James Blair Lovell books

[niteshade1312]

I was wondering whether anyone might tell me anything about James Blair Lovell? I need a bit of his background for a project and can't seem to find anything!

Hope someone can help me.. anything on the way he wrote abotu Anna Anderson and the "Anastasia" Case!!

[LisaDavidson]

Jimmy Lovell came into AA's life rather late in the game. He was not as astute as Peter Kurth in sorting through the myriad of information about the lady. Lovell took several detours which harmed perceptions of her, including the tale of a fifth daughter, the King Kong story, and the rape story. All of these were untrue.

If you're doing a serious project, I would highly recommend going with Kurth versus Lovell. It's like comparing Meryl Streep with Paris Hilton. Go with Meryl (PK).

[Arleen_Ristau]

I totally agree with Lisa Davidson, I've read the James Lovell book.
Stick to PETER KURTH!  I've got all his books and I love them.

..Arleen

[niteshade1312]

I have to use two historians, and so one I am DEFINATELY using already is Kurth. The other I was thinking, and tossing between is either John Klier and Robert K. Massie. Both have differing points of view in concerns with AA, and even though Massie seems to be a little bit more commerical in his writing, he details more on AA than Klier and Mingay.

Any ideas, or should I maybe try to incorporate a bit of all, with an emphasis on Kurth?

[rskkiya]

Why definately Kurth?

[niteshade1312]

Kurth provides a strong reason for believing in AA and he also met her on a few occasions. I have also been able to get in touch with him and he has been able to walk me through reasons why he believes what he does.

I also need a historian to bounce off Kurth and so I thought Klier and Mingay would be good, because they also wrote their book after Kurth and after the DNA. Or Massie..

[aya-anya]

Hi,

I've also been reading Lovell's book and Kurth's book about Anastasia. Kurth's book and website are wonderful. I wish that Kurth's note about AA on his website would be published as a book...

By the way, Lovell died in 1993, correct? Does anyone know the details about his death?

aya-anya

[xX_Mashka_Xx]

I don't know how many of you noticed, but in Lovell's book Anatsasia: The lost Princess, in the photographs section, he compares pictures of Anastasia in her childhood, and Anna Anderson in her later years. But, the picture of young Anastasia, is not Anastasia. In other books (such as Anastasia's Album), they identify the photograph as Maria Nicholaievna. Has anyone noticed this?

[Marlene]

I knew Lovell, and in fact, my name is listed in his book on Anastasia.  He was truly convinced about his story - but there was not a shred of truth to it.  He vilified Peter Kurth, and did not know that Peter and I are friends - and have been for years.  

He dedicated his book to his four children.  He didn't have children ... the four were his cats.  He was also trying to arrange for testing of Anna's hair ... as he had bought a good portion of John Manahan's book collection.  Manahan would clip Anna's hair and put in books ... strange but true.  While he was doing this --another good friend of mine had bought several books from the same book dealer and had found hair (which had roots.)    I put her in touch with Peter who made arrangements for the hair to be tested.  (my very small role in the Anna Anderson saga) .. This was being done at the same time as the DNA testing in the UK - from the tissue sample taken from the Charlottesville Hospital.  Peter and I were in touch with a journalist from the local paper there - who refused to talk with Lovell, who was not being pleasant (and the paper, for various reasons, did not trust Lovell.)

You asked about Lovell.  He died from AIDS - this was in his obit.

[Ilana]

I remember reading Lovell's book and not being able to sleep because the scenes that AA described to him were so frightful.  I'm so glad that they're not true.

[xX_Mashka_Xx]

Well now I don't believe anything in that book. There were a few facts that were true, but any Romanov fan would know these. There were alot of strange things in this book. IMO, I don't know how anyone could believe Anna Anderson, she looked nothing like Anastasia.

[NAAOTMA]

Marlene, thank you for sharing your information with us. It helps shed light on an already complicated and sad story.

I too am glad that Mrs. Manahan's stories regarding what happened in the House of Special Purpose were simply the result of her imagination.

And when I read from various sources about the squalor that Anna Anderson lived in, and her habit of collecting pets but not caring for them in a responsible manner, I always felt sorry for her cats and dogs. And wondered if medication for OCD would have helped her.

[Marlene]

Marlene, thank you for sharing your information with us. It helps shed light on an already complicated and sad story.

I too am glad that Mrs. Manahan's stories regarding what happened in the House of Special Purpose were simply the result of her imagination.

And when I read from various sources about the squalor that Anna Anderson lived in, and her habit of collecting pets but not caring for them in a responsible manner, I always felt sorry for her cats and dogs. And wondered if medication for OCD would have helped her.

I think what Lovell wrote was a result of his imagination, which is why his book should be treated as fiction.

[helenazar]

I have to use two historians, and so one I am DEFINATELY using already is Kurth. The other I was thinking, and tossing between is either John Klier and Robert K. Massie. Both have differing points of view in concerns with AA, and even though Massie seems to be a little bit more commerical in his writing, he details more on AA than Klier and Mingay.
 

Niteshade,

I met John Klier about two months ago when I was in London. I went to see him in his office at the University of London and for a couple of hours we discussed our mutual topics of interest in Russian history and of course his book on Anastasia. Dr Klier is a very pleasant man who was more than willing to talk about what he knows about Anastasia and Anna Anderson. In a nutshell, he does not in any way believe that AA was Anastasia and he is completely convinced (in his own words "110%") that she was the person she has long been proclaimed to be: Franziska Schankowska. He thinks that the notion that AA was someone other than FS is ridiculous... I believe that his wife, Helen Mingay, shares his opinions. Dr Klier is pretty receptive to communication, if you want to try emailing him, while Robert Massie (whom I have also met and spoke to last year for an article I was writing) is lot more difficult to engage.

Helen

[Finelly]

All biographers have their own particular slant or perspective, and different biographers can draw different conclusions about the same individual or set of circumstances. This is what makes it interesting for me - I love to read multiple bios of the same people.

However, when an author makes things up...............it screws up and skews up the entire picture, doesn't it.