Download or read book The Tsar S Guard written by L. L. Otto and published by Archway Publishing. This book was released on 2014-05-29 with total page 467 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For more than two hundred years, the Tsars private and elite soldiers have been the core of order and stability in civilized Russia. The Imperial Life Guards were formed in 1690, and their reputation is legendary. In southern Ukraine in the 1850s, however, the historic canvas of decay and poisonous alliances are weakening traditional monarchies and governments. Political unrest abounds, and medieval processes are giving way to contemporary acts of insurrection, greed and disloyalty. Growing up in a small village, young Samuel Orloff is obsessed with learning everything he can about his fathers secret past, the Imperial Life Guards, and their mission. Amid a sea of chaotic change, Samuels father rescues Charles Kovnik, an injured Imperial Life Guard, from a creek near their home and nurses him back to life. Now mentored by Charles and bound by inseparable events beyond his control, Samuel discovers life paths are not always chosen as revelations about his familys history become just as important as the realization for his future. The Tsars Guard is the compelling story of a boys coming-of-age journey in mid-nineteenth-century Russia as he attempts to fulfill his dream of becoming one of the Tsars trusted Imperial Life Guards.
Download or read book The Tsar s Guard written by L. L. Otto and published by Archway Publishing. This book was released on 2014-05 with total page 467 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For more than two hundred years, the Tsar's private and elite soldiers have been the core of order and stability in civilized Russia. The Imperial Life Guards were formed in 1690, and their reputation is legendary. In southern Ukraine in the 1850s, however, the historic canvas of decay and poisonous alliances are weakening traditional monarchies and governments. Political unrest abounds, and medieval processes are giving way to contemporary acts of insurrection, greed and disloyalty. Growing up in a small village, young Samuel Orloff is obsessed with learning everything he can about his father's secret past, the Imperial Life Guards, and their mission. Amid a sea of chaotic change, Samuel's father rescues Charles Kovnik, an injured Imperial Life Guard, from a creek near their home and nurses him back to life. Now mentored by Charles and bound by inseparable events beyond his control, Samuel discovers life paths are not always chosen as revelations about his family's history become just as important as the realization for his future. The Tsar's Guard is the compelling story of a boy's coming-of-age journey in mid-nineteenth-century Russia as he attempts to fulfill his dream of becoming one of the Tsar's trusted Imperial Life Guards.
Download or read book The Last of the Tsars written by Robert Service and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-09-05 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A riveting account of the last eighteen months of Tsar Nicholas II's life and reign from one of the finest Russian historians writing today. In March 1917, Nicholas II, the last Tsar of All the Russias, abdicated and the dynasty that had ruled an empire for three hundred years was forced from power by revolution. Now Robert Service, the eminent historian of Russia, examines Nicholas's life and thought from the months before his momentous abdication to his death, with his family, in Ekaterinburg in July 1918. The story has been told many times, but Service's deep understanding of the period and his forensic examination of previously untapped sources, including the Tsar's diaries and recorded conversations, as well as the testimonies of the official inquiry, shed remarkable new light on his troubled reign, also revealing the kind of Russia that Nicholas wanted to emerge from the Great War. The Last of the Tsars is a masterful study of a man who was almost entirely out of his depth, perhaps even willfully so. It is also a compelling account of the social, economic and political ferment in Russia that followed the February Revolution, the Bolshevik seizure of power in October 1917, and the beginnings of Lenin's Soviet socialist republic.
Download or read book Eye of the Red Tsar written by Sam Eastland and published by Bantam. This book was released on 2010-04-27 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Sam Eastland's Shadow Pass. Shortly after midnight on July 17, 1918, the imprisoned family of Tsar Nicholas Romanov was awakened and led down to the basement of the Ipatiev house. There they were summarily executed. Their bodies were hidden away, the location a secret of the Soviet state. A decade later, Pekkala, once the most trusted secret agent of the Romanovs, is now Prisoner 4745-P, banished to a forest on the outskirts of humanity. But the state needs Pekkala one last time. His mission: catch the assassins who slaughtered the Romanovs, locate the royal child rumored to be alive, and give Stalin the international coup he craves. Find the bodies, Pekkala is told, and you will find your freedom. In a land of uneasy alliances and lethal treachery, pursuing clues that have eluded everyone, Pekkala is thrust into the past where he once reigned. There he will meet the man who betrayed him and the woman he loved and lost in the fires of rebellion—and uncover a secret so shocking that it will shake to its core the land he loves.
Download or read book Secret Lives of the Tsars written by Michael Farquhar and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2014-07-08 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Michael Farquhar doesn’t write about history the way, say, Doris Kearns Goodwin does. He writes about history the way Doris Kearns Goodwin’s smart-ass, reprobate kid brother might. I, for one, prefer it.”—Gene Weingarten, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and Washington Post columnist Scandal! Intrigue! Cossacks! Here the world’s most engaging royal historian chronicles the world’s most fascinating imperial dynasty: the Romanovs, whose three-hundred-year reign was remarkable for its shocking violence, spectacular excess, and unimaginable venality. In this incredibly entertaining history, Michael Farquhar collects the best, most captivating true tales of Romanov iniquity. We meet Catherine the Great, with her endless parade of virile young lovers (none of them of the equine variety); her unhinged son, Paul I, who ordered the bones of one of his mother’s paramours dug out of its grave and tossed into a gorge; and Grigori Rasputin, the “Mad Monk,” whose mesmeric domination of the last of the Romanov tsars helped lead to the monarchy’s undoing. From Peter the Great’s penchant for personally beheading his recalcitrant subjects (he kept the severed head of one of his mistresses pickled in alcohol) to Nicholas and Alexandra’s brutal demise at the hands of the Bolsheviks, Secret Lives of the Tsars captures all the splendor and infamy that was Imperial Russia. Praise for Secret Lives of the Tsars “An accessible, exciting narrative . . . Highly recommended for generalists interested in Russian history and those who enjoy the seamier side of past lives.”—Library Journal (starred review) “An excellent condensed version of Russian history . . . a fine tale of history and scandal . . . sure to please general readers and monarchy buffs alike.”—Publishers Weekly “Tales from the nasty lives of global royalty . . . an easy-reading, lightweight history lesson.”—Kirkus Reviews “Readers of this book may get a sense of why Russians are so tolerant of tyrants like Stalin and Putin. Given their history, it probably seems normal.”—The Washington Post
Download or read book The Tsars written by Alexander Ivanov and published by New Word City. This book was released on 2018-12-15 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The tsars of Russia reigned as absolute monarchs long past the time when the authority of other sovereigns had been curtailed. Here, historian Alexander Ivanov reveals their fears and betrayals, privilege and debauchery, conspiracies and rivalries, love and tragedy as they forged Russia into one of the world's greatest empires. No ruler in history has embodied the oppressive domination of these rulers more vividly than Alexander Ivanov's opening subject, Tsar Ivan IV, the first of all the Russian tsars, known to history as Ivan the Terrible. Although a gifted ruler who did much to unite and improve the conditions in his primitive country, Ivan was also a notorious sadist who delighted in torturing and murdering anyone who displeased him. Ivan's death in 1584 ushered in the Time of Troubles, thirty-five years of famine, plague, and war that crippled the nation. A series of rulers attempted to cope with the devastation, beginning with Ivan's successor Boris Godunov. Finally, grasping for stability, Russia's nobles begged young Michael Romanov, the great-nephew of Ivan's beloved wife Anastasia, to take the throne. Michael successfully united the war-torn and ravaged nation and founded a dynasty that would rule for 300 years. The Romanov line produced Russia's most brilliant yet most unconventional sovereign: Peter the Great, a towering figure of a man whose restless, creative mind led him on an inexorable quest to modernize and civilize the still backward nation. The reforms he enacted so enraged nobles and peasants alike that Peter had to quash a series of rebellions to keep his crown. Ruthlessly stifling dissent and massacring rebels, he ultimately cowed the Russian people into submission, achieving a legacy that nearly equaled his ambitions. It was left to a woman - and a foreigner, at that - to lead the nation further out of the darkness. German princess Sophie Friederike Auguste of Anhalt-Zerbst, known to the world as Catherine the Great, absorbed the principles of the eighteenth-century Enlightenment and applied them to a country built on the backs of millions of serfs. However ineffective some of her policies, in the end, she made Russia a major player on the European stage. Serfdom was finally abolished in the nineteenth century, but it would be decades before Russian peasants could own land of their own and learn to farm it productively. The boyars and tsars clung to power until the Bolshevik revolution of 1917. The sad fate of the last tsar, Nicholas II, and his family, marked the end of the absolute power that Ivan the Terrible had so exploited. The abuses would continue but under a new and drastically different form of government.
Download or read book Khovanchtchina written by Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky and published by . This book was released on 1913 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Last Tsar written by Edvard Radzinsky and published by Anchor. This book was released on 2011-03-30 with total page 522 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Russian playwright and historian Radzinsky mines sources never before available to create a fascinating portrait of the monarch, and a minute-by-minute account of his terrifying last days.
Download or read book Pillars of Monarchy written by Philip Mansel and published by Quartet Books (UK). This book was released on 1984 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Tsar s Doctor written by Mary McGrigor and published by Birlinn. This book was released on 2013-03-08 with total page 309 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Born in Kincardine in 1767, James Wylie became one of the most celebrated doctors in Europe and the centre of two of the most fascinating and enduring conspiracy theories in Russian history. Having performed the first tracheotomy operation to be carried out in Russia on Count Kutaisof, one of the Tsar Paul I's favourites, Wylie was made the Tsar's personal doctor. When the Tsar was assassinated in March 1801, Wylie made his first steps into infamy when he signed the death certificate, mysteriously giving apoplexy, in place of strangulation, as the cause. Wylie went on to serve the Tsar's son, Alexander I, devotedly for twenty-four years; he was with him at Tilsit, when he concluded a treaty with Napoleon and was as a field surgeon at the battles of Austerlitz, Jenna and at Borodino where he reputedly carried out 200 operations on the field. Tolstoy is thought to have made him the doctor who features in War and Peace. Following Napoleon's defeat, Wylie accompanied Alexander on his triumphant entry into Paris and subsequently went with him to England, where the Prince Regent knighted him at the Tsar's special request. Following the Treaty of Vienna, Alexander returned to Russia before travelling to the Crimea - where he contracted Crimean fever. In spite of Wylie's protestations, the Tsar refused to take any form of medication and died soon afterwards. Once again Wylie signed the death certificate, but rumour soon spread through the Empire that the Tsar, who had become intensely religious, had escaped to live in Siberia where, some time later, he emerged as a visionary monk. In The Tsars' Doctor, Mary McGrigor unravels the many mysteries surrounding Wylie's life and his involvement with the Romanov dynasty, using contemporary evidence and Wylie's own diaries to examine the details of his great achievements and his participation in several of the most momentous events in 19th century Russian history.
Download or read book The Tsars and the East written by and published by Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. This book was released on 2009 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Renegades Rebels and Rogues Under the Tsars written by Peter Julicher and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2003-08-25 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the Russia of the tsars, people who criticized or questioned the autocratic prerogatives of the sovereign were brutally suppressed and sometimes actively persecuted. So imbedded was this official hostility to anyone hoping to change or even influence government policy, that even the most high-minded reformers came to understand that the only way they could succeed was to overthrow the regime. The author describes the activities of the most important dissidents and agitators from the reign of Ivan the Terrible to Nicholas II and the Communist Revolution in 1917. Many of these fascinating individuals were serious activists endeavoring to improve society; others were opportunistic scoundrels and adventurers. The author explores the causes that provoked them and the consequences they faced, and explains how time and time again the tsars were goaded into mistakes and over-reaction.
Download or read book The Greatest Russian Fairy Tales Fables With Original Illustrations written by Arthur Ransome and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2023-11-20 with total page 952 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 'The Greatest Russian Fairy Tales & Fables (With Original Illustrations),' readers are presented with a treasure trove of narrative richness, encapsulating the profound depths of Russian folklore. This anthology spans a broad spectrum of literary styles, from the mystical and moral to the whimsical and allegorical, all underpinned by the cultural fabric that is uniquely Russian. The collection distinguishes itself not only through the diversity of its tales but also through its enlistment of original illustrations, which serve to enhance the reader's immersion into these storied worlds. Highlighted within are narratives that pierce the heart of Russia's folkloric tradition, offering a literary mosaic that is as enchanted as it is enlightening. The contributing authors and illustrators - Arthur Ransome, Valery Carrick, W. R. S. Ralston, and Nisbat Bain - each bring their own unique lens to the anthology, informed by their respective backgrounds in storytelling, folklore research, and translation. Their collective effort bridges the gap between Eastern European literary traditions and Western readership, offering a vibrant portrayal of Russian cultural heritage. As the world of Russian fables is deeply intertwined with the nation's history, mythology, and societal norms, the anthology presents a compelling cross-section of the cultural and historical landscape from which these tales spring. For enthusiasts of folklore and aficionados of literary variety, 'The Greatest Russian Fairy Tales & Fables (With Original Illustrations)' is an indispensable addition to one's library. It not only invites readers to traverse the vast and varied terrains of Russian folklore but also offers a unique lens through which to explore the intricacies of human nature, morality, and imagination. This collection, rich in cultural significance and literary merit, promises a journey into the heart of Russia's storied past, making it an educational and enlightening exploration of one of the world's most mesmerizing storytelling traditions.
Download or read book The Big Book of Fairytales Fantasy Classics written by Lewis Carroll and published by DigiCat. This book was released on 2023-11-15 with total page 7275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Big Book of Fairytales & Fantasy Classics' draws together an impressive array of narratives, weaving a rich tapestry of magic, whimsy, and profound insight. This collection is marked by its diversity, showcasing a range of literary styles from the Victorian enchanted forests to the daring adventures of the early 20th century. It is a seminal anthology that brings to light the profound impact these genres have had on the literary landscape, featuring works that have captivated readers' imaginations for generations. The anthology, without focusing on individual authors, highlights significant contributions that have become benchmarks of the fantasy and fairytale genres. The contributing authors, including luminaries such as Lewis Carroll and Hans Christian Andersen, bring a wealth of background that spans continents and centuries. Collectively, they represent pivotal movements in literature, from Romanticism to the nascent steps of Modernism, embedding their tales with cultural and moral complexities that resonate well beyond their immediate context. Their collective contributions underscore the enduring relevance and adaptability of fairy tales and fantasy, reflecting both the universality and the unique cultural heritage of these stories. 'The Big Book of Fairytales & Fantasy Classics' is an indispensable volume for anyone looking to explore the depth and breadth of imaginative storytelling. It offers readers a unique opportunity to dive into a confluence of narrative richness and diversity, challenging and delighting in equal measure. This anthology serves not just as a testament to the power of fantasy and fairytales to speak across generations but also as a vibrant conversation between some of the most influential voices in literary history. For scholars, enthusiasts, and casual readers alike, this collection promises an enriching journey through the realms of the extraordinary, fostering a deeper appreciation for the art of storytelling.
Download or read book The Greatest Fairytales Of All Time written by Lewis Carroll and published by DigiCat. This book was released on 2023-11-16 with total page 7274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Greatest Fairytales of All Time' presents an unparalleled collection that weaves through the rich tapestry of fairy tale tradition, encompassing a wide array of literary styles from the whimsical to the profound. This anthology captures the essence of cultural storytelling, showcasing the diversity and significance of its contents by bringing together iconic tales that have stood the test of time. The works within this compilation vary from the fantastical wonderlands of Lewis Carroll to the poignant social critiques of Oscar Wilde, illustrating the broad spectrum of human experience and imagination encapsulated in the fairy tale genre. The inclusion of lesser-known gems alongside universally celebrated stories offers readers a comprehensive insight into the genre's developmental narrative and its ability to convey complex truths through simple tales. The contributing authors and editors, spanning across the 19th and early 20th centuries, are luminaries in their own rights, with each bringing a unique cultural and literary perspective to the anthology. This collection is situated at the confluence of numerous literary movements—from Romanticism to Symbolism— and reflects the societal transition from oral folk traditions to printed literary works. The diversity of backgrounds, from the Brothers Grimm's Germanic folklore to Hans Christian Andersen's Danish tales, underlines the universal appeal and adaptability of fairy tales across different cultures and epochs. Their collective contributions embody the evolution of the fairy tale, enriching the reader's understanding of its enduring legacy and relevance. 'The Greatest Fairytales of All Time' is an indispensable resource for anyone keen on exploring the depths of human imagination and the variety of ways it has been manifested in literature. It serves as a valuable educational tool, offering insights into the historical and cultural contexts of these timeless stories. Moreover, this anthology invites readers into a dialogue spanning centuries, encouraging a deeper appreciation of how these divergent narratives mirror the complexities of human nature and society. This collection promises not just entertainment, but a profound engagement with the world's shared heritage of storytelling.
Download or read book The Wonderful Land of Bed Time Stories written by Lewis Carroll and published by DigiCat. This book was released on 2023-11-16 with total page 10380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Wonderful Land of Bed-Time Stories is an anthology that weaves together a rich tapestry of tales from a bevy of illustrious authors, embracing a wide array of literary styles from fairy tales to animal stories, and classic children's literature. With contributions from the minds behind Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Importance of Being Earnest, Treasure Island, and many more, this collection stands as a testament to the diversity and significance of storytelling across generations and cultures. Highlighted within are narratives that have shaped the contours of childhood imagination, each story a gem contributing to the overarching themes of adventure, morality, and the nuances of human (and animal) emotion. The remarkable variety within this compendium ensures the presence of a magical story for every reader. The contributing authors and editors, ranging from Lewis Carroll to Hans Christian Andersen, and including figures like Beatrix Potter and Rudyard Kipling, offer an anthology that spans the breadth of the 19th and early 20th centuries, encapsulating pivotal moments in literature. These writers, many of whom were pioneers in their respective genres, collectively represent a historical and cultural mosaic that enriched the literary landscape of their time. Their backgrounds, from varying corners of the world, provide a multifaceted exploration of societal norms, triumphs, and struggles through the lens of fantastical and heartwarming tales. The Wonderful Land of Bed-Time Stories is an indispensable collection for those who wish to delve into the world of literature that has charmed and educated generations. It offers readers the unique opportunity to traverse the myriad landscapes fashioned by these master storytellers. This anthology is more than a journey through the annals of literary history; it is a voyage that spans the spectrum of human emotion and the complexities of the world through the simplicity of children's stories. Ideal for scholars, educators, and anyone with a keen interest in the evolution of story-telling, this book illuminates the power of literature to transcend time, teaching timeless morals and showcasing the art of narrative in its most enchanting forms.
Download or read book Tsars and Imposters written by Daniel H. Shubin and published by Algora Publishing. This book was released on 2009 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Russia in its "time of troubles," 1598-1613, is the subject of prolific freelance writer Shubin's new book. The author describes this work as his translation and adaptation into English of a variety of famous works, which he actually lists, a welcome departure from the common practice of a number of best-selling popular histories, such as Henri Troyat's Ivan le Terrible (1982), which shamelessly raided the pages of famous historians like N.M. Karamzin with scarcely a nod. However, Shubin's method does not conform to the standards of professional history, and it raises obvious questions about intended readership. In addition, the lack of any but discursive or informative footnotes makes it difficult to know who is being translated and adapted. Actually, The "author" (if that is the proper term here) has arranged the material better than one would expect, and even made it useful for totally uninformed readers just setting out to explore the subject. However it would be so much better for beginners to turn to complete translations of Shubin's sources, a number of which long have been available from Academic International Press.
