Reddit mentions of Russia's Steppe Frontier: The Making of a Colonial Empire, 1500-1800

Political and cultural overview:

http://www.amazon.com/Formation-Muscovy-1300-1613-Longman-History/dp/0582491533

Russia against nomads:

http://www.amazon.com/Russias-Steppe-Frontier-1500-1800-Indiana-Michigan/dp/0253217709

Learn about the Kalmyks they're awesome:

http://www.amazon.com/Where-Two-Worlds-Met-1600-1771/dp/0801473403

Go crazy and learn it all:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Russian-Empire-Multi-Ethnic-History/dp/0582234158/

It was inhabited by nomadic peoples for the most part, although there were established villages.

Most were Turkic or Mongol, but not all. The history is tricky to read in a linear fashion, but it's still really great. The two best books I've found on it are by Andreas Kappeler, The Russian Empire: A Multi-Ethnic History, (which is really boring, but very informative) and Michael Khodarkovsky, Russia's Steppe Frontier. Khodarkovsky's book is better.

Let me know if you have any specific questions.

> Another time to explore would be the Russian Expansion into Siberia, Kamchatka, and the Bering Expedition.

Yes! Theres so much material about Cortes, Magellan, Drake, Columbus, Fiennes, Shackleton etc. but the amount of books (in enlglish) on russian explorers and russian expansion east is tiny.

Ive got these two books on my christmas list (never too old), if anyone has any more recommendation id be grateful.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yermaks-Campaign-Siberia-Second-Series/dp/0904180034

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Russias-Steppe-Frontier-Colonial-1500-1800/dp/0253217709