Annette Ranald's Blog: Annette's History Reads - Posts Tagged "nicholas-and-alexandra"

One thing that people notice about a friend or family member who's a history lover, is that we tend to get stuck on one era, person, or event, until we've studied every drop. My first historical fixation was the Romanovs, especially Nicholas II and his family. I read and reread several books on them, particularly the assassination.

Robert K. Massie remains the preeminent authority on all things Romanov. I own both Nicholas and Alexandra, and Peter the Great. I'm on my third copy of each. You see, I've read them over so many times I've literally worn the books out. I can't wait to get my hands on Catherine the Great and The Romanovs: the Final Chapter.

I love the details of history. I want to know everything about a character's world, particularly if there's a chance I might get an inspiration to write about it (there might be a Catherine I book in my head somewhere). Massie goes in depth with his characters, their family, their courtiers and acquaintances, their enemies, their experiences, and the world and society they lived in. For me, detail is like cake icing, you can never have too much!Catherine the Great: Portrait of a WomanNicholas and AlexandraPeter the Great: His Life and WorldThe Romanovs: The Final Chapter