The retelling of history is the best way to understand Russia today. Russia fascinates and amazes. It is almost more of a living meme, an ethereal parody-land, than it is a real place with real people living real lives. We are most intimately acquainted with it through James Bond, Call of Duty, and dashcam videos. It is equal parts mirage, fantasy, and archetype. The best way to cut through this haze of stereotypes and preconceptions is to view Russia in the context of its history. Yet not just history as fact, but also, and more importantly, history as myth. By looking at how Russia has sought to reshape its past, we gain a much deeper understanding of why Russia is just so... different. How Russia Got That Way is a fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.