Russians in Paris Pre and Post WWI

Before WWI the Russian aristocracy flocked to Paris where they spent lavishly and delighted in the sophisticated capital. Others came too: writers, artists, and musicians. Political agitators like Lenin also found their way to the city. After the war the Russians who had considered Paris a vacation spot found themselves refugees often with little or no money.

Aristocrats who had once played and spent vast sums now because servants. I loved the story of a famous general who was discovered washing cars late at night. Some of the artists, musicians and writers found fame in the their new home. Stravinsky and Chagall are notable in this regard. However, many struggled and could never rise above the poverty level.

Paris was also home to intrigue. Banished aristocrats, particularly Archduke Krill, wanted to take back the empire. He even proclaimed himself Tsar.

This is a very enjoyable book. Rappaport mixes historical narrative with stories of the lives of a variety of Russians from all classes. I found the stories fascinating when placed against the background of Paris both before and after the war. If you enjoy Russian history, you’ll find this book interesting.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

I can't read Helen Rappaport's latest historical nonfiction book, 'After the Romanovs,' and not think of Amor Towles' novel 'A Gentleman in Moscow,' the main character of which I dearly loved. Both books give us compelling glimpses of post-Russian Revolution aristocrats fending for their posh, unskilled selves as they long for the disappeared Russia they so dearly love. In light of what's happening in the world right now, it's an interesting time to be reading Russian history, and 'After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles In Paris From the Belle Epoque Through Revolution and War' is indeed a thorough, well-researched, and easy-to-read look at the lives of Russian emigres pre- and post-Bolshevik takeover.

[Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this book.]

A well researched and incredibly in-depth novel, After the Romanovs takes a comprehensive look at life for many refugees after the Romanov family was assassinated, and many defected to Paris. Helen Rappaport is a leading expert of the Romanovs and Russian history in general, and it is paramount in her writing.

Being a novice of Russian history myself I found myself lost more than one time, especially the moments when it read more like a textbook, and I found myself struggling to concentrate. I never really understood the reasons behind the revolution, but now I have more of an understanding as to why there was such an uprising. Reading the accounts of the Romanovs murders was gut wrenching and truly unfathomable. Though I now understand the motivations behind the extermination of the family, it doesn’t negate the fact that these were human beings, the loss of life is always sad.

Definitely doesn’t have the same flow as some of the other nonfictions that I’ve read recently, but the information it does contain is eye-opening. I loved the fluid segues between different persons of interest and periods of time, and must give credit to all of those that fled from Russia and had a true fall from grace. To go from such incredible wealth to working as a taxi driver in a foreign land had to be earth-shattering.

I left this book feeling depressed, especially with the current events going on with Russia and Ukraine. There has always been such turmoil in that region and it just breaks my heart. My prayers go out to all that are affected by this current conflict, and hope that it will have a peaceful ending soon.

Watching what is currently happening, as well as reading After the Romanovs, I am now curious to learn more about this turbulent country and stormy past. It is truly a fascinating topic and I thank Ms. Rappaport for her comprehensive work.

AFTER THE ROMANOVS is an interesting and well-written history of Russian aristocrats, artists, and more in Paris following the Revolution. This book is very well detailed, but not in such a way that it bores or overwhelms the reader. It's written so that anyone can enjoy it, from the casual observer to the hardcore historian. This is my first time reading Helen Rappaport's work, but you can bet I'll be seeing what else she's got in store for readers!

When the Bolsheviks took over Russia, the Romanovs, along with many other Russians, were forced out of their beloved homeland. Many resettled in Paris, where for the first time in their lives, they experienced poverty, hunger, and prejudice. Rappaport does an excellent job describing the hardships of the Russian diaspora in Paris, their first experiences with manual labor, their transition from royalty to peasantry.

The book is very well-written, thoroughly researched, and surprisingly readable for a work of academic non-fiction. If you are a history buff like me, I highly recommend picking up a copy. This one just came out Tuesday, March 8, 2022, so you should be able to find a copy at your local bookstore.

Thanks to Helen Rappaport, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-galley of this book.

I have waited several weeks to write this review because I wanted to see if my opinion changed or differed in any substantive way because of hindsight. The answer to that is that I'm still slightly confused about why this book specifically mentions the Romanovs in the title. The entire book is not focused on the Romanovs and after the first chapter that name takes more of a backseat position. Paris After the Romanovs is a title that would seem to fit the subject matter best, at least for me.

I don't know if this book suffered from being written during the early portions of the COVID-19 pandemic or not, but I found myself growing weary of the subject matter and putting the book aside for days at a time. There wasn't any spark that ignited my enthusiasm so when the book began to grow tiresome, I had no problem putting it on a table and leaving it alone.

This book details the experiences of Russians who are living in Paris after the fall of the Romanovs. Interesting information is provided about the individuals and their lives in Paris. This nonfiction historical title will interest readers who want to learn more about Paris during the Belle Epoch.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

A fascinating, well-researched look at the lives of Russian refugees in Paris before and after the 1917 Revolution. Perfect for those who want to understand more of Russian history in light of today's events. Out now.

Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

#aftertheromanovs #HelenRappaport #StMartinPress #NetGalley

I have always been very interested in Russian history around the time of thr Revolution, so when an ARC was offered to me, I decided to give it a shot. Overall I thought the book was good, but it had too many short vignettes of SO many people that it was sometimes hard to keep track of who was who, despite my familiarity with some of the people. I think it would have been much more enjoyable if it focused on half the number of people, but delved much deeper into their lives and experiences. I also finished this after Russia had declared war on the Ukraine, which added to my unease in reading this, as I do not want to be giving any kind of support to Russia right now.

This was trademark Rappaport, very excellent and well researched. She clearly has a great command of her sources and the narrative was well and engaging. The glimpses of Russian society in Paris in the interwar period were fascinating. Rappaport also managed to take a well worn topic and look at it from a new angle which is always so great.

When I opened my Kndle to read After the Romanovs, I was worried I would not stay interested after seeing the pages of the Russian Cast of Characters. How was one supposed to remember them? And, on a Kindle it is hard to go back and forth to check. I solved this problem by making screenshots of the pages. As I started reading, I felt I was at a gossip party. I had been worried that the book would be too deep for me. I loved Rappaport’s style of imparting knowledge about the Russian invasion in Paris life during “Belle Époque” era. I am watching The Guilded Age right now and this is a good companion piece to get the feel of this period. It also made me think of the Caroline Ferriday’s mom in LOST ROSES by Martha Hall Kelly . It is also extremely hard to read the footnotes on a Kindle as they are in the back. Resolution: I have ordered a hard copy of After the Romanovs so I can reread sections and access the characters and footnotes etc. I love this time period and I think this book will be an excellent resource to use when reading historical fiction of this time period. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

After the Romanovs by Helen Rappaport

Russophiles rejoice! This is a data rich book about talented Russian émegrés and their undying love for the motherland. Many escaped to Paris where they reestablished careers they loved. While the regime back home changed often, the end results were the same: Clashes, coups, war and famine. Still, most artists were pining for a return.

While there was poverty and starvation in both Russia and Paris, at least no one abroad was out to kill them for their non-conformity. That was actually a plus in Parisian circles. Artists, writers, ballerinas and intellectuals alike worked to continue to hone their crafts. Some succeeded, while others flailed. Some returned, some stayed.

There are names you will recognize, Marc Chagall, for instance, and hundreds more you’ll be lucky to ever spell correctly. Endless footnotes will tell you the author did her homework, but if you’re looking for a storyline, this is not your book.
#StMartinsPress#NetGalley

This is a book that can be enjoyed no matter what your previous knowledge of royal Russians in exile is. Research is impeccable and the footnotes and further information was helpful and interesting. I particularly enjoyed the parts of the book about emigres influence on fashion, jewelry and culture. However, it did seem strange reading this while the present situation in Ukraine was happening.
My only complaint is the title was misleading and I would have preferred a more straightforward book name.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #AfterTheRomanovs for an advanced digital copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy of After the Romanovs by Helen Rappaport in exchange for an honest review. It publishes today, March 8, 2022.
Once again, Rappaport brings history to life in another one of her fabulous works. She has a way of turning something that could be considered boring, and making it more than interesting.
I learned a lot about early 20th century European history, and plan to suggest this to others in my life with similar interests.

After The Romanovs was a little dense and it is by no means a quick read. Also, with the climate in Russia today, it honestly was a little harder to read at this time, but also it provided a lot of insight to why Russia is the way it is to this day. I do appreciate how much research the author put into this book and I learned a lot of interesting things about Russian history that I was not previously aware.

This has the bones of a good history book, but I think it does fall apart in execution. It attempts to cover the lives of the myriad Russian aristocrats following the fall of the monarchy, and apart from a handful of them, I just wasn’t that invested.

If you are a fan of Russian history and anything to do with the Russian aristocracy after the fall of the Romanov dynasty then this is a must-read. Rappaport's writing is well researched, but entirely accessible. It was my first time reading her and I've already ordered her other books!

Valuable resource for several areas of interest.
Once again, I found myself drawn into a book that would have made an excellent resource for any number of my college history papers. Nothing like a textbook, but filled with information and well-documented sources, this book will be a great addition to any library for those interested in French history, Russian history, WWI history, the rise of the Bolsheviks, the end of the tsars of Russia, the fall of the Romanovs, the history of migration and emigration across Europe, the history of refugees, and so much more.

Fascinating read of the culture and people in the years up to and after World War I.
The author does a wonderful job painting the picture and submerging the reader in the world of Paris, eastern Russia, and several places in between during the end of the 1800s and through the interwar period of the 1920s and 1930s. Without getting bogged down in details, the presentation is a great balance of providing as much information as possible while still being relevant and impactful.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in a variety of topics up to, during, and following World War I.
Stars 3.5
Would I Recommend? Yes

This book was a bit more cerebral (lots of footnotes) than I expected. It was definitely well-researched based on the notes and such for the last 30%. I ended up like it and learning some though.
It begins before "after the Romanovs"...at least to my understanding of Russian history. In fact, about half the book is about before Tsar Nicholas II and his family were murdered. I truly had no idea about Paris being a second home to Russian emigres for decades upon decades. The book focuses on the royals, the wealthy, and the artists who fled Russia at various times in the early 19th century and made a new life (or not) in France.
I feel like it could have been better organized and still needed some editing, but I read an ARC. I imagine those things will be fixed by the time the book releases.
This book was definitely readable for a scholarly work, though; and I think would be of interest to many who want to learn more about Russian history...particulary of the exiles.


Thanks to NetGalley annd the publisher for my complimentary copy; all opinions are my own.

An intriguing, well-documented history of the Russian aristocratic family. From the high life in Belle Epoque Paris through the Bolshevik Revolution, the reader is taken on a historic roller coaster as we witness the lavish Parisian lifestyle where money was no object to the whims and desires of the family. Then we turn to Lenin's rule of "appropriating" the assets of the rich and intellectuals forcing them into menial jobs as punishment for their prior existence. The assumptions of espionage divide and lead to arrests, imprisonment, and eventual execution of family members.

The book reads like a suspenseful novel but this is the Romanov's story. An eventful insight into their history and the history of Russian politics which is so relevant today.