Russia

A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles

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On the 21st of June 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is escorted from the Kremlin at the heart of Moscow, to the Metropol Hotel. Although he usually occupies one of the most luxurious suites in the Hotel, the count has been assigned a new room, a very small one in the attic. In addition, he is only able to take a few possessions with him from his former residence. Why the sudden upheaval? Because the Count has been sentenced to house arrest by a Bolshevik tribunal. He will now be a permanent resident of the Metropol Hotel, indefinitely. Read More »

The Russian Concubine, by Kate Furnivall

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Set in China in 1928, this book tells the story of Lydia, the young daughter of an exiled Russian aristocrat who fled the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. Due to the circumstances of their departure, Lydia and her mother have very little to live on and survive by various unfortunate means. During one of her forays into the old Chinese part of town, Lydia encounters Chang An Lo, a young communist, who saves her life and, in so doing, binds them together in a future which will take many surprising twists and turns. Read More »