A brief, balanced biography of Catherine the Great, covering her life, influence and times. Written by a noted scholar of Russian history, the book offers an excellent overview of the political and social climate of 18th-century Russia. De Madariaga begins the book with a short, vigorous chapter: Catherine seizes power. The woman who ruled from 1762 until her death in 1796 had no claim to the throne. For serious students, Russia in the Age of Catherine the Great, also by De Madariaga, offers more detail. A Yale Note Bene paperback.  (RUS105, $14.95)