So, here are some of my favorite dorky books if you are so inclined. I would lend them to you, but you might bend a page or something. So click on the link and go buy your own.
Russian History
From Splendor to Revolution: The Romanov Women, 1847-1928 – Julia P. Gelardi
Nicholas and Alexandra – Robert K. Massie
The Romanovs: The Final Chapter – Robert K. Massie
Tsar: The Lost World of Nicholas and Alexandra – Peter Kurth
The Court of the Last Tsar: Pomp, Power and Pageantry in the Reign of Nicholas II – Greg King
Royal Russia: The Private Albums of the Russian Imperial Family – Carol Townent
Nicholas and Alexandra – George Sergei Vilinbakhov
Jewels of the Romanovs: Family and Court – Stefano Papi
The Romanovs: Love, Power & Tragedy
25 Chapters of My Life: The Memoirs of Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna
Behind the Veil at Russian Court – P. Vasili
The Secret Plot to Save the Tsar – Shay McNeal
Ella: Princess, Saint & Martyr – Christopher Warwick
The Grand Duchesses: Daughters and Granddaughters of Russia’s Tsars
The Lost Fortune of the Last Tsar: William Clarke
The Last Diary of Tsaritsa (hate that term) Alexandra – Robert K. Massie
The Romanovs 1818- 1959 – John van der Kiste
The Camera and the Tsars: Charlotte Zeepvat
Lost Splendor: The Amazing Memoris of the Man Who Killed Rasputin
Chronicle of the Russian Tsars: David Warnes
A Lifelong Passion: Nicholas and Alexandra Their Own Story
The Romanovs and Mr. Gibbes – Frances Welch
Olga Romanov: Russia’s Last Grand Duchess
The Life and Times of Gregorii Rasputin – Alex Dejonge
Rasputin’s Daughter – Robert Alexander
Under Three Tsars - Elizabeth Narishkin Kurakin
Marie Fedorovna: Empress of Russia – E.E.P. Tisdall
British History
The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England – Antonia Fraser
War of the Roses
Tudor
Elizabeth & Mary: Cousins, Rivals Queens – Jane Dunn
The Six Wives of Henry VIII – Alison Weir
Elizabeth the Struggle for the Throne – David Starkey
Every thing ever written by Phillipa Gregory
The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn – E.W. Ives
The Life of Elizabeth I – Alison Weir
House of Hanover
The Duchess – Amanda Foremen (the book the Keira Knightly movie was made from)
Georgina: Duchess of Devonshire
Victorian
Twilight of Splendor: The Court of Queen Victoria
The Evil Empire: 101 Ways that England Ruined the World
Born to Rule – Julia P. Gelardi
Victoria’s Daughters – Jerrold M. Packard
We Two: Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Partners, Rivals – Gillian Gill
Suite Francaise – Irene Nemirovsky
The Lost King of France – Deborah Cadbury
Marie Antoinette: The Journey – Antonia Frasier
Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoniette Wore to the Revolution – Caroline Weber
Paris: The Biography of a City – Colin Jones
European History
In Triumph’s Wake – Julia P. Gelardi
Sex with Kings – Eleanor Herman
A Treasury of Royal Scandals – Michael Farquhar
Sex with the Queen – Eleanor Herman
American History
Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America – Erik Larson ( you must read this if you are going to/or have been to Chicago)
Jackie After Jack – Christopher Andersen
America’s Queen – The Life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
A Season of Splendor: The Court of Mrs. Astor in Gilded Age New York
Gilded: How Newport Became America’s Richest Resort
Consuelo and Alva Vanderbilt: The Story of a Daughter and a Mother in the Gilded Age
Other Stuff
The Scent of Rain and Lightning
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I highly recommend “The Paris Wife.” It’s a great novel that seems almost biographical of Ernest Hemingway’s first wife and their life in Paris.
Heidi
http://oliveobserver.blogspot.com/
I loved your blog from the minute I started reading it now I love it even more! I love history and I am definitely going to be buying or checking these out of the library now!
You read far far too many quality books and I am stuck too far in YA trash but we should be friends on goodreads anyway because you are the type of reader I should strive to be lol!
A friend linked this on facebook and I thought it was incredible-thought you might appreciate it! Photos taken in Russia translated into color from early 1900s: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/08/russia_in_color_a_century_ago.html
Those pictures are incredible!! They are so well restored I wouldn’t even know that they are 100 years old. I hope they find more! Thank you for so much for sharing that!!
Wow, I think I have a new crush and daily blog read. I have almost all of the exact same books. I’m missing some of the French History ones but I have an enormous collection of Russian and British Royal history books. Downtown Abby watching too? Let me swoon now.
Did I mention I am training for my first half marathon? Gee, we could be long lost twin-like 2nd cousins once removed. Okay, maybe you got the faster genes but I could be on to something here. I’ll be back daily to gobble up more of your wit and inspiration. Don’t be frightened, I don’t mean it literally. Usually.
This site keeps getting better.
The pics all made me chortle.
Bill was the icing on the cake.
He looks toasted. Nicely toasted.
The Bookseller of Kabul is a good read, as are Philip Pullman’s dark materials trilogy (if you’re a HP fan).
Tuesday’s with Morrie is one of my faves. Based on a true story and sentimental as fu*k!
Good luck in India. Take some uber strong repellant with high levels of DEET for the mozzies (careful it melts plastic but not your skin?!). Enjoy the chai and NEVER eat meat!! Their cadburys chocolate has a weird anti-melt agent (I’m from the UK and our choccy does melt) I’m not sure if they add this stuff in Texas as its boiling most of the time?
Regarding “Devil in the White City” and visiting Chicago, I highly recommend the Chicago River Architectural Boat Tour. You will see and learn so many interesting things connected to the book.