Ben Eklof & Stephen P. Frank 
World of the Russian Peasant [PDF ebook] 
Post-Emancipation Culture and Society

First published in 1990 The World of the Russian Peasant is designed to provide a wide-ranging survey of new developments in Russian peasant studies. Editors Eklof and Frank paint a broad picture of what life was like for the vast majority of Russia’s population before 1917. Individual authors treat the intricacies of the village community and peasant commune, social structure, the everyday life and labour of peasant women, the impact of migration, the spread of education, and peasant art, religion, justice, and politics. The result is a portrait of a people greatly influenced by rapid and radical changes in the world yet seeking to maintain control over their lives and their communities. This is a must read for students of Russian history, Russian peasantry and rural sociology.