Customer Reviews

White Crow: The Life and Times of the Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich Romanov, 1859-1919

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This is the first full length English biography of Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich Romanov of Russia. The Grand Duke was the eldest of the 4 sons and 1 daughter of Grand Duke Mikhail Nicholaevich and spent most of his youth in the Caucasus where his father was Viceroy.

In later life Nicholas was a well known and respected historian. His works on Russian history and butterflies (both of them passions) are still respected today within in Russia. These interests of Nicholas and his genuine scholarship, along with his love and respect for France and its political systems made him an atypical Romanov.

This is a reasonably detailed and well researched biography that uses primary sources mostly from Russia and France. The author does not hide the Grand Dukes acerbic and cynical nature or try to gloss over his more unattractive traits such as his inability to keep a secret or his anti-Semitism.

However, at the same time the book does not really seem to pinpoint why the Grand Duke was a "Pariah in the Family". The period of Nicholas life during the Russian revolution and the months leading to his death are particularly well documented in some detail, especially in comparison to some of his earlier years.

This book is an important work in filling out the world of the Romanovs and brings to life a Grand Duke, who in most western works, has lived his life in the shadows until now - but who in France and Russia in his day was a celebrity based on ability as much as his imperial birth.

I would agree with comments above from other reviewers. This provides a very well written and superbly documented perspective on a "new" Romanov. The histories of the tsars can tend to be a bit reptitious.

Disappointment in the Grand Duke or "White Crow": While he is different than others, he is still an Imperial Romanov with all of the accompanying trappings and weight that pulled this house down. The times may be of more far more interest than the life.

Book production shortcomings: If ever a family tree would be useful, it is for this book. And how about a few more photos on quality paper? No dustcover. For the amazingly high price, this is a poorly produced book. Is the demand that low?

A fine book for those with a deep interest in pre-revolutionary Russia. This is not a book, as well done as it is, for the newer student of Russian history.

I found this to be a refreshing and absolutely fascinating book about a "minor" member of the Romanov family (because he was intelligent, intellectual and hardworking). I think I have read all the Romanov biographies published in French or English, and I hated for this one to end!

I believe it does depict why Nicholas Mikhailovich was a pariah in the Romanov family, from the "White Crow" title on, although it is helpful if the reader can bring some knowledge to the book (beyond Nicholas and Alexandra), but it isn't essential.

I highly recommend this book to anyone fascinated by European literary and historical culture of the late 19th century, and to anyone whose interest in Imperial Russia goes deeper than wondering if anyone survived the massacre in Ekaterinburg -- this sheds some life on why they ended up there!