Customer Reviews

Tsar: The Lost World of Nicholas and Alexandra

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If you are a Nicholas and Alexandra fan and can only have one book in your collection, Tsar: The Lost World of Nicholas and Alexandra by Peter Kurth is that book. There is not a book around that is so stunningly beautiful, or that brings the world of Nicholas and Alexandra to life as this one does.

Unlike many coffee-table books, Tsar gives a comprehensive history of the story of Nicholas and Alexandra from their childhoods to their captivity and death. It also details the discovery of their remains, although it was published just prior to their state burial in 1998. The one negative about the text is that Kurth displays a thinly veiled endorsement of Anna Anderson actually being Anastasia. I don't care how similar they may have looked-show me the DNA.

But the true story is told through the unbelievable pictures and paintings of both the past and present. It is in these that Tsar: The Lost World truly excels. These photographs not only show the beauty of their lives, but also are haunting in that they reveal the true tragedy of the last tsar and his family. Many before and after pictures are used to show the amazing contrast. They include The Winter Palace today, and when it was used as a World War I hospital. Or the tranquil photo of the Palace Square during a snowfall today vs. the Bloody Sunday Massacre scene. Especially tragic are the pictures of the imperial children along with modern day photos of their toys and playthings. They truly were innocent victims in this saga. The pictures of the royal residences are larger than life (many in color) and are alone worth the price of this book. They include The Alexander Palace, The Catherine Palace, The Winter Palace, Peterhof, Livadia and Gatchina. It's eerie to see these places today, now so quiet, tranquil and vacant. A good number of the photos in Tsar are previously unpublished, and many are from palaces and rooms that are not open to the public. Even a die-hard Romanov fan will find something new here.

But for all the beauty of the Romanov's lifestyle, Kurth also shows the flip side including the dead Rasputin, the skeletan remains of the Romanovs, piles of World War I dead, trampled victims from Khodynka (the coronation celebration turned deadly), crumbling buildings, and photos showing the cellar in the Ipatiev House soon after Nicholas and family were brutally murdered there. They're all very sobering, indeed. Tsar also features an introduction by Edward Radzinsky, the noted author of The Last Tsar.

So, if you are looking for a book that truly reflects the beauty and tragedy of Nicholas and Alexandra, Tsar: The Lost World is a must. But do yourself a favor and stick with the hardback version. It is a much more impressive book than the softbound version and one you will treasure for years.

I've read about the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II, and his family for years, but I never felt like I really understood their lives and their lifestyle until I bought and read this book. The text is an interesting historical summation, but it doesn't reveal anything your average student of Russian history wouldn't already know. What is so special about this book is the pictures. Beautiful full-color photos of the magnificient palaces and locations frequented by the Russian royal family are displayed next to a comprehensive collection of historical photos from the era. In addition to the classic royal portraits you have probably seen, there are many candid photos of the family going about their daily life. Frequently, a historical picture is shown next to a gorgeous contemporary photograph of the same locale. For example, a black and white photograph of two of the Grand Duchess rowing past the "children's island" at Tsarkoe Selo is shown with a brilliantly colored picture of the same spot as it looks today. Thanks to these beautiful photographs, I have a whole new appreciation of the incredible luxury of the royal surroundings, and what a grand contrast it must have been to the lifestyle of the average Russian peasants.

This large coffee table style book is essentially a visual record of the last Russian Tsar and his family. It features page after page of large photos - the famous black and white family album shots, many not-so-famous pictures of the family at home and their friend and relatives. These are interspersed with colour photographs of relevant locations (e.g. Alexander Palace, site of the former Impatiev House), which are absolutely stunning purely from a visual point of view. Photos of personal objects that belonged to the family - jewelery, letters and toys are also included.

Along with the photos, there is an accompanying text that tells the basic story. It covers the Romanov saga right from Nicholas and Alexandra's childhoods, to their marriage, children, Rasputin, the revolution and the modern day sequel to their story. It is not an academic work, and the information is broad and somewhat lacking in detail. For information on the last Tsar, there are numerous biographies which would serve the inquiring reader better.

But as I said, this is a coffee table book for the lay person.
It is like the "creme caramel" of the Romanov library. Rich, indulgent, a must have, but definately not the main course.

I've watched the documentaries and I've read bits and pieces here and there, but I was more interested in the people behind the huge murder mystery. This book is an awesome combination of personal photographs, royal portraits, letters, diary entries, and facts. I plunged into this book and had most of it read by the next day after I had gotten the book. I found it increasingily hard to finish though; whether it was the subject was getting just too difficult to bear or the story was dragging on at that point, I'm not sure. The personalities of the family really came out as they told the story of their lives in their own words. I picked this book by the sheer shock of the beautiful photos, but I was drawn in by the story. This is a great book and jewel among other Romanov books.

Even if this book would have been compiled with absolutely no text, I still would've bought it for the photos alone. The only way to describe it is an extremely rich and lush indulgance. One of life's few not-so-guilty pleasures.

The comparison photos add a new touch to an 'old' story; it helps a person to put things into proper perspective. The pictures alone tell their own tale; the text gives us no new information and is often somewhat melodramatic. In short, it's really not needed- especially for someone who's well-versed in the tragic story of Tsar Nicholas II and his family.

But oh! Those photos!

This book is a work of art and obviously a labour of love from a dedicated and accurate researcher and author. It gives the most comprehensive and all encompassing coverage of one of the most fascinating yet tragic families that ever lived. I have cried over this book and it has transported me time and time again to a place in history that I can only imagine. It is a beautiful testament to the Romanov family and I reccomend it thoroughly for not only those not familiar with the story but collectors as well. It is certainly the pride of my Romanov collection.

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.

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.

This is truly the best Romanov book ever made. Not only does it cover everything from Nichols and Alix's meeting to the controversial bones found in Ekaterinburg, it offers a wide variety of beautiful images of the Romanov family and the beautiful palaces. The most luxurious is without a doubt the Catherine Palace. My favorite part of the book is where Peter Kurth gives a balanced unbiased account on Anna Anderson, who may or may not have been the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nicholaevna, despite damning DNA results which supposedly proved her not just an imposter, but a Polish farm girl born in the late 19th century who was 5'6 and wore a size '39 shoe and could not have posessed such intimate knowledge of the Romanov family's stay in Tobolsk which was later confirmed by Charles Sydney if she were indeed an imposter. This is the ultimate, true book on the Romanovs.

The photos a generally well-presented and wonderfully-selected. The book as a whole presents to the reader a family that is at once normal and extraordinary, silly and stately, casual and imperial, joyful and tragic. Great for the coffee table.