Garden of the Heart: Spiritual Diary (of the Empress Alexandra)

[Jeremiah]

I just came accross this book, published last year. Has anyone read it? It's just 56 pages. Publisher's note:

The spiritual diary of the saint Tsaritsa the Passion Bearer is a treasure that has been kept under wraps for a long time. If it is to reveal to the reader the truth about her pure soul, it is sure to become not as much a historical discovery as a religious one. The original diary from 1917 is a small book bound in fabric with a light blue cover sewn by Alexandra Fyodorovna herself and with a small cross embroidered in the corner. On the inside of the cover, written by the hand of Her Majesty, is a simple “Alix, 1917.”

Anyone who knows anything about it at all?

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Heart-Alexandra-Fyodorovna-Romanova/dp/1533411999/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505423074&sr=8-1&keywords=garden+of+the+heart+alexandra

[Helen]

I have a copy of a book in the Dutch language, the contents of which seem to be a translation of "Darite Lyubov" (https://www.ozon.ru/context/detail/id/6245449/). Its third chapter is entitled "Garden of the Heart" (Сад сердца). This chapter is basically a collection of thoughts, quotes, poems, short excerpts from temporary sources that the Empress copied into a notebook in 1917, whereas the other chapters on marriage and family life contain material from earlier years.  As the publisher wrote: "If it is to reveal to the reader the truth about her pure soul, it is sure to become not as much a historical discovery as a religious one."

Based on your posts on this forum, I think you may find "Garden of the Heart" an interesting and valuable book. However, I'd recommend "Darite Lyubov", including the other chapters.

[pers]

Thank you for the information, I just ordered it through Amazon...

Question, do we know if her 1917 diary has been published in English for those of us who cannot read Russian?

[Helen]

Her ordinary diary for 1918, instead of this 'spiritual' diary, was published in 1997:
"The Last Diary of Tsaritsa Alexandra", edited by  Vladimir Khrustalev and Vladimir Kozlov, with an Introduction by Robert K. Massie:
https://www.amazon.com/Diary-Tsaritsa-Alexandra-Annals-Communism/dp/0300072120/ref=sr_1_35/135-4322580-7525011?ie=UTF8&qid=1505512082&sr=8-35&keywords=robert+massie+books

Her 1917 and 1918 diaries were also edited, annotated and published together by Stephen R. de Angelis:
https://www.bookemon.com/book-profile/empress-alexandra-feodorovna-her-diaries-1917-1918/600257

[Jeremiah]

This chapter is basically a collection of thoughts, quotes, poems, short excerpts from temporary sources that the Empress copied into a notebook in 1917...

Thanks for the valuable information. I appreciate it. I have already ordered the book, but from what you have written, if I understood well, the Garden of the Heart does not contain original writings of Alexandra, only texts that she copied from other books, is that correct?

[Helen]

According to the link to "Garden of the Heart" that you posted – with Look Inside! option – the book “contains extracts from writings that inspired her”. So I suspect that "Garden of the Heart" does not contain any original writings of Alexandra.

My translation of "Darite Lyubov" mentions several sources in the Introduction and on the back cover. Unfortunately, no references for individual thoughts, poems or extracts.

[Jeremiah]

That's sad... I thought I found a treasure...! Thanks.