges offered the opportunity for social interaction, personal discipline, and a free exchange of ideas. Teaching new standards of civility and politeness, they helped to prepare the way for the birth of a civil society in Russia. For Smith, Freemasonry is a prism through which to view changes in Russian society. Those who are interested in Russia, the Enlightenment in Europe, and the history of Freemasonry will find Working the Rough Stone rich with insight. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Russia & The Former Soviet Union - Social Science | Freemasonry & Secret Societies - Religion |
| Dewey: 366.109 |
| LCCN: 98-32115 |
| Series: Niu Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies |
| Physical Information: 1.05" H x 6.29" W x 9.25" (1.35 lbs) 267 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 18th Century - Cultural Region - Eastern Europe - Cultural Region - Russia |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Using a wealth of archival sources previously unavailable to scholars, Smith examines the forces that attracted many social and intellectual leaders of eighteenth-century Russia to Freemasonry as an instrument for change and progress. By working the rough stone of their inner thoughts and feelings, such men sought to become champions of moral enlightenment and to create a vision of social action that could bring about change without challenging the social and political precepts on which Russia's stability depended. By challenging a number of long-held notions about Russian society, Smith broadens our understanding of the complex history of eighteenth-century Russia. Engagingly written and richly illustrated with rare engravings of Masonic life and ritual, this volume will appeal to readers interested in Russia, Europe, the Enlightenment, and the history of Freemasonry. |