James Blair Lovell books

[NAAOTMA]

I can understand an author embellishing or slanting a story to reflect his or her own beliefs. But when an author dedicates his book to his "children" and they are actually his cats, that is taking it a whole lot further into mondo bizarro. Why not just dedicate the book to your cats and be done with it?

[aya-anya]

Marlene, thank you so much for the details about Lovell! In my country, Lovell's book has authority...simply because Kurth's book has not translated in my country.

xX_Mashka_Xx, I have also noticed that one photo in "Anastasia's Album" was confusing. The one in which Anastasia seemed to be studying--the author of the book wrote it was Maria, but actually it was Anastasia.

aya-anya

[Finelly]

How bizarre that Kurth's book has not been translated, but Lovell's has!!!  Kurth's book is so much better researched and authoritative, even though his conclusions were, in the end, wrong.......

[Lanie]

Marlene, thank you so much for the details about Lovell! In my country, Lovell's book has authority...simply because Kurth's book has not translated in my country.

xX_Mashka_Xx, I have also noticed that one photo in "Anastasia's Album" was confusing. The one in which Anastasia seemed to be studying--the author of the book wrote it was Maria, but actually it was Anastasia.

aya-anya

No, the photograph is 110% Maria Nikolaevna.

[xX_Mashka_Xx]

No, the photograph is 110% Maria Nikolaevna

It's a great mistake that he made. How could he over look such an error? It rather destroys his credibility.

[LisaDavidson]

It's a great mistake that he made. How could he over look such an error? It rather destroys his credibility.

That would assume he has any credibility left to destroy. He doesn't. If anyone knows the current "players" in Romanov World, they know (and mostly love, and admire) PK.

As to the poster who wanted a second source, I daresay, pick anyone but Lovell and you're done a better job than going with him.

[niteshade1312]

thanks a lot guys, you've been most helpful.. and Im not doing Lovell because I can't get my hands on his writing  

[RealAnastasia]

After reading Jimmy Blair Lovell's book about Anastasia, I got curious about his life. Too many people states that he was a very nervous instable man, and not a reliable source...The only certain thing I know is that he died sometime ago. May you tell me something about this author's life. I got interested after reading his "Anastasia; the lost Princess" and getting very suspect about it.

RealAnastasia.

[Scott]

There's already a thread on this: http://hydrogen.pallasweb.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=Books;action=display;num=1120475399

[RealAnastasia]

Thank you, Scott! I didn't notice the other thread!  

RealAnastasia.

[Louis_Charles]

I just read through Lovell's book, and I have a question. Since he never sources anything, there is nothing to backtrack and check. Is it believed that he made up the Anastasia Manahan interview during the showing of King Kong, or do people accept that she told this story? That is, that the Imperial women had been sent to Perm?

Simon

[helenazar]

It's a great mistake that he made. How could he over look such an error? It rather destroys his credibility.

I suppose it's no worse than labeling a portrait of Grand Duchess Elisabeth as Alexandra in the latter's biography. So perhaps this type of thing is more common than we realize...

[RealAnastasia]

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

This book made me entirely sad, Marlene. I agree with you: Blair Lovell's book is a result of his imagination and only that. The only reliable info in it is copied of Peter Kurth's book...When some info seems to deny the fact that AA was AN he simply wouldn't quote it. The last AA interview with the Schanzkowskys was treated too soft in "Anastasia; the Lost Princess", as if AA would go to meet them, and they said "No; it isn't Franziska. We must go", when we know what Gertrude Schanzkowska said when she saw AA : "You are my sister! Admit it! Admit it!"...

The book is a fiasko, with no sources at all...and made up events, a thing that a serious historian can not accept.  I read somewhere in this same Forum that Blair Lovell admitted, when he was dying that he made up the whole "King-Kong" story and the AA's account about Perm. The fact was that HE was convinced of Summer and Mangolds wild theories about Alix and the girls being alive after Nicholas and Alexei being murdered at Ekaterinburg and escaping to Perm ...So he put his own word in Anna's mouth. Too bad.

And when I think that he assured that "he was not an Anastasia fanatic as other AA's historians and supporters were", I don't know what to do...To cry or to laugh. Blair Lovell is, by far, the more "AA's fanatic" who I even know in all my life.

Jimmy is no more among us to defend himself, but I think that this book is pathetic. It speaks more about Blair Lovell that about AA. And I have the impression that Anna made fun of him when they meet but Blair Lovell didn't realize it.

Too pathetic. Too sad.

I read the book as an Agatha Christy novel....As a history book, the thing is unacceptable.  

RealAnastasia.

[Louis_Charles]

I tend to agree with you, Vanesa, but I would still like some kind of confirmation --- is there proof that he made up the King Kong interview?

Simon

[Belochka]

Lovell's work only proves that there are books on the market which claim to present factual material. Not before time they are refuted to be less than credible or no longer scientifically valid.

Kurth's book, detailing AA profile, while well written lead to incorrect conclusions that have been since confirmed by indisputable scientific analysis, a few years after its publication.

No doubt these are not the only examples ....