Romanov Autumn: Stories from the Last Century of Imperial Russia (Taschen Specials) [Paperback]

Charlotte Zeepvat (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2000 | Series: Taschen Specials

The Romanov dynasty ruled Russia for a little over 300 years. The story of the dynasty's dramatic end has exerted a lasting fascination. This book seeks to widen the picture, looking at the lives of members of the family during the last century of imperial rule, and setting this into the context of the grand palaces in which they lived. It was a time of contrasts, a period in which the Tsars reached the peak of their wealth, prestige and power, yet also faced the growth of forces which would destroy them. In 1817, 100 years before the Revolution, the first Nicholas and Alexander were married in the Winter Palace. This book tells their story, and the stories of their successors, Alexander II, Alexander III and Nicholas II, each trying to steer their own course. It also looks at the lives of their sisters and brothers, and other members of the large Russian royal family, detailing their daily lives.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Zeepvat has written extensively on various royal figures, and she is a historical consultant for Royalty Digest. In examining the last century of the Romanov dynasty, she has not provided a conventional narrative history. Rather, by concentrating on the lives of selected members of the imperial family and the elaborate homes in which they lived, Zeepvat shines light on the quirks, attitudes, and fatal weaknesses of a doomed ruling class. Many of her subjects hardly seem worthy of the attention, but some of the more obscure subjects are revealed as individuals of great substance and courage. The illustrations highlight the lush life of royalty amidst the grinding poverty that oppressed most Russians. Zeepvat tends to treat the Romanovs as though they were functioning on a plane isolated from the rest of society, and perhaps they were. While serious historians will find little of value here, royalty junkies can have a field day. Jay Freeman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"'...a signficant advance in our understanding of the last century of Imperial Russia...full of entertaining and fascinating character portraits...an Impressive achievement' Royalty Digest; '...explores in fascinating detail how the Romanov family came under threat during the 19th century' Sunday Express"

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: The History Press (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750927399
• ISBN-13: 978-0750927390
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,113,363 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Romanov Autumn--A Celebration for Russian History Buffs, August 16, 2000

By 

LEIGH E MORRIS (LA PORTE, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Romanov Autumn (Hardcover)

The author has done a superb job of providing insights into the Romanovs, their personalities, their quirks, their passions, and their relationships. It is an collection of short stories, each of which stands on its own, but in combination it is a provides insights I haven't found in over 300 books I've read on the Romanovs and their times. For anyone who has even a minor interest in Russian history, this book should be must reading. For a Russophile, it is a banquet of good reading and wonderful insights.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, an author who tells a story of the rest ., January 29, 2002

By 

Moe811 (New York USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Romanov Autumn: Stories from the Last Century of Imperial Russia (Taschen Specials) (Paperback)

Most books on Russia begin and end with Nicholas II and Alexandra with a little Ivan, Peter and Catherine. This huge family has more than a few interesting members and the author of this book has included many of them. The theme is the last century of the Romanov empire, and the author tells many interesting stories of Romanovs, their relatives and even a chapter on their English nannies. I loved the book. The family trees were more detailed than most I have read, and the family relationships are explained to some extent. I will definitely read more of this author's work.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good stuff to feed a Romanov junkie's habit, December 12, 2000

By 

"rachel_ursula" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Romanov Autumn (Hardcover)

Lots of pictures & anecdotes that I have NOT seen in my many, many other Romanov books. The family trees are very complete. The book does NOT cover the same tired Nicholas & Alexandra stories. That is the strength of the book. The weaknesses of the book: could be better edited: it is missing a few lines in family trees, uses different names for the same person (Ella and Elisabeth, Ksenia and Xenia). The book can be hard to follow, but that is the fault of the material, not poor writing. The author talks about the immense whole of the Imperial family, including cousins, grandchildren, nephews etc. where they all seem to have shared the same handful of first names. The author's avoidance of the titles Grand Duke and Duchess is a real annoyance. I enjoyed the book a lot, it was a challenging read, I kept referring back to the family trees, all the time.