Henri Troyat, a famous French writer and historian, wrote about a hundred volumes during his long creative life, and almost half of them are dedicated to Russia. His book about the reign of Catherine the Great describes the most important political and cultural events of her reign, as well as the most striking episodes of her stormy personal life. This is a true and fascinating story about a passionate woman and wise ruler, to whom Voltaire addressed with the words: “... You are not the Northern Lights , you are the most brilliant star in the North, and never has there been such a beneficent luminary!”