The Bronze Horseman discussion
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Heroes
I fell in love with the movie Reds with Warren Beaty. After I read the book Queen of Bohemia -- The Life of Louise Bryant who was Jack Reed's wife. This is before WWII it takes place during the Bolsheviks Revolution. Not a book but a great movie.
Kelly wrote: "I fell in love with the movie Reds with Warren Beaty. After I read the book Queen of Bohemia -- The Life of Louise Bryant who was Jack Reed's wife. This is before WWII it takes place during the B..."I was just thinking, since reading these books, that I really want to delve into more of the Russian history, and the Insanity that wnet on during those times. It's not something you hear much about. I was thinking I would like to find a movie, or 2, that may explain the way things were, to see if these books were historically accurate. I would assume they are, as Paullina Simons is Russian, and I heard that her grandparents lived through it. I could be completely wrong though.
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Alycia wrote: "Has anyone read or seen Dr. Zhivago? I am interested, but have not yet."I have not seen the movie. The book is on my TBR list. I hope to read 1st then see the movie.
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I was remembering a movie called Enemy At The Gates that had Rachel Wiesz, Joseph Fiennes, and I think Jude Law. I think it was about the siege of Leningrad or maybe Moscow; it was difinitely WWII Russia. Ed Harris played the evil German. I want to go back and watch it again now; it was romantic and suspenseful, as I recall.
that movie was so sad remember when they killed the little boy near they hung him
Rhonda wrote: "that movie was so sad remember when they killed the little boy near they hung him"I haven't seen it...
Rhonda wrote: "sooo sad"BTW... Theresa and I watched that Spartacus show last night at work... Lol... 'Twas awesome... and so very, very bad...
lol I take it you wern't busy then lol
ChristinaRae wrote: "Shell wrote: "Kelly wrote: "I fell in love with the movie Reds with Warren Beaty. After I read the book Queen of Bohemia -- The Life of Louise Bryant who was Jack Reed's wife. This is before WWI..."ooooh I will check it out on my netflix!!!
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Lady wrote: "Now I have to watch the Spartacus movie"WARNING.... Lots of cheesy gore, bad dialogue, half naked, hot warriors and sex... It was great...lol.. I know, I am messed... It's who I am..:)
Sometimes that's all I'm interested in. Don't have to "think" too hard...
Lady wrote: "Sometimes that's all I'm interested in. Don't have to "think" too hard..."agreed..
Lady wrote: "Is Goran Visnjic in this mini series?"I just looked, no he is not.
Just put Enemy at the Gates on my next Netflix shipment. It says Stalingrad instead of Leningrad, but I'm sure it's much the same: horror and starvation.Thanks for the tip. I think I might have seen this years ago.
Sheri
ChristinaRae wrote: "Why is Alexander a good romantic hero? What do you like aboout him? When do you think he's being weak or selfish?Also, does anyone have any idea of how historically accurate his situation mig..."
A friend of mine who is a genius in world history said that this was accurate and I'm trying to find web links on this. Here is one:
http://www.dazeddigital.com/article/7...
Sheri
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And we just watched Enemy at the Gate last night. You wonder how in the world these people fought for the USSR? It was either the Germans shooting you or the Red Army officers behind you. Great choice.Oh, My T&A book arrived this afternoon! Heading to cuddle in my bed to dive in!!!
Sheri
Those articles, left a rock in the pit of my stomach. Ugh! How horrible, how does this happen, and in the 20th century? It's just sad.. No better word for it, horribly sad.
I know Shell, just read it myself. How disgusting,I felt sick to my stomach after reading that. I wonder if it was an article,or something like that, that made Simons wright about Alexander's life in the second book. I knew all the war stuff to be acurate,but Stalin's parinoia just didn't really affect me till know. I thought fiction. Didn't really understand how true it was for American's. Secret police, dissapearing, all that till know. This left me having a greater appreciation for the charactors,and the odds in survival,so sad.
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ChristinaRae wrote: "Did anyone else notice there was an American named Alexander (mentioned in one of those articles) who came with his parents and disappeared when he was 24?"Yah, I noticed that right away.
I heard one estimate that 25 million Soviets died under Stalin. Now whether or not that was a number from both the war AND executions, it's hard to say. Does anyone know? But basically Stalin was just as horrible, if not worse, than Hitler. Just a different kind of crazy. Truly horrific. One can only imagine the kind of psyche that THAT kind of fear would develop in an entire people through the years.
I just added a book to my shelf that I have owned for about 10 years, but never finished reading. I think I'll read it again before the BH, just to 'set the stage' a bit. It's the story of the Romanov Russian czars (I am sure everyone is familiar with Anastasia Romanov who was the last Russian princess, but has never been traced or proven dead)...."The Tragic Dynasty" - From the ascension of the first Romanov in 1613 to the slaughter of the last in 1917, they left a record of grandeur, horror, force and intrigue. Bergamini provides a splendid account of their bloody and autocratic legacy.
I'm 1/3 of the way through T&A and I think this book does way more (so far) to explain the deficiencies of the communist idealism than TBH. Christina Rae, let us know about that book. I'm finding Russian history to be completely fascinating!
Sheri
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The Tragic Dynasty sounds interesting Eva.
Alycia wrote: "The Tragic Dynasty sounds interesting Eva."It's non-fiction and was a bit slow at first with all the 16th century names and descriptions of titles, but then it picked up when it got to the 18th century... I put it aside because I wasn't too intersted at the time... definitely worth another read, though!
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It's non-fiction and was a bit slow at first with all the 16th century names and descriptions of titles, but then it picked up when i..."
Thanks for letting me know, Eva. I will have to take a look at it sometime. I am not much for nonfiction very often.
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Christina Rae, let us know about that book. I'm findin..."
Which book? Was that on another post?
I'm confused, but I was referring to Tatiana and Alexander (Bridge To Holy Cross). I'm over half-way now, and the despair is about to kill ME, let along T&A!! LOLI also see a "dig" of sorts to America for being a land where things are easily taken for granted.
I know they must find each other (no spoilers), but this whole process is just killing me!
Sheri
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I also see a "dig" of sorts to ..."
I am reading T & A too. I have about 160 pages left. It is very much a melancholy thing. Just when I thought they couldn't want each other any more they do. I can't wait to get to the part where they reunite, either Sheri!
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ChristinaRae wrote: "I think any 'dig' was for Americans who don't appreciate what they have (and don't undertand how much others might want what they have)."Which is totally justified (even more so now).
Is anyone finding that the pining for one another (although warranted given the extreme circumstances) is just TOO much? Should the author have scaled back just a tiny bit on it? Not the intensity of their despair, just the repetitiveness of her writing about it?
Sheri
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Yeah, I had a hard time relating to the 17X a day! LOL I mean, a girl can only take but SO much! Ha!Good points, though.
I guess I find myself skimming those parts after a while just trying to get to "meat" and more info. I'll need to obviously reread to absorb more fully.
Sheri
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Passion, desperation, fear and love... can lead to 17X a day. hehehe
Lady wrote: "Passion, desperation, fear and love... can lead to 17X a day. hehehe"I'll have to see that my husband gets a dose of desperation, fear. I for one loved the 17x a day!
Me too....had to read those chapters twice. I could see how it could happen. Knowing what was up ahead, they put it out of their minds to have 26 days of bliss. Sigh...
Also, does anyone have any idea of how historically accurate his situation might have been? Were there Americans who went to Russia to support communism and got stuck?