Context:

Described as 'a brilliant book by Lindsay Hughes, which is all about Peter the Great and his times, where she talks a lot about Peter's reforms.' Later referenced again when discussing Peter's collection of 'freaks and monsters' and when quoting historian Mikhail Pogodin.

Context:

Referenced multiple times as a major source for the episode. Dominic describes it as 'about 20,000 pages long' and 'one of the most capacious and incredibly readable, swashbuckling story' that covers both Peter the Great and Charles XII.

Context:

Mentioned in the context of discussing the Russian 'table of ranks' system established by Peter, noting how this obsession with ranks appears in Russian literature, particularly in this novel set in St. Petersburg.