This is an academic work by Sergei Fedorovich Platonov, a representative of the St Petersburg school of Russian historiography , and a renowned Russian historian who died in 1933. For an academic work it is quite readable and not that long at 132 pages. This is a fascinating period in Russian history (16th century) but actual records are very limited and Platonov is careful not to speculate too much. He resists, for example, imagining the childhood of Ivan because there simply are no records. While acknowledging the possibility of mental illness, he does not dwell on it but presents the facts. I have read more history about the 17th century in Russia but this book greatly increased my understanding of what came before. ( )