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A review by loyaultemelie
Former People: The Final Days of the Russian Aristocracy by Douglas Smith
5.0
Probably one of the best Russian history books I’ve read in a while, I’m sure I will reread this many times.
I do admit though that keeping everyone together in my head was nearly impossible and, though I greatly appreciated it, the family trees at the beginning of the book were not nearly comprehensive enough.
That being said this book was deeply touching, I cried my way through the back four or so chapters, and brought to light for me questions about the struggle for a more peaceful and equal future.
Do former oppressors deserve to be oppressed in turn - can such an idea even be justified or will that simply devolve into great cyclical violence? How do we reconcile ourselves with a horrific past, how do we respond to it? How can we mourn for those who lived in incredible wealth when most people in Russia lived in crushing poverty? How can we not be moved by the unrelenting tragedy that dogged the “former people”? I don’t think the book answers these questions, but I don’t think it has to. Rather that it poses these questions in a poignant and moving way is a testament to its quality in itself.
Edit: Bumped it up to five stars as this book has been haunting me for almost a year now
I do admit though that keeping everyone together in my head was nearly impossible and, though I greatly appreciated it, the family trees at the beginning of the book were not nearly comprehensive enough.
That being said this book was deeply touching, I cried my way through the back four or so chapters, and brought to light for me questions about the struggle for a more peaceful and equal future.
Do former oppressors deserve to be oppressed in turn - can such an idea even be justified or will that simply devolve into great cyclical violence? How do we reconcile ourselves with a horrific past, how do we respond to it? How can we mourn for those who lived in incredible wealth when most people in Russia lived in crushing poverty? How can we not be moved by the unrelenting tragedy that dogged the “former people”? I don’t think the book answers these questions, but I don’t think it has to. Rather that it poses these questions in a poignant and moving way is a testament to its quality in itself.
Edit: Bumped it up to five stars as this book has been haunting me for almost a year now