Nicholas And Alexandra

Nicholas And Alexandra, by Robert Massie. 

This is the second time I've read this book and I have a confession to make.  I don't think I'm any sort of dummy, but the Russian politics really bogged me down and I needed a good map of the former USSR to follow things.  I felt like I needed my legal pad next to me to take notes on all the political shenanigans.  So, true confessions, I skimmed a lot of the more involved political aspects because I was more interested in the day-to-day living of the last Tsar and his family, which I found fascinating.  I also enjoyed the History Channel's episode about it.

Overall, an interesting if very dense and academic read.  A tragic end and even though I couldn't follow all of the political things (I wasn't being tested on it, after all), Nickolas was a pretty good fellow over all and after he was murdered (along with his family), it sure seems like the former USSR just went to hell in a hand basket after that.

Oh, and I'm not even touching the Rasputin thing.

Comments

[loretta]

I agree, it's not an easy read, but since Russia was one of my pet subjects, it wasn't as tedious for me.

The updated revision going into the mtDNA testing on the remains was fascinating and very sad.

[Miz]

I didn't read the book, but did attend a wonderful exhibit entitled Nicholas & Alexandra: At Home With the Last Tsar at the Newark Museum. It was wonderful. The collection consisted of their personal items, from dresses to letters that told a story about the romance between him and his wife. The Romanovs took lots of photographs, so those were a large part of the show. I know the exhibit is on tour across the country; maybe it will be in your area. It is worth seeing.