A Life for the Tsar King/Ashton

[Greg_King]

Just an alert that myself and Janet Ashton have a new book coming out on the coronation of Nicholas II titled "A Life for the Tsar: Triumph and Tragedy at the Coronation of Nicholas II."  This will hopefully provide the most detailed look at the coronation yet available in English, and draws on research in Russian, British, and American archives, as well as rare letters, diary entries, official accounts, obscure memoirs, and eyewitness memoirs to follow Nicholas and Alexandra, royals and factory workers, British radicals and American debutantes, as their experiences unfold in Moscow. A large format, coffee table book brimming with more than 200 rare illustrations and an extensive text, this will be published by Eurohistory in about three weeks.

We hope that everyone finds the book as interesting to read and look at as we did writing it.

[Janet Ashton]

We have just opened up a blog about the book, with a first entry introducing it: - https://coronationofnicholasii.wordpress.com/2016/07/13/a-life-for-the-tsar/

In coming days, we'll be adding more information about writing it, and including some things which had to cut from the book itself due to lack of space. You'll also be able to follow it on Facebook via its page there.

happy reading!

[TimM]

Sounds great.  I'll be sure to order a copy the next time I'm at my local Chapters book store.

[Maria Sisi]

I already own the book "Coronation of Czar Nicholas II. 100th Anniversary, 1896-1996" that was published by Pavlovsk Press in 1996. I has the memories of Francis W. Grenfell, John A. Logan Jr. and Kate Koon Bovey and small photo section. But I'm very excited to see what appears to be a VERY expanded and broadened new publication! It will definitely be in my shopping cart the week it arrives

[Janet Ashton]

I already own the book "Coronation of Czar Nicholas II. 100th Anniversary, 1896-1996" that was published by Pavlovsk Press in 1996. I has the memories of Francis W. Grenfell, John A. Logan Jr. and Kate Koon Bovey and small photo section. But I'm very excited to see what appears to be a VERY expanded and broadened new publication! It will definitely be in my shopping cart the week it arrives

Thanks, Maria Sisi. Yes, it's a very different book to the Pavlovsk Press one, which I understand reprints in full several accounts by participants (Greg has a copy; I don't). Ours doesn't include any full reprints; we use parts of peoples' accounts (loads of them!) to build up a picture that also includes our own views, descriptions and words.

There is definitely a role for both books!

In the meantime, here's today's blog entry about our title: - https://coronationofnicholasii.wordpress.com/2016/07/14/a-life-for-the-tsar-why-we-chose-our-title/

And here's the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LifefortheTsar/ Feel free to "Like" it if you have an account, and you can then follow the updates.

[Greg_King]

I should add that the Pavlovsk Press book only offers selected excerpts from Grenfell, Bovey, and Logan as well, and these were presumably selected because they dealt with the coronation ceremony or a few other events.  As Janet says, we tried to cover a wider approach which takes in the actual experiences of people traveling to Moscow, their sightseeing there, various events, the coronation day, ceremonies that followed, and the Khodynka tragedy.

[TimM]

This is going to be another great book.

[Janet Ashton]

This is going to be another great book.

Thanks, Tim!

To add to what Greg says above about how we have wanted to include peoples' actual experiences of travel to Moscow and seeing sights, I should say that one of my favourite parts of researching the book was finding out about the tourists and journalists who were there. The coronation seemed a very traditional event, but it was super-modern, and that really comes home when you read about organized tours to the coronation, about the issuing of press passes and about the female journalists who went along. The experiences people had in Moscow restaurants and lodgings are a lot of fun. :-)

Today's blog entry is the first part of a list of daily events. This level of detail listing is too much for the book, as it would break up the narrative, but we know some of you will appreciate having it: - 

https://coronationofnicholasii.wordpress.com/2016/07/15/principal-events-in-the-coronation-schedule-pt-1/

[Greg_King]

And....copies of the book are now available.  Below is a link to Eurohistory's page on this, and it can be ordered from Amazon

http://theeuropeanroyalhistoryjournal.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/a-life-for-tsar-triumph-and-tragedy-at.html

Again, we really hope everyone enjoys this - it has been a labor of love for us (and with help from more than a few AP regulars!)

[TimM]

No doubt when I read the acknowledgements page, I'll see some familiar names there. 

Of course, Greg, quite a few books in my collection were authored or co-authored by you.

[Janet Ashton]

Today's blog entry runs through the schedule for the days which include the Tsar's formal entry to Moscow, the true beginning of the coronation ceremonies.

This dazzling procession, which we describe in detail in the book, marked the fact that for the period of the coronation St Petersburg was abandoned, and Moscow became the capital again. This was intended to evoke organic links between monarch, people and church, playing upon Moscow's role as "the city of 40 times 40 churches", repelling invaders of bygone centuries.

Yet the very procession would hint of something different, and those who took part left a jumble of mixed impressions, which you can read about in the book.....

[Greg_King]

Indeed, Tim, and thanks for the kind words!

[TimM]

You're welcome, Greg.

[rgt9w]

Greg and Janet,

I am looking forward to your new book. I have greatly enjoyed your previous works relating to the Romanov dynasty.

[Janet Ashton]

Greg and Janet,

I am looking forward to your new book. I have greatly enjoyed your previous works relating to the Romanov dynasty.

Thank you, rgt9W.

It being July 17th, there's no update on the blog today of the coronation schedule - that will resume next week.

Instead, here are some thoughts about the sad links between Nicholas's murder and the events of 1896, which superficially seem to be worlds apart: -

https://coronationofnicholasii.wordpress.com/2016/07/17/july-17th/