Title

Abstract

The book under review is the first scholarly edition of M. M. Speransky’s diary, which he kept from 1821 to 1828. It is the result of extensive work by the team of editors (T. V. Andreeva, S. K. Lebedev) and represents a significant contribution to the historiography and source study of Speransky’s reformist and intellectual work and his public service. In her preface, T. V. Andreeva offers an innovative reading of the chronological boundaries of the concept of „reform“ as applied to Speransky’s career and life, arguing for the continuity of state reform policy from the reign of Alexander I to that of Nicholas I. The published diary is a first-person chronological account of the events of Speransky’s life, concise and almost free of authorial evaluation. The review notes the high scholarly value of this publication, which makes it possible to supplement and broaden our understanding of his activity in the 1820s, after his return from exile. Attention is also given to the theme of „Speransky and Uvarov“, presented in a new light on the pages of the diary. The review sets out the author’s view of the specific form and content of the published diary.