Annotated Bibliography

Amanda Wallace

Andreyev, N. (2014). Ivan IV. In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/298154/Ivan-IV/3605/TheOprichnina
This article discusses in detail the history of Ivan the Terribles life. It covers
his early childhood to his death, and makes no argument about his character. This
article sticks to historical facts. The evidence used are historical documents and
first-hand accounts written at the time of Ivans

rule. The Encyclopedia

Britannica is a trusted resource, and is a reliable means for academics to get

information. This article is aimed at those interested in learning about the effects of
Ivan

the Terribles rule, without any biased opinions.

Axelrod, A. (2009). Little-known wars of great and lasting impact: The turning points
in our history we should know more about. Beverley, MA, US: Fair Winds Press.
This book covers many of historys forgotten wars, and explains how they
impacted society as a

whole. While many fascinating and complex battles were

discussed in this book, I was focused

on the chapter titled, The Third Rome: Ivan

the Terrible and the Boyars Revolt. This chapter

focuses on Ivans rise to power,

and the implications of seizing power from the Boyars. It

additionally discusses his

descent into madness, and possible causes, while also explaining

his military

might and effectiveness as a leader. Axelrod uses evidence from history to support
his excellent storytelling. He sticks with the facts of the military excursions of
Ivan the Terrible,

and the rise and fall of the Boyars. His evidence is reliable and

effective.

Axelrod has a gift for

making history exciting and stimulating for

the layman reading his book. This book is aimed at anyone interested in history,
and the people who created it.

Fink, P. J., & Tasman, A. (Eds.). (1992). Stigma and mental illness. Washington, DC:
American Psychiatric

Press

This book is a collection of essays about the stigma and issues faced by
people with mental

illness. It discusses our societys current stereotypes

about all mental illness, as well as

discussing what the label of mental illness

means to those affected by it. The evidence that is presented in this book are the
personal stories of both the families and victims of prejudice

due to mental

illness. It uses a first person narrative to help the reader understand where the
person is coming from.
illness dating all the

It also documents the historical stigma of mental

way back to Ancient Greece. The editors of this book are

both M.D.s from prominent

universities, and the contributors are from all walks

of life. While most of the evidence is

anecdotal, it is very reliable and effective in

conveying the stigma of mental illness for those

diagnosed with it. The book is

aimed at people with mental illness and their families, lay people

interested in

understanding mental illness, and therapists and doctors treating patients to assist
them in empathizing with the patients.

Floria, B. (2014). Ivan the terrible. Russian Studies in History, 53(1), 68-73.

DOI:10.2753/RSH1061-1983530104

This article discusses the long term and short term impacts of Ivan the
Terribles political policies

on Russia and its people. While some of the

outcomes were negative, the author argues that not

all of the policies were

negative for Russias people, and that since Ivan the Terrible had such a
blatant disregard for the nobilitys status the commoners of Russia were
much more likely to get

justice for their grievances than commoners in other more

advanced societies. Floria discusses the ownership of the land in Russia, and how
the landowners (nobility) were held to a much

higher standard of protection

for the people who lived on their land. Using historical evidence and modern day
comparisons, Floria makes an interesting argument about Ivan the Terribles

actual

impacts on the country he loved so dearly. The author uses reliable evidence, and
supports his argument well. This article is academic in nature, and is aimed at
anyone

studying Russian history.

Ghaemi, N. (2011). A first-rate madness: Uncovering the links between leadership

and mental illness. New York, NY, US: Penguin Press.
This book looks at the connection between great leadership and mental
instability. Dr. Ghaemi

argues that great leaders benefit from certain disorders,

such as depression, in such a way that

they are better at creative problem

solving and assessing danger. He argues that leaders who

are too sane do

not do well during times of crisis. He uses George W. Bush as an example. Dr.
Ghaemi uses psychiatric research and evidence from history to build his

argument. He uses the

troubles in the personal and political lives of some of

historys greatest leaders, and how they

resolved those issues, as evidence

that mental instability, specifically mood disorders, are linked

to better problem

solving and creative thinking. Dr. Ghaemi is both a psychiatry professor at

Tufts

University, and director of the Mood Disorders and Psychopharmacology Programs

at Tufts

Medical Center. The evidence that Ghaemi uses is sound, and his

theory is interesting and compelling. This book is aimed at academics, and people
who are generally interested in history.

Shaposhnik, V. (2014). Ivan the terrible: The first Russian tsar. Russian Studies in
History, 53(1), 74-80.
DOI: 10.2753/RSH1061-1983530105
This article argues that while Ivan the Terrible did make some questionable
calls as a leader, he

was largely misunderstood. The author argues that as the

first tsar of Russia, Ivan had to learn

from the mistakes of past empires and try to

be the best ruler he could. He argues that Ivans

executions and cruelty were on

par with the policies of other countries in Europe. He also argues

that Ivans

extreme religious ideals contributed to the severity of the punishments inflicted on

his people. He believed as a ruler, God would punish him for the sins of his
subjects. The author

uses historical evidence to support his claims, and the

article is very effective in making you consider the authors point. Though slightly
biased in Ivan the Terribles favor, the article does

persuade the reader that the

context and motives of Ivans behavior may not be as sinister as

history has

led us to believe. This article is aimed at academics and anyone interested in

Russian

history.