Hello from Moscow!

boswellbaxter · Post by **boswellbaxter** » Mon March 21st, 2011, 5:22 pm

Welcome, Sintra, glad to have you here!

sweetpotatoboy · Post by **sweetpotatoboy** » Mon March 21st, 2011, 5:46 pm

[quote=""Sintra""]How was it? Personally i'm just too scared to read any novels about the Leningrad Siege. I love Saint Petersburg, and i can't imagine how people could endure such a horrible blockade.[/quote]

The first book, The Siege, is pretty good. Very small details of one family's struggle to survive the book, rather than focusing on the historical context. The second book is set ten years later at the time of the so-called doctors' plot; it is less good, in my view.

Elysium · Post by **Elysium** » Mon March 21st, 2011, 7:12 pm

Welcome, Sintra!
I'm not into e-books either and haven't read one. I usually read books in english but I've read some bad translations too. But since historical books are very rarely translated it's not a problem

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Mon March 21st, 2011, 10:01 pm

Hi Sintra. We share some favorite books! And if you spend much time reading through the boards, you'll have a bunch more to add.

LoobyG · Post by **LoobyG** » Mon March 21st, 2011, 10:21 pm

Hello and welcome Sintra, from another anti-e-booker!

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Mon March 21st, 2011, 10:22 pm

Howdy!

Post early and often.

I love Russian history, I just wish there were more HF novels about it.

Have fun and dont be shy!

Sintra · Post by **Sintra** » Mon March 21st, 2011, 11:01 pm

[quote=""Elysium""]Welcome, Sintra!
I'm not into e-books either and haven't read one. I usually read books in english but I've read some bad translations too. But since historical books are very rarely translated it's not a problem

[/quote]

Thank you!
Some of my friends travel frequently to Helsinki (it's really easy to get an entrance visa if you're living in Saint Petersburg area) and they tell me that there are a lot of bookstores with english literature. I've always wanted to go to Finland (and now there are some really fancy trains en route), and books are just one more reason to go

Oh, and for some really tasty spicy ginger-y tea

[quote=""MLE""]Hi Sintra. We share some favorite books! And if you spend much time reading through the boards, you'll have a bunch more to add.[/quote]

I certainly hope so

Though my english literature wish list has just expanded over 102 books, so my budget may not like it

[quote=""LoobyG""]Hello and welcome Sintra, from another anti-e-booker!

[/quote]

Thank you!
E-books just lack soul, don't they?

[quote=""Divia""]Howdy!

Post early and often.

I love Russian history, I just wish there were more HF novels about it.

Have fun and dont be shy![/quote]

I will definitely post! And in a while everyone's going to hate me just as my friends do when i start one of my King John monologues

Russian history is really fascinating but really bloody

I've never read any english novels on Russia, but i want to. It's really interesting to see how our history is viewed by others.
I only read Dunnett's "The Ringed Castle" and Ivan the Terrible was pretty intimidating in that one!

LoveHistory · Post by **LoveHistory** » Tue March 22nd, 2011, 4:50 pm

No one will hate you for a King John monologue. Actually I've become sort of a fan of his. He certainly was not as bad as people think.

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Tue March 22nd, 2011, 5:36 pm

Welcome, Sintra! What little I know of Russian history is fascinating. Can you recommend any good novels set in Russia before the 20th century? I'd be especially interested in the medieval period.

Sintra · Post by **Sintra** » Tue March 22nd, 2011, 6:56 pm

[quote=""LoveHistory""]No one will hate you for a King John monologue. Actually I've become sort of a fan of his. He certainly was not as bad as people think.[/quote]

He certainly wasn't. So he killed a bunch of people, big deal

Richard is responsible for greater atrocities, and yet some people still think that he was a "Good" Robin Hood-Type King.

[quote=""Margaret""]Welcome, Sintra! What little I know of Russian history is fascinating. Can you recommend any good novels set in Russia before the 20th century? I'd be especially interested in the medieval period.[/quote]

Well, the only english novel set in Russia that i've read was "The Ringed Castle" by Dunnett.
I can't even remember seeing novels set in medieval Russia in english!
Personally i would suggest reading "Peter The Great" by Alexei Tolstoy. That was a great novel about a great man.
"The Captain's daughter" by Alexander Pushkin is not actually a novel, it's a story set in Catherine The Great times during Pugachev's revolt. It's an extraordinary tale with great set of characters.
My favourite classic novel would have to be "The Hero of Our Time" by Lermontov (set in 19th century). The story is gripping, i've read it numerous times and it clearly shows how was it to live in Russian Empire back then.
Oh, and Boris Akunin's Erast Fandorin mysteries are great. Azazel and Turkish Gambit are my favourites. Interesting story, historical background, espionage and some pretty cool characters.