Tag: history-russia • BookLikes

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review 2016-08-06 22:01

The Romanovs: 1613-1918 - Simon Sebag Montefiore

I picked up the audio of this for two reasons. The first is that after reading Romanovs: Ruling Russia 1613-1917 I wanted to know more. For some reason, I didn't know that Catherine the Great was a Romanov, so I figured I should know more. Second, Beale does the audio, and he is great.

So dense, and to be honest, the section about the fall (i.e. Nicholas) was the weakest to me for some reason. I think because he didn't seem to find the last members as interesting as the founding members (or maybe because of the reading I have done about Faberge I found it repetitive), but a good solid history.

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review 2016-05-31 16:01

Chris' Fish Place

Memories: From Moscow to the Black Sea - Teffi,Irina Steinberg,Anne Marie Jackson,Robert Chandler,Elizabeth Chandler,Edythe C. Haber

This is just beautiful. Absolutely beautiful in places. This is Teffi's account of her journey out of Revolutionary Russia. It has beauty, humor, and sorrow.

Thank NYRB Book Club, thank you.

(May 2016 selection)

history russia diaries memoirs autobiogrphy 2016

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review 2016-03-01 20:19

Chris' Fish Place

Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident - Donnie Eichar

So depending on when you catch me this book is a 2.5 or a 3. Eichar's conclusion about what killed the Dyatlov hikers seems sound, but there are parts of this book that are just, quite frankly, filler. Furthermore, Eichar renders himself unlikable in a couple places, in particular when commenting about the only survivor of the group. This man survived because he was unable to continue the hike. He does not return to the place with Eichar, who doesn't seem to understand returning to where your friends died might not be something you wanted to do as opposed to simply not being strong enough. Also it seems likely that a Russian might have been on the path of the same conclusion Eichar reaches, but simply lacked the funding and connections.

Still, the descriptions of the hikers as well as the analysis seems pretty sound and the writing is pretty good, even gripping at times.

Kindle history russia 2016 climb tbr

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review 2016-01-16 20:03

Chris' Fish Place

Words Will Break Cement: The Passion of Pussy Riot - Masha Gessen

I really don't get much performance art; I'm sorry. Most of what I have seen strikes me as silly or just a desire to shock. Yet, I still think it is a legit form of protest or art. I just don't like it.

Let's be honest, some of the art that Pussy Riot undertook is not my thing at all. And like much performance and much street art, you can argue about breaking the law all day long. Regardless, Pussy Riot was also a protest group, and in many ways reaction to them was based on the protest.

Gessen, no fan of Putin herself, chronicles the group, and in particular the lives of the three women who were charged. It is rather even-handed, and regardless of how you feel about Riot's art in general, the trial should have you shaking your head.

At times the book gets a little slow, but it is well worth the read.

Kindle freedom-of-speech history russia 2016 music dance and stage

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review 2015-10-04 19:13

Chris' Fish Place

Faberg's Eggs: One Man's Masterpieces and the End of an Empire - Toby Faber

Faber seems to lost interest after the fall of the Czars, but who can blame him. It's also rather strange that he seems more concerned about Faberge's sons reaction to their father's activities outside of marriage, and not so much interested in their mother's.

Still, it is a rather good book and does flesh out knowledge of the pieces.

2015 art-history and bio history russia tbr everest history WWI