No comments about Alexander II and the Modernization of Russia.

5 comments about Magic Prague.

1. Definitely not light reading, Ripellino's Magic Prague churns its way through the culture of Prague with exquisite attention to minute detail. This is a book which explores the historic underside of Prague, providing the visitor with a level of information not elsewhere found.



2. The late Mr. Ripellino has amassed a tribute to Prague like no other. It breathes. Anyone that has ever visited the "Golden City of a 100 spires" must have had an inkling deep in their soul of what the author has magnificently put down in words. The "Old Crone [Prague] has claws", as Kafka put it, and Ripellino shows exactly why that is so. The research that went into this book is simply astounding, with my edition having 44 pages of tightly spaced notes, of 333 pages total, including index. The book takes us from one extraordinary Prague tale to another, with myth, legend and reality all melting into one pot of magic. Anyone that plans to visit the center of Europe should read this book in advance, or at least skim it on the plane. It is a tough read, being full of poetic phrases and meticulous details, which often beg for multiple readings. However, the time spent is well worth it. The book will serve as a beautiful bridge between the soul and the mind, as the traveler wanders along the cobblestones of thousand year old "Praha." p.s. I bought my edition (Picador) in Prague for 315 Kcs, or about US$ 9. The price on the back of the paperback is 9.99 British Pounds, which is about US$ 17, depending on the day.



3. I tried to read this before my trip to Prague and found it inaccessible and its language pretentious. Then, after a week in the city, I started reading again. And couldn't stop. It is only when you visit the Jewish cemetery or Prague Castle that the myths, ghosts and executioners of the past come alive. Although a tough read, it is exceptionally rewarding for the traveller who wants to take more home from Prague than just Bohemian crystal.



4. This book isn't great, but it could be a lot better if cut to, say, 50 pages (from 281, plus 40 pages of footnotes.) Ripellino is a modern pedant who floods his disjointed essay with adjectives, metaphors and literary quotes; not necessarily a bad thing, but not good when endlessly rehashing the same idea. The idea is that Prague is a melancholic, Kafkaesque city haunted by the ghosts of 4 centuries of disasters. There're fragments of (heavily interpreted) history, quantities of literary allusions, and perverse descriptions of eccentric art and science, but its all so poorly organized and repetitive that it makes for a bore of a book.

   'Magic', for Ripellino, means atmosphere; he has NO sympathy for occultism and to him Prague's Golden Age, the late Renaissance period, is a period of fools (Rudolf II and other alchemically-minded aristocrats), swindlers (Edward Kelley and all other alchemists), quacks (John Dee and other mystics), and knaves (Rudolf's ministers.) Half the book is spent archly ridiculing the period and its passions.

   In Part Two Ripellino paints an equally grim picture of the period from Rudolf II's abdication in 1612 to, oh, sometime around 1946. But it's still all bits and pieces. We get a gloomy look at a few historical figures, some poets and writers, maybe an artist or two.

   Kafka is the dominant spirit of Ripellino's Prague and what he gives us is a dismal, victimized city. There are no maps or pictures (except for 4 on the hardback's book jacket.) This suits the essay, which is more about Ripellino's mental image of Prague than of a physical locale.




5. If any book can capture the Genius Loci of Prague, this is the one.

5 comments about The Tarasov Saga: From Russia Through China to Australia.

1. This is an unusually fine first book. A riveting story about a courageous, strong-willed woman and her family in their sojourn half a world across. Fascinating characters in all walks of life. Interesting historical details that I have not come across elsewhere.
   Memorable personal episodes abound.
   My favorite humorous one occurred in 1941. As a budding young pianist, Gary was given the key to his aunt's sumptuous apartment so he could practice on the concert grand - with the top up, of course. One afternoon, he let himself in and found his aunt and uncle asleep in the bedroom. Being considerate, he delayed the start of his practice until they awoke. He parked himself in an armchair in the corner of the bedroom. Suddenly, his aunt got up to go to the bathroom. She was stark naked. Gary was speechless - looking at his first naked woman ever in his young nine years of life. His aunt sensed his presence, turned, saw him and started to scream, yelling at him to get out. His uncle woke up and jumped out of bed. He also was naked. He also started to scream. Bedlam! as Nash writes.
   You've just got to read this book for its humor, sadness and strength of character exhibited, culminating in a happy ending.



2. I was involved in a novel when I purchased a copy ot the Tarasov Saga. I intended to keep it in reserve for when I finished the novel.
   Out of curiosity I started reading the Tarasov Saga. Once I started the novel had to wait. I became involved with the story of a struggling mother and at the same time gathered a good understanding of what Russia must have been like at that time.
   The stort of foreign groups living in designated areas in China was also fascinating. The numerous photographs in the booked also helped me. I often found myself referring back to the photographs and maps to help my understanding. A good read



3. I found the book most interesting especially because of the historical insights that the author shared about life in Russia, China and finally in Australia. The contrasts between life in the Far East and life now in Australia for Gary and his family is amazing and it is wonderful to note the appreciation he has for the differences.
   I always love stories about people and what they have coped with in their lives. Certainly Gary Nash will have inherited some of the strong and stoic qualities that his grandmother showed.
   I found the book very enjoyable to read and the family tree was very useful to continuously revert back to as the story progressed. It has also been written in a very positive way and I would guess that this is why the Tarasov family managed to get to Australia and be successful.
   Most enjoyable - well worth reading!



4. The Tarasov Saga is a very absorbing book, not only because of its account of a remarkable journey over 25 years of the extended Tarasov family, initially fleeing from Russia through China and the Phillipines to Australia, but also for the historical perspective of life in Russia and China in the first half of the 20th century.
   I have known the author, both as a work colleague and a friend for over 30 years but, Gary being a very private person, all I knew of his background was that he was of White Russian origin and had lived in China before coming to Australia! The to read this book and discover the astonishing story of all that happened from the time of the Russian Revolution and its effects on the Tarasovs, individually and collectively, until the first of them arrived in Australia in 1949, made for compelling reading.I am not qualified to comment on Gary's literary style or technique, but the way he has portrayed each member of the family, their strengths and their weaknesses brought them to life so that, not only were they believable, but one could visualise their individual contributions to this saga.
   This book is about courage, determination and resilience, and what can be achieved by people who are single-minded and motivated to seek a better life after many years of deprivation
   and hardship.
   In particular, the reader is left in no doubt of the author's great affection and admiration for his Grandmother Aida and her monumental efforts to ensure that the family survived their epic journey and, bar one member, all be reunited in Australia.
   I thoroughly commend this book which is not only an enjoyable read but in an age where the refugee problem is a world-wide one, provides an understanding of the hardships and traumas that constantly confront refugees on the move.
   It is an intensely human story which reinforces basic values and beliefs, in an era where many consider these things to be unimportant.
   It would be nice to think that an enterprising producer might think that there is enough meat and drama in The Tarasov Saga to provide the basis for a film or TV series. It certainly has all the ingredients.



5. This book details the adventures of a large family as they seek safe haven from communism. In the beginning of the book, the author's mother and father are living in Czarist Russia, where his father is an officer in the army just prior to the outbreak of World War I. The small family grows to five children during the war. As the revolution begins to take hold, the father joins the loyalist White Russians and is dragged further and further east with them. His mother is left to manage alone with the five children. As it became clear that, as White Russians, they were not welcome in the Soviet Union, the mother decides to make her way east with the children, although she had no money and only a vague idea of where her husband might be. After a series of misadventures in which she is forced to leave the children behind, she eventually finds her husband and gets all five children back with her in a city in China that had a large Russian refugee population. The entire family made its home in China for the next twenty years, until a second communist revolution made them refugees once again.

   The story is quite well written, with amazing recall of details from long ago adventures. The stories describing everyday life in the Russian refugee communities of pre-Communist China provide a fascinating glimpse into a very little known way of life. On the one hand, it is amazing that the entire large family was able to make it out of Russia and then out of China, but on the other hand, it was precisely because they had so many people working together in the family that made it possible.

5 comments about Nicholas and Alexandra: The Family Albums.

1. This is one of the best Romanov albums that I own. I think it is defintely worth it! It is filled with beautiful and rare photos not published often. Although there are some date and place mislabelings here and there, it is not so bad as some other albums I have seen. If your main area of interest is NAOTMAA, in other words the Last Imperial Family, than this is the book for you. You will truly get a glimpse of the private lives of the family. This book is worth it's weight in gold!



2. It had many Romanov pictures I had never seen before. I don't know if it was worth the $105 I paid for it, but I really do like it. A good book for my collection.



3. In my opinion "Nicholas and Alexandra: The Family Albums" is worth every penny. It contains some of the best pictures of this doomed family. Highly recommmended!



4. Nicholas and Alexandra the Family albums, is a wonderful book and a great add on to any collection. But have a lot of info mistakes about other royals in the book, very surprisingly to me since the author is related to them. But the photos are wonderful!



5. If you are interested in the last imperial family of Russia then this book should be in your collection. It concentrates on the family photos of the last Tsar and is mostly, but not entirely informal family pictures taken at home and public events. The book is arranged in a year by year basis, which can be handy in identifying the date of photos found in other sources.
   
   Unfortunately, this book is hard to find now, and often expensive when you do find it. However, it is highly recommended for anyone interested in the Romanov's, especially those who are interested in the photography of the family as it is chocker-block full of rare images.

5 comments about The Romanovs: Love, Power & Tragedy.

1. This book is too good for words!!!! The pictures are wonderful and the text is just as good. I suggest this book to anyone. It is worth it!!!



2. If you are the type of Romanov buff that really enjoys seeing a good deal of photos of the family as you read, then this is the book you need to get. This book is awsome, the pages are filled with photographs of the family. Some of the pictures take up the entire page. The photographs range from Nicholas's family, to Alexandra's family, and then to the family they made together as the Tsar and Tsarina of Russia. Some of the photographs are really rare, that have not been seen in other books. You will really appreciate that when you look through this truly well accomplished book.
   When you have had your fun looking at all the great photographs thats when you should start to sit down and read the book. The text is so rich and well written. The author goes into great detail in describing the life of this wonderful family. Each major event of their life is carefully laid out into a well researched story. It's an easy read that is not at all boring or misleading. The book is not entirely political, which is a big plus to me. If you just want to educate yourself more on this extrodinary family, don't get a book that is completely focused on Russian politics of the period. This book is the one to buy and trust me it is well worth the money.



3. This book is THE best pictorial/essay on the last Romanovs. I am a Russian history buff and probably have most, if not all, books on the Romanov family (up to this last Tsar-Nicholas II) and this book is by far the most interesting and fascinating with many photos that have never been published before. This book remains close at hand since I find that I go back to it to either re-read, or use as a reference as I am reading another book. It definately belongs in your library if you find that this time in history is of interest to you.



4. This wonderful book contains beautiful pictures of the last Romanovs. I own about 50 books related to Tsar Nicholas II, and this one is my favorite!



5. "The Romanovs: Love, Power & Tragedy" is perhaps the best book on the last Imperial Family of Russia. Its aim is to not only tell the story through written text, but also through large, beautiful photographs - some which have never been published elsewhere, and most specially, through the very words of the Imperial Family themselves. It begins with the Tsar's and Tsarina's childhood, to their courtship and marriage, coronation, their family life, the 300th anniversary of Romanov rule, the Great War, and to the Tsar's abdication, his family's imprisonment and later their execution. It is not an ordinary book, but is so lovely and charming and will surely be treasured and cherished.

5 comments about Tsar: The Lost World of Nicholas and Alexandra.

1. Tsar: The Lost World of Nicholas and Alexandra is probably the only coffee table book that I have ever read cover to cover. It is so full of portraits depicting the the royal family in their most intimate moments, including a rare photo of the Tsars royal posterior while skinny dipping off of the royal yacht, that one can't help feeling that this is a look into one family's private scrapbook. Rich in detail, the text takes you from Nicholas and Alexandra's first meeting through their marriage, the raising of their five children, the influence of Rasputin and the spell he held over the Tsarina, the revolution, and ultimately thier horrid demise. This book is a richly detailed chronical of one family's way of life and sadly, their end.



2. This book contains absolutely beautiful photographs of Tsar Nicholas and his family. Although it is not in hardcover, it makes a wonderful coffee table book. It is the best book I have found containing photographs of that era in Russian history. It makes a great gift.



3. If you are looking for a good book about Tsar Nicholas II, look no further. This was an absolutely amazing book. I have Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie, and it alone comes close to this one in telling the Romanov's story. It is very well written, does not bog the reader down with more information than is needed to tell the story. And the photographs are astonishing! Most of them apparently had not been published before this book. Peter Kurth is an excellent writer (I have his other book "The Riddle of Anna Anderson" and he captures the reader's interest right from the first paragraph. This is an excellent book about this tragic family.



4. Unfortunately I imagined this book to be much better than what it really is. It is worth having a good look at, but I rather regretted actually buying it.
   
   There are photographs on every page, but don't expect to see a lot of rare ones. One delight was seeing the photographs of the palaces in the day of the Romanovs, compared to photographs of the palaces today. The book is presented nicely, is big and thick, there is a lot of text, but there was truly something missing from this book. It was also even more disappointing to see how much Peter Kurth included on Anna Anderson. Even though DNA tests have proved her to be a fraud, it seems that Peter Kurth points out every little thing which would try to make the reader believe that Anna Anderson was indeed Grand Duchess Anastasia Nicolaevna.
   
   It is perhaps a nice book, but I say that there are definitely better books on the Imperial Family out there.



5. Excellent history of that era. I especially enjoyed pictures of that time compared to what that place looks like today.

1 comments about Flags of the Napoleonic Wars (2) : Austria, Britian, Prussia, & Russia (Men at Arms Series, 78).

1. For those who have an incklng to study the Napoleonic era with the intent of learning about the flags of Napoleon and his enemies,this book is it. Very beautiful illustrations of the flags of the early 19th century France which were used in conflict against England,Russia and Prussia and others. A historians choice book on the subject.

5 comments about The Romanovs: Autocrats of All the Russias.

1. W. Bruce Lincoln's history of the 300 years of Romanov rule in Russia (1613-1917) is easily his most readable account of Russian history. While Professor Lincoln's research is meticulous as ever, in this volume he has to cover far more ground than in his other more focused histories and thus he avoids some of the digressions that he normally might allow himself. The result is a superb one-volume history of the Tsars and Tsarinas who determined Russia's development from a minor principality into the largest empire on earth.

   The Romanovs consists of four parts: Muscovite beginnings (1613-1689), the Rise of an Empire (1689-1796), Empire Triumphant (1796-1894) and the Last Emperor (1894-1917). The first three parts each consist of several chapters, with the first covering biographical details of the Tsars and Tsarinas in that period, followed by chapters on political and cultural changes in that period. There are only two significant problems with what is otherwise a superb presentation: a non-chronological methodology and a lack of a single supporting map of Romanov domains (there are two maps of St Petersburg's layout). In the first case, Lincoln tends to keep coming back to Tsars in subsequent chapters on culture, politics, etc which is very confusing. Indeed, he seems in a rush to plow through the biographies of the Tsars, then revisit their cultural accomplishments, then come back again and discuss their political accomplishments, and then maybe discuss a few scandals or wars. As for the lack of maps, it makes it extremely difficult for the reader to evaluate the territorial expansions of the various Romanov rulers or Russia's growth over three centuries.

   Despite these two flaws, the Romanovs is a delightful read for anyone with a scholarly interest in Russian imperial history. Perhaps the three most significant rulers that Lincoln assesses are Peter the Great, Catherine the Great and Nicholas II. Most histories tend to elevate Peter to hero status, but Lincoln's evaluation is more mixed. While Peter gets great credit for pushing Russia to modernize, the costs he incurred may have been too great. In particular, Lincoln questions Peter's obsession with building his capital on totally unsuitable terrain; the fact that the Russians were able to eventually succeed in constructing Peter's dream capital often disguises the fact that the human and financial losses were exorbitantly wasteful. The reader will be left to ponder the question that if Peter had built his capital elsewhere, Russia's development might have been much less painful. As for Catherine, Lincoln prefers to minimize the scandal and corruption associated with her court and view this as the golden age of Russian cultural development. Finally, Nicholas II appears as even more of a fatalistic dolt bent on self-destruction than he did in Lincoln's previous books. In sum, The Romanovs provides a solid and very readable account of Russia's development under the Tsars and Tsarinas.




2. if you want to no about the early to last romanov's and russia history this book is for you.this writer leave nothing out.



3. Book was very easy reading and well organized. One of the best history books I have read.



4. This is an excellent history book. Even though I was had to read the book in many sittings, I never lost the train of thought of the author.
   
   My only criticism is that I really wanted to learn more about Peter the Great and how he built St. Petersburg. I felt the book was lacking in this very important aspect of the history of Russia



5. I bought this book based upon all the readers' reviews. I love Russian culture and thought this book would be great to read. I forgot to read the Editor's review which says "...much of the book is plain boring..." And I totally agree. I found a little bit interesting but in the 850 pages there really isn't enough worth buying or reading this book. I would find another book about this subject if I were you.

5 comments about Chronicle of the Russian Tsars: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Rulers of Imperial Russia.

1. I love this book it has so much info about the Czar.Ilove the maps time lines and charts one of the best Czar books I ever read.



2. I received it as a gift and was pleased to see that it is a very good book. Well written, good pictures and well researched. It makes an excellent reference.



3. The first Russian state emerged in the late 9th century as a federation of Slavic kingdoms and tribes around Kiev, under the leadership of Rurik, who almost certainly was of Scandinavian origin. Later rulers included such major figures as Alexander Nevsky (who defeated the Teutonic Knights) and Vasily II (who made the Orthodox Church independent), but the author begins his survey with Ivan III "the Great" in 1462. Each tsar or tsarina gets a boxed summary of personal data, an historical survey of the reign, a variety of illustrations and relevant maps, and often a basic genealogical drop-chart. Warnes is a well-known scholar of Russian history and culture and his interpretations of five centuries of Russian history are astute and well-written. Specialists in Western Europe often know very little about Russian history and the several dynasties that made it. This volume makes a good ready-reference resource.



4. I thoroughly enjoyed this balanced account of the czars. I wish there could have been more treatment of those that preceded the Romanovs--I guess you'd call them the "Dukes of Muscovy"--but it's probably for obvious reasons (viz., the availability of 15th-century vs. 19th-century sources) that they're slighted. Watch out for editorial problems all over the place. In one diagram, somebody's wife is also indicated as that same somebody's daughter. This is just plain laziness: someone neglected to sufficiently carefully review the diagram and delete the offending 5 mm. line segment. Also, in a factoid box summarizing Nikolai II, his father is listed as Aleksandr II when, in fact, his father was quite obviously Aleksandr III. Also, the book steered uncomfortably clear of some of the unsolved mysteries of the throne, e.g., by reducing the eighteen-day rule of Czar Konstantin (27 Nov.-14 Dec. 1825) to but a single, unstressed sentence. In overall quality, this book compares favorably to the other members of the series: indeed, it is often superior. But, in its striving for balance, it omits some important coverage. More deserves to be said about Ivann IV Vasiliyevich ("The Terrible"--in actuality, "The Awesome" is the proper translation of his title, "Groznij") and Pyotr I Alekseyevich ("The Great") because these czars made outstanding contributions that shaped the character of Russia, not just because they were on the throne for 30+ years. The czars' role in Russian history cannot be compared to the role of any other succession of leaders in the history of any other nations: the czars were the heart and soul of the empire they so tenderly loved with such religious conviction (not to mention "the divine right of kings"); without exaggeration, the czars WERE Russia.



5. For more than a thousand years, Russian history was an uninterrupted story of both internal and external political violence from which occasionally emerged rules of legend. In "Chronicle of the Russian Tsars" The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Rulers of Imperial Russia" by historian and author David Warnes provides a comprehensive 224-page history that draws upon original source materials (including personal letters, contemporary historical documents, and maps of major battles) to provide a detailed, chronologically organized history of the reign of each of the twenty-six tsars who held the throne of the Russian empire. Profusely illustrated throughout, "Chronicle of the Russian Tsars" provides succinct biographies of the tsars, time lines, genealogical information. Of special note are the more than ninety 'sidebars' and special features providing social, cultural, and technological contextual information. Ideal for students researching Russian history, "Chronicle of the Russian Tsars" is also highly recommended as informed and informative reading for non-specialist general readers with an interest in the tsars of Russia.

5 comments about Nicholas And Alexandra.

1. This is an all-encompassing authoritative biography of the last ruling Romanovs, and Massie has compiled a thorough and well-researched insight into the lives of Nicholas and Alexandra. Even forty years after its original publication and long after the fall of the Soviet Union, it is a relevant part of Russian history. Massie is very sympathetic in his presentation of the royal family and addresses pertinent questions about the fall of the monarchy. If Alexis, the heir to the throne, had not had hemophilia, would the influence of Rasputin not have been necessary? And if Rasputin were never in the picture, would the monarchy have suffered such a tarnished reputation?
   
   The book painted a very vivid picture of the Royal Family based on hundreds of sources and letters. Nicholas is an incapable Tsar but a warm-hearted, devoted husband and father. Alexandra seems frantic and ill at ease (and often just ill) in her constant concern over the life of her son. And I love that I felt I got to know each of the children, Olga, Tatiana, Marie, Anastasia, and Alexis more individually and personally. This made their demise all the more heartbreaking. This book also gave me a greater understanding of the political climate of the time in Russia and a better comprehension of the revolution and the roles of Lenin, Trotsky, and other important players (although I occasionally found some difficulty keeping the various Russian names straight). Overall, this is a captivating book and the saga is all the more intriguing because it's history. I will definitely be interested to read some of the more recent material that Massie presents in The Romanovs: The Last Chapter.



2. Although this is not an historical novel, it almost reads like one. It is an in-depth (character analysis?) of the Romanovs, taking the reader step by step to the events that led to the downfall of the Romanovs. As you're reading, you can almost hear yourself say to the Romanovs, "Don't do that! It will lead to your destruction!" But of course you can't and the rest is history. A well written book, logically flowing to tell you the who's, what's and why's of the Romanovs. Anyone who is a Russian hisotry fan will love this book.



3. Here we have an aggregation of factual stories which effectively summarizes multiple historical events, chiefly of late-period Tsarist Russia, delivered by Robert K. Massie in the artful style of a great novelist.
   
   The principal theme is that of the marriage and family life of Tsar Nicholas [Romanov] II and his wife, the German Princess Alexandra, their privileged fairy tale existence with their five children, and their tragic and sudden fall, (and subsequent murders perpetrated by the Bolsheviks.)
   
   A parallel story craftily unfolds regarding Grigory Rasputin, the so-called "Mad Monk," and how, though a comedy of tragic errors, Rasputin's remarkable and almost mystical influence over the Tsarina Alexandra and her weak husband gave rise to Lenin's successful conversion of the Russian government to that of Bolshevism (Communism.)
   
   A third tale is more medical and genetic than it is historic, that of hemophilia. The Tsarevich (Nicholas II's heir and only son, Alexis) was a hemophiliac, a disease which the child inherited through his great-grandmother, Queen Victoria of England. It was Rasputin who seemed to keep this child alive during times of medical crisis and thus cemented the Tsarina's unswayable belief in his apparently godly powers of healing. Unfortunately for the Tsar, she also fell under Rasputin's phenomenal influence in other realms of opinion, mainly that of how Russia could best be governed during a raging European war.
   
   All these chronicles are woven into one excellent timeline and account of the Russian Monarchy's decline, culminating in tragedy for nearly all involved.
   
   If there is a void in this tale, it's perhaps lacking a Dostoyevsky-ish paradigm on the plight of the Russian people during this turbulent period, a facet which was equally key to the events which transpired. While this actuality is mentioned as a matter of fact, I didn't feel that this important aspect of the legacy was driven home to the reader. Still, supplementary reading of the fiction of Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Turgenev, Lyeskov, and other notable Russian masters of period literature can fill in the gaps which Massie apparently felt unable to cover. Granted, such explorations may well have turned this fine history book into a burdensome tome since there is so much to say on the topic of Russian peasant misery.
   
   A superb (if little known) non-fiction work which conveys the plight of the Russian people prior to and during this bleak era was written by Prince Peter Kropotkin in biographical form: Memoirs of a Revolutionist (Collected Works of Peter Kropotkin).
   
   The author, Robert K. Massie, adopts the "linear" view of the sudden fall of the Romanov dynasty. To garner the entirety of what actually transpired during the Russian Revolution(s) [1905 and 1917] in detail, it would perhaps be better to read a text on that specific facet of history: A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924. Figes is a renowned and widely-published authority on Russian history.
   
   The bigger picture of Massie's written legacy is that of the general madness which ultimately consumed most Monarchies from within -- the inevitable end seems nearly always to culminate with the extravagance and opulence on the parts of the royals and the nobility, and their appurtenant obliviousness and hubristic attitude toward the inevitable extreme poverty of the masses. In other words, the royals begin dwelling on their personal belief that they are indeed demi-gods. Throughout the text here, that historically factual concept is plainly conveyed to the reader.
   
   This book was written in 1967 and for that reason, Massie got decoyed by Nicholas Sokolov's somewhat flawed investigation [1919] of the mass murder of the Romanovs. Sokolov's difficult inquiry was generally a good one; however, we now know that his conclusions concerning the final disposition of the corpses of Nicholas, Alexandra, and their children was incorrect. They were not tossed down a mine shaft... they were buried in fairly shallow graves.
   
   Due chiefly to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent fall of the Soviet dictatorship, modern investigation teams have now been able to actually recover the remains of most of the Romanovs from their long-secret graves. The primary issue of contention which remains (between two separate teams of investigators) is whether it is Marie or Anastasia who continues to be unrecovered. This question will likely be resolved to the satisfaction of most at some later date. The Tsarevitch's mortal relics also remain missing.
   
   Some would say that the Romanovs got precisely what they deserved while others would assert that their demise was a shameful national tragedy. Thankfully, Massie allows the individual reader to make this determination.
   
   In summary, this is an outstanding book, nicely illustrated with several pages of relevant black-and-white photographs, and I know of no superior choice on the topic which covers all the aspects which this one does -- I highly recommend it. And if you would like to see this fine work brilliantly conveyed through the media of film, then be sure to see the 1974 BBC mini-series production of: Fall of Eagles.



4. I read historical biography for fun in my spare time and this is definitely one of the best of the genre I have ever read. Absorbingly written, this love story is one I will not soon forget. Massey humanizes Nicholas, Alexandra, their children and those that were close to them and makes them come alive. I will be reading the follow up book by the same author as soon as I find the time.
   
   I've given my copy of this book to my mother to read (another historical biography buff) and she loves it.



5. I absolutely love this book. Robert Massie presents Nicholas and Alexandra in the most human terms, more loving parents and partners than tsar and tsarina. The writing is superb, and transports the reader to this tumultuous time and space. History may not have treated Nicholas and Alexandra very kindly, but you can't help but empathize with their plight after reading Massie's incredible portrait of their lives. I am so touched at the intimacy of their family relationshiops, and they seem like lovely people, but maybe a little dense. Perhaps they were just not qualified or prepared to rule over the largest empire in the world. I picked this book up at a flea market years ago, and it's been sitting on a shelf unread because I thought it might be too academic or boring. I couldn't have been more wrong. My copy is from the late 1960s, and this book is still in print, if that speaks to the quality of the biography. I have just ordered The Romanovs - the Final Chapter by the same author, as I'm obsessed and want to know more about the last royal family of Russia. I also have Peter the Great, for which Massie was given the Pulitzer prize, on my To Read list. This is honestly one of the best books I have read in years. It has earned a place in my permanent collection.