by Candace Fleming
Hennepin County Library hardcover 253 pages
genre: YA non-fiction, history
This is an extremely well-written and interesting book about the Romanov family and what happened in Russia at the end of their rule. The photographs and primary source excerpts (letters, diaries, etc.) are invaluable to understanding what happened. I especially love that the author balanced the Romanov story with what was happening in the lives of peasants and workers. The contrast could not be more stark! It stuns me that Nicolas II and Alexandra had no clue how impoverished their people were. And I am very creeped out that the empress' fascination with icons and religion allowed her to be so swayed by Rasputin.
As much as I enjoyed this book, I probably won't buy it for PRMS. My students don't use non-fiction books much (except for history day research) and I can't possibly afford all the titles that might be useful. Sad truth.
Page 234 - makes me want to re-read The Kitchen Boy. "He (Yurovsky) ordered the kitchen boy, Leonid Sednev, to pack his things. . . . In truth, the commandant did not want the fourteen-year-old to be among the murder victims." I know TKB (Zimmerman) is fiction, but it was one of the first books I ever read relating to the Romanov murders and it captured my attention.
In her bibliography, Fleming writes about the importance of primary resources. "The heart of all research is the firsthand accounts and eyewitness testimonies of those who lived through an historical event." Perhaps I should buy this book for my collection, just to share the power of primary sources for my young researchers! She goes on to talk about the power of first-person accounts and different perspectives. Good stuff.
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