Without the Banya We Would Perish: A History of the Russian BathhouseWhen so much in Russia has changed, the banya remains. For over one thousand years Russians of every economic class, political party, and social strata have treated bathing as a communal activity integrating personal hygiene and public health with rituals, relaxation, conversations, drinking, political intrigue, business, and sex. Communal steam baths have survived the Mongols, Peter the Great, and Soviet communism and remain a central and unifying national custom. Combining the ancient elements of earth, water, and fire, the banya paradoxically cleans bodies and spreads disease, purifies and defiles, creates community and underscores difference. Here, Ethan Pollock tells the history of this ubiquitous and enduring institution. He explores the bathhouse's role in Russian identity, following public figures (from Catherine the Great to Rasputin to Putin), writers (such as Chekhov and Dostoevsky), foreigners (including Mark Twain and Casanova), Through the communal bathhouse, Without the Banya We Would Perish provides a unique perspective on the history of the Russian people. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
1 Older Even Than the Tsar | 10 |
2 The Great Healer | 32 |
3 Soot Dirt and Human Flesh Packed Together | 51 |
4 Our People Love the Banya But Nothing Good Comes of It | 72 |
5 The Onslaught of Civilization | 101 |
6 Either Socialism Will Defeat the Louse or the Louse Will Defeat Socialism | 129 |
7 Things Are Bad on the Banya Front | 157 |
8 Here Nobody Is Naked There Is No Need for Shame | 193 |
Other editions - View all
Without the Banya We Would Perish: A History of the Russian Bathhouse Ethan Pollock Limited preview - 2019 |
Without the Banya We Would Perish: A History of the Russian Bathhouse Ethan Pollock Limited preview - 2019 |