Gentleman in Moscow~Amor Towles~Winter-Spring Book Club Online~

[BooksAdmin]

JOIN US AS WE DISCUSS A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW BY AMOR TOWLES.

During February and March, we will be filling cold, gray days by reading A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles in the Senior Learn Book Club.  Our prediscussion will begin on February 7.  Let's introduce ourselves, and then perhaps talk about what we know of the goings-on in Russia in the early 20th century and our impressions of the Russian people. Those of us who grew up in the 50s and 60s could share how we learned of the Russians and the feelings we had about all of this.  This will also be a place for questions about the discussion, the assigned reading schedule and about each other.  Let's save discussion of the text until February 12 when we begin the actual discussion.

                           Discussion Schedule for A Gentleman in Moscow


February 12     Book 1

February 19.    Book 2 and Book 3 through Addendum p. 228

February 26.    Book 3  An Arrival 229- end of book 3

March 5           Books 4 and 5

March 12         Wrap up Discussion



The author's website www.amortowles.com is a wonderful place to get to know the Amor Towles. He has a lot of supplementary information about the book.  There is even a delightful video, which you will want to watch.

Discussion Leader:  MKaren

[Mkaren557]

Welcome to our prediscussion of A Gentleman in Moscow.  I happened on this book browsing in Barnes and Noble.  I am not sure what led me to read the flyleaf because I thought it was about intrigue, spies, and violence, which are not my favorite topics.   The cover was not eyecatching or beautifully designed as so many book covers are these days. But I picked it off the shelf and read the short description inside the front cover and immediately bought the book.  The idea of a man sentenced to life in a hotel, the setting in Moscow, and the time covered in the novel drew me in.  That night I started the book and qi read every moment I had for the next week.  I read slowly because I wanted to savor the descriptions, those footnotes, and the many tangents the Count took me on.  As soon as I finished reading, I knew I wanted to be part of a discussion of this book and so it begins.

I have a couple of suggestions as you read the text.  You might want to keep a list of characters, even those who seem insignificant. They have a tendency to reappear later in the story.  You may want to refresh your memory of Humphrey Bogart and of "Casablanca."  Some of the literary allusions I got; others I did not.  I am not going to hesitate to ask questions about those I don't know or understand.  I just finished reading the book for the third time and I loved it as much as I did the first time.

The reading schedule is listed above.  It would be great if you could read the section before we start discussing, but join the discussion even if you haven't finished reading.  Try not to go ahead in the discussion as it may spoil the reading for someone else..  So I am interested in the impressions you had of Russia as a child.  Are they different today?  Have you travelled in Russia?  Have you been to Moscow? stayed at the Metropol Hotel?  Do you have any questions or concerns about the schedule?.  I am flexible so speak up if we are moving too fast or too slow.  So let's start  with introductions and we will move on from there.

My name is Karen Mathews and I spent my whole life in Maine in a small city called Hallowell.  I was a high school history teacher but because it was a small school of about 400 students in grades 9-12, I also taught literature, writing, and for 1 painful year, business math. When I retired after 30 years in 2010, I moved to Sarasota, FL full time.  I came to Senior Learn because I wanted to take Latin which I had loved in high school and college. From there it was a small step to the book club.   

[rosemarykaye]

Hello Mkaren,

I had never heard of this book till it was mentioned on SeniorLearn - I bought a copy online and have been racing through it (currently around page 200, but I will make every effort not to commit any 'spoilers').

Even though I've read that far I had no idea it referenced Casablanca, which I saw many years ago and hardly remember anything about. I may need to order a copy of that now!

I was at primary school in the late 60s. In those days every adult was terrified of Russia and convinced we were about to be nuked. Whilst on holiday a while ago I visited The Secret Bunker, now a tourist attraction in Fife (other side of the Forth estuary from Edinburgh) - but it was a real bunker, built to protect 'important people' (ie not us) should nuclear war happen. It is a fascinating place to visit - so much of the public information advice dished out at the time now seems nonsensical - 'if the alarm sounds go to the shelter. If there is no shelter nearby, hide under your kitchen table - or make a shelter by taking a door off its hinges and placing it, sideways on, against a wall to make a sort of 'lean-to' in your living room. If you are outside and can't get home, jump into a ditch' - really, I kid you not.

In those days, at least in the UK, there was no real terrorism. Our fears were about this unknown, imagined enemy, and they were fuelled by the right wing press, which constantly went on about the 'red threat' and hounded anyone who had anything to do with the Communist Party. (Incidentally, an elderly couple who attend the cathedral where I work are the most unlikely looking Communist Party members you can imagine. They tell fascinating stories of their political activities in the 60s - they were persistently followed to their meetings and generally treated as criminals (it is not an offence to belong to the CP in the UK). They hold firm to their beliefs now. I find them most interesting.)

Around 1990 I went to Moscow and Leningrad (as it was still called then) with a group of lawyers. We went in winter, and I remember everything being very bleak and cold. We stayed in a huge hotel - but there were many like it - that must have been built during the Communist era - basically just a fairly modern block. On every single landing there was a table presided over by a woman selling a few toiletries (including prophylactics!). It was widely believed that these women were low grade spies. The food in the restaurant was appallling - slabs of fatty processed cheese, hard bread, dismal soups - UNTIL we went out to a restaurant, where it looked like the same dismal fare awaited us. The minute we mentioned dollars we were cheerfully escorted to a charming back room with a roaring fire, where we dined on fabulous lamb stew, drank delicious wines, and came away well fortified against the biting cold.

 I remember going on the subway - how clean and magnificent the stations were in comparison to our dirty old London tube; in Moscow there were high ceilings and chandeliers in the ticket halls! But everyone, almost without exception, looked miserable. No-one ever smiled or made eye contact. Some of our party, more enterprising than I was, met a group of local teenagers who told them they could get them tickets for the Bolshoi - in those days at least, residents could get very cheap tickets to cultural events, whereas foreigners would pay prices more akin to London or New York (probably only fair, as roubles were worth very little, whereas hard currency - sterling and dollars - could buy you anything on the black market.) I did not go to the ballet as I was so scared of being arrested for using an illegally obtained ticket! The others went and had a great time with no questions asked.

We went on the overnight sleeper train between the two cities - at the end of every carriage there was a lady with a samovar to make tea. When I stepped out into the corridor to look out of the window, our lady was horrified because I wore no coat or hat - she thought I would freeze to death. All I saw outside was what seemed like an endless panorama of factories and industrial sites. We also visited a huge cemetery, where, day and night, sad, patriotic (I presume) music was blasted out through permanent speakers.

I was - and still am - woefully uninformed about Russia. Until quite recently, I am ashamed to say, I had no idea that before the revolution Moscow and St Petersburg were cities full of amazing architecture, music, art, literature, haute cuisine and all the things one might expect to find in other great European cities like Paris or Amsterdam. If anyone can recommend a good (but not too long and complicated!) book about Russian history I would be interested to read it. I also only realised after many years what a huge area the old USSR covered - how different the residents of Moscow must have been from, say, the inhabitants of Armenia or Uzbeckistan. Coming from so small a country as I do, it is hard to imagine the variations in ethnicity and race that were all encompassed by the Soviet Union. Even though the US is also vast, do you think there are such huge differences between a resident of California or one of Massachussets? Perhaps not.

So that is my experience of Russia. As to how the country is perceived today - I think we in the UK see a corrupt economy with a thug of a president. It seems such a shame after the excitement of the Gorbachov years. Many unbelievably wealthy Russians now own vast amounts of central London property, and spend obscene amounts of money in high class shops. I'm sure the shops welcome their cash but we all wonder where it comes from. It is a shame that once again our perception of a country is so warped. We do not often meet 'normal' people from Russia, with whom, I am sure, we would have many things in common. Here in Edinburgh we do at least have a Russian Consulate, and its cultural staff - who are the only ones we really have contact with at the cathedral (as the consulate is literally a few yards from our door) - are unfailingly friendly and helpful. A couple of years ago we held an exhibition about the Arctic Convoys - ships that kept the north passage open throughout the war. A few of the now very elderly men who worked on these ships were able to come to the exhibition - in fact a colleague made storyboards about them, their memories of their war service, and what had happened to them since. I think there is a permanent museum about this somewhere up in the far north of Scotland. The Russian Consul and his staff were involved in the exhibition, and contributed a great deal to it.

I will stop now and go over to Amazon to see how much a copy of Casablanca might set me back. And having started the book, I'm now also wondering about reading authors like Pushkin and Chekov, whom, I am embarrassed to admit, are all new to me (I mean, I had heard of them but I'd never read anything by them.)

Sorry to have rattled on so long, and I look forward to next Monday!

Rosemary

[Mkaren557]

What a wonderful introduction, Rosemary.  Russian history! Off hand I can't think of a book that would tell you everything. I have been googling Russian History 1900-1960 as I read this book, and it was very helpful.  Others may have books that they have read or used.  The period from 1905- 1954 is chaotic with revolutions, power grabbing, class conflict. Dr. Zhivago, besides being a great love story, presents a great picture of Russia during this time.  Keep sharing.

[bellamarie]

Rosemary you never cease to astound me!  Your travels are something I could only imagine in my wildest dreams or watch on the travel station.  The only place I have ever been outside the USA is our neighboring country Canada, where our dear Jonathan resides.  You have heard of the book, The Road Less Traveled, well I am the girl less traveled.  I grew up in a small rural town with so little income, books and travel were not even in my vocabulary.  I really feel like my world and knowledge expanded once I married and moved from small town Monroe, Michigan to Toledo, Ohio.  So, needless to say I know next to nothing about Russia. 

Much like Rosemary states, I too can only remember thinking back in the 60s as Russia being a huge threat to the world.  When I heard the word Russia as a child, fear was invoked inside of me.  Not so much today.  I think Russia realizes today that any threat they would bare on the world, is a threat to their own nation.  I certainly don't want to imply a threat does not exist, but I do think clearer minds prevail in all our leaders that would become involved, should one feel the need to activate that so called, "red button."

I have only read the first fifteen pages of A Gentleman in Moscow and am so intrigued with a wealthy man having to scale down from his luxurious lifestyle, to living in an attic.  How does one decide what they will bring with them should they be faced in having to do so in such a limited space?  I really gave this a lot of thought, and I came to the conclusion the things I would want most of all are in no particular importance of order are: my photo albums, my Bible, my books, music, computer (assuming I would have access to wifi), my toiletries, and of course my own comfortable pillows and blankets.  Isn't it interesting how little we can do without if need be?

Something interesting I saw on the internet the other day really stopped me and gave me that whoa wait a minute, back up moment, and made me think of this book, and Alexander Rostov's exile in Russia.

Julian Assange was asking the courts to free him from the charges, so he could leave Ecuador's embassy.  Ecuador granted him asylum in August 2012. He has been inside the embassy ever since.  He has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for more than five years, fearing extradition to the US for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/06/julian-assange-uk-arrest-warrant-still-valid-court-rules-blow/

Like I say over and over...... history repeats itself.  I wonder if anyone considers Assange a "gentleman"?

[BarbStAubrey]

Wow Rosemary you had the opportunity to visit Russia - but in winter brrrr - although I bet the snow covered landscape was beautiful to see. Have talked with several who visited and like you, the ordinariness of Russia is what they came away realizing how the nation is so easily imaged by the news as this alternate monster nation and one of supreme beauty with domes and palaces, art and music. Seems to me it was during the Cold War that Van Cliburn, only 23 when he won the most revered International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition held in Moscow.

Since Stalin, all we can think of is the artists depicting workers and statues illuminating Communistic thinking - but there were some who created some interesting art - here is a web site of well known Russian artists from various periods in history that include 20th century artists showing a bit of their work... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Russian_artists

I do like this painted in 1998 by Nickolay Anokhin - (permission given as long as the artist is named). seeing interior rooms is a change from the portraits and landscapes. The work in English is "in the old house of Rakitin"

Rakitin is the young seminarian and general gossip with a nose for scandal in The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky. Cynical and sarcastic, Rakitin is too sophisticated to have real religious faith, so he satisfies himself with adopting various fashionable philosophical theories. He quotes Nietzsche and claims to be a socialist.

As the artist, Nickolay Anokhin depicts the character of Rakitin by painting an interior, featuring a child representing the new and the cat representing the Wily, Independent, Secretive, Mysterious, Intuitive and Watchfulness nature associated with a cat, so too I see the Gentleman from Moscow in his attic rooms as an interior story with the happenings in Moscow and Russia almost like a movie or book that feeds his mind but he takes no action in the events and so as I read I will be looking for his interior reaction and struggle.
 

[Jonathan]

'Good-bye, Rick. God bless you.' No matter what the cost, Rosemary, treat yourself to Casablanca. You will want to watch it several times. Nothing so moving as that last farewell. But who can doubt that they will meet again and fall into each others arms. Perhaps some vodka dive in Odessa.

Marvellous posts! Yes, we all remember Russia as the great threat. My people were among the kulaks who were dispossessed and scattered around the world during the revolution. My parents got out with very little. A samovar, which is still a great treasure. On the other hand. Who could feel more threatened than the Russians, invaded by the likes of Napoleon, Hitler and Ghengis Khan.

I'm in, but I have to get out. And that means clearing my driveway of all the snow. Canada is like Siberia. Mom was very disappointed. She had hoped for a new life in San Fransisco. She had heard or read so much of California. But she never ceased to be homesick for the Crimea.

[rosemarykaye]

Bellamarie - it is much easier to travel to Europe from the UK than from the US, at least distance-wise. Like you I grew up in a very poor home where the farthest we ever went from London was to the south coast (about 30 miles away I think) for occasional summer holidays - one year we branched out and went as far as the West Country (Devon) - we felt very daring!  When cheap package holidays became popular in the 70s, lots of not particularly affluent British people flew off to Spain and Italy - we most certainly didn't! By then my father had died and my mother had enough trouble putting food on the table. Virtually all of my overseas travel has been as an adult, and I do fully appreciate how lucky I am to have been anywhere.

You make a very interesting point about what one would take if having to downsize. My mother moved from a 3 bedroomed house to a flat 12 years ago, and last year she moved from that to sheltered housing, where she has one bedroom and one living room (and shower room).  She found it hard to decide what to offload, and in the last move she left it mostly up to me and my husband - she took the basics with her; her favourite chair, her sewing machine, bookcase, double bed, chest of drawers, table, etc - but we then spent a week going through her cupboards and wrapping her hoardes of china and glass to take to charity shop. 5 months later she has only regretted not taking one or two very small items, both of which I have been able to replace for her. It's amazing how much clutter we (or should I say, I) manage to accumulate. Also, as we discussed quite recently I think, in the UK we tend to have much smaller houses than you do - especially in cities like London and Edinburgh, where property is eye-wateringly expensive - so maybe Americans accumulate more than we do, simply because you have more space?

I'm not sure what I would take with me. My books would be important, some old photos, the few items of clothing that I have saved from my children's babyhoods.  My radio - though nowadays I can get every radio programme on my i-pad, which would certainly save space. Some luxurious toiletries - fine soap, body lotion - would certainly ease the transition!

Barb - I love that picture It almost looks more Scandinavian to me than Russian - but then, as you say, we are conditioned to think that all Russian painting - especially modern painting - is propaganda posters (not that we in the UK don't have our share of those).

Jonathan - I have ordered Casablanca - it should arrive by Saturday. Looking forward to it.

How fascinating about your family, what a history to have - and a samovar too!

I remember shovelling snow off the very long drive when we lived in Newfoundland. One day when i was out there the house door swung shut. It was not locked but it immediately started to freeze. I was truly terrified - we lived in a very small community outside St John's and the only neighbours I knew were away on holiday. Despite having full cold weather clothing on, I started to feel as if the blood in my fingers was swiftly turning to ice. These were the days before mobile phones so there was no way I could call anyone, and although the car was outside, the keys were not. After a few minutes of my increasingly anxious pushing and kicking, the door opened. I've rarely been so relieved in my life. Take care out there!

Rosemary

[CallieOK]

X  Marking spot since I'm still a long way down on the reserve list for a copy of the book.  I will be able to read Chapters 1 and 2 in the "sample" so will, at least know a little of what the story is about.

[Jonathan]

Callie, so nice to see you joining the discussion of this remarkable book.

This is lovely and I hope I'm not injecting a spoiler, but Rosemary's mother managed her downsizing with as much aplomb as  the gentleman in our story managed his. Okay, I'll try to restrain myself in what I have to say about the book.

[rosemarykaye]

Thank you Jonathan - she would be flattered!

[Dana]

Ah Russia ....I've been to St Petersburg twice  in the last 10 years.  Its the most beautiful city I have ever seen.  The restoration of the palaces and streets when you consider the demolition of Leningrad during the war is  breathtaking.  I tried to learn some Russian before I went...the alphabet is really quite daunting but the actual language is a bit like Polish which I have a smattering of, so I was able to read the signs and so on....but I've forgotten quite a bit now. I've always been fascinated by Russia which made my Polish father angry.....so I've read a few Russian novels and a play or two, as well as biographies of Stalin, Lenin and Beria of all people....a bit of a creep.....
 So I suppose that's why I'm struggling through Crime and Punishment...actually the characters are so well described, but the story remains so depressing. I shall definitely read Fathers and Sons next, except first I have got Barb's recommendation Generations of Winter ( Asilykov) waiting for me.
If you would like to read about Russian history Rosemary, Robert K. Massie writes very readably and "Nicholas and Alexandra" would be a most gripping and really unbelievably unbelievable place to start...if it was a novel you would not believe it....I think it put me off novels for a while, the truth is just so much more wildly satisfying.  He also has written good books  about Catherine the Great and Peter the Great and you can get Russian made documentaries about them both on amazon....but not as good as the books.

[CallieOK]

Thank you for the welcome, Jonathan.

Quick introduction:  I live in central Oklahoma (if Oklahoma City were a clock face, I'd live "north of noon") and have also lived in the Texas panhandle (Amarillo) and the Colorado mountains (Leadville).  My working background was as a Second Grade teacher.  My years of volunteer work were at local historical museums and, most recently, as an Education Docent at the Oklahoma History Center Museum.

I have traveled extensively in western Europe, Canada and the USA - but not to Russia.  I'm rather vaguely familiar with early Russian history - not so much with the Communist era.

Doubt that I'll be researching and reading other books on the subject but am looking forward to reading the posts from those of you who do.

[Mkaren557]

Good Morning All,
Thank you for your wonderful entries yesterday.  Bellamarie Whenever I read, I feel like I am traveling.  Certainly I do in Gentleman.  All your reading has taken you to so many places.  Keep reading! Barb Thank you so much for the painting. Rooms opening into rooms. Jonathan I know it is so hard not to talk about the book.  I want to, too.
The Kulaks have such a sad history.  When did your parents leave the Crimea?  CallieFollow along as you can.  Feel free to join in.  Dana Thank you for reminding me of the Massie books.  They are wonderful for Russian history.  In fact, I think a good biography is a great way to learn history. 
     I am excited that the Olympics start tonight.  I did stream curling at 5:00 AM!!! I am sort of an Olympics addict. I hate to tell you this but it is a gorgeous sunny day on the Suncoast of Florida.  I am sending you all some of that today.

[PatH]

Good morning.  Since we're trading biographies, I'll fill in mine, though I've probably said it all before one place or another.  I'm a native of Washington, DC, and still live in a suburb, though I now also have an apartment in Portland, OR, and spend about a quarter of my time there.  I've only lived elsewhere twice--a year in Zurich, Switzerland 1957-8, and a year in Strasbourg, France 1968-9, both related to my husband's job as a chemist (though in Zurich, I managed to get permission to putter in the lab too).  I spent my working life as a chemist at the National Institutes of Health, with time out when my children were small, and have been retired for some time.

I've done a lot of traveling in Europe, but never reached Russia, alas.

[PatH]

For part of my grade school years, the Russians were supposed to be good guys, our allies in the war, but that didn't last.  We got the Cold War, McCarthyism, missile crisis, fallout shelters, etc.  The feeling of threat cooled off, but relations remain uneasy.  Throughout it all, of course, most Russian people are good people trying to do their best.

Russia's history was really turbulent immediately preceding the start of our book in 1922.  After a lot of strife and partially effective revolutions, the czarist rule was overthrown in 1917, leading to an interim period in which warring factions fought each other in a vicious civil war, culminating in the formation of the USSR in 1922.

My knowledge of Russian history is pretty minimal, and I had to look this up to get it sort of straight.  Please correct anything I have wrong.

[rosemarykaye]

Just realised we were supposed to introduce ourselves - instead of which I just rambled on about Russia...

I live in Edinburgh, Scotland, where I work mornings only in the office of our Episcopal Cathedral. Before that I used to be a probate lawyer but thank goodness I haven't done that for several years. I am not Scottish - I come from London, where all sides of my family have lived for as long as anyone can remember. I originally moved to Scotland (Aberdeen0 because my husband works in the oil industry, but he now works in Paris most of the time. We moved to Edinburgh when he spent a few years working in renewables (wave power). Two of my daughters currently live in London; my son lives in the Highlands of Scotland.

Although I've been able to travel a bit in adult life, I'd still very much like to see Japan, Greece, Norway and some African countries. Not sure if this will ever happen!

I agree Mkaren, one can 'travel' so well through books - wasn't it Joan who said everything she knew about the world she'd learned from reading detective novels? I know what she means - I've been to Venice with Inspector Brunetti (and also with Salley Vickers' wonderful Miss Garnet), Perpignan with Inspector Sebag, Shetland with Detective Perez, Oxford with Morse, Cambridge with the Rev Sidney Chambers, Botswana with Mme Ramotswe.... Although I have been to several of these countries 'in the flesh', books give you a completely different take on them - for example, I've been to the Venice of tourists, but never to the seedy side explored by Donna Leon - or even the world of those restoring the city's great buildings. And you're right, a biography is a great way to learn history too. That's why I love The Assassin's Cloak, Alan Taylor's collection of extracts from diaries across the years, arranged according to the days of the year - everything from Pepys experiencing the Great Fire of London, to Francis Ford Coppola's wife Eleanor writing about her marraige while they are both on on the set of Apocalypse Now.

Our entire Radio Times is full of the Winter Olympics this week. Unlike you MKaren I am not a fan of any sport - so it's good to know that somebody enjoys this!

Thank you Dana for the Robert K Massie recommendation - I will look him up. I have never seen Nicholas and Alexander, nor Dr Zhivago - I should probably now remedy all of these omissions, while I'm in Russian mode.

One book that my reading of the first part of A Gentleman in Moscow has slightly bizarrely brought to mind is Kay Thompson's Eloise at Christmastime. I'd better not say anything else about that until we start properly!

Rosemary

[PatH]

I don't think we were necessarily supposed to introduce ourselves, but Karen and Callie started it, and it fits in with our telling what we know about Russia and whether we've ever been there.

Rosemary, I was reminded of Eloise too, though I haven't read that particular one.

Karen, thanks for the warning to keep a list of characters.  I'm really bad at keeping track of minor ones.  The Amor Towles website will have to wait a while, though.  As soon as I started the video, it began telling me things I wanted to find out by reading them in the book.

[bellamarie]

Ooops.... I missed the part about giving a background biography in introducing ourselves.  I reside in the most northern part of Ohio near the Michigan/Ohio line.  Born and raised in Michigan, I am a huge Michigan Wolverine football fan!  I always say, "You can take the girl out of Michigan, but you can not take the Michigan out of the girl." I lived in a small town called Monroe, rural upbringing, lots of land for farming, playing outside, but little access to friends and the exciting things happening in the uptown area of my town.  I moved to Toledo, Ohio when I married in 1971 and love that it is only twenty minutes from visiting my hometown.  I was hired as a computer instructor at a Catholic elementary school in 1984 and began the first computer lab, with very little knowledge or experience with computers.  I spent the entire summer before school began learning what I was to teach.  My principal/boss Sr. Myra told me,  "I have faith in you." I not only was very successful in bringing technology to our school, but was selected to teach a computer course to high school teachers at our local college.  Our elementary school was noted as one of the best technology schools in the diocese.  This is one of my proudest accomplishments in life, since I had no college or tech classes in the beginning.  (Just wish I would have taken the advice of an Apple technician back in 1984 when he told me I should buy some stock in Apple because it would one day be worth a lot of money.) I also was hired by the same principal, Sr. Myra, to teach religion classes in their CCD program back in 1983.  Again, NO official prior knowledge or teaching degrees, and as she said to me, "You have the faith in your heart, leave the rest to the Holy Spirit." I have to giggle because last night getting out of the car going into the school to teach my third grade CCD class, some thirty years later, I said to my hubby, "Okay Holy Spirit, do your thing." We both laughed. 

As far as traveling abroad, I have no such luck to have been any further than Canada as I mentioned earlier.  I have traveled to many states throughout the forty-six years of my marriage, but now I am satisfied to stay close to home near my six grandchildren.  So, no Russia, Europe, Asia, etc., knowledge here.  Only Italy is on my bucket list, possibly for our 50th Wedding Anniversary!  I wrote a poem and it was published in the International Library of Poetry back in 2006, about the travels I imagined while rocking my grand babies in my arms.  I will have to share it with you all one day.  One more tidbit about myself, I am a novice writer who has written a children's book, waiting to get up my nerve to submit for publication.  Like many writers, I never feel like my work is worthy of print.

Casablanca, a movie I have not seen either, but Jonathan you are definitely making it enticing to rent.  I love all the recommendations you all are posting to help learn about Russia.   

Rosemary, I have the video of Eloise at Christmastime, my granddaughters love that movie.

Yes, PatH., thank you for reminding me of Karen's suggestion to keep a list of characters, including the minor ones.  I'm getting my spiral tablet out. 

Dana, Happy to see you are with us, and sharing your travels to Russia.  I will also check out Robert K. Massie and Nicholas and Alexander. 

I have a feeling once we begin discussing the actual book we will all get a good idea of what it's like to live in Russia, through Alexander Rostov's exile there.

[BarbStAubrey]

Love reading the posts - and Dana, you also spent time in Russia - And Jonathan, you are of Russian decent - wondered if your family continued to feel an attachment to Russia after they had to flee - If so, I am imagining their attachment was to an old Russia that no longer existed - Marvelous treat to be talking with fellow readers who can conjure up first hand the looks, sounds and smells of Russia. My own closest connection is a couple of Russian lacquered boxes  and my love of Tchaikovsky - which, if we are downsizing, I MUST have my collection of Tchaikovsky, Dvorak and George Strait and squeeze in Gershwin and Alan Toussaint.

Ah yes an intro - live here in Austin in the same house for 51 years - early married years, in Kentucky - teen and childhood going backwards, City Island N.Y. - near Helen, Georgia - Tampa, Florida - Been a Real Estate Broker since 1980 and I'm semi-retired. Only closed a transaction last month. My life, as my interests are very eclectic -

Spent years teaching various Needlearts locally and nationally. Also many years as a Board member of local area Girl Scout Councils both here in Central Texas and in Lexington Ky. and as a trainer both locally, nationally and once in Canada. For several years worked various jobs at G.S. camp during the summer both here and in Ky. bringing my youngest with me from the time he was age 4.

Traveled many times to Europe but never Russia and many trips to our next door neighbor, Mexico. For years the typical Thanksgiving weekend included driving down for a shopping trip to Monterrey or at least to Laredo. Researched needlework all over Britain and Wales for a couple of months, mostly by appointment visiting the holdings in museums that were stored in the basements and attics. Did a lot of hiking in Mexico, Germany, Switzerland and France - oh yes, spent several years studying cooking that included our group visiting the 3 and 4 star restaurants in Southern France and in Paris.

My only constant, since I was age 5 has been reading books - pretty much doped out reading on my own - Mom signed me up at a local Library, mostly as a safe place to leave me while she shopped - I was in heaven - my big childhood accomplishments included reading the entire children's section at the library with a good start on the adult section by the time I graduated from 8th grade and my swimming medals.   

Best job, I loved all that went with being a mom to growing children - Oldest boy died 10 years ago now, my daughter lives in NC and my younger son is over in Magnolia which is now almost a suburb of Houston - His boys are in Lubbock - my daughter's oldest is in Seattle and her younger is currently in Costa Rico, next Peru and spent last year traveling and hiking Iceland, Ireland, Europe and Thailand staying with Friends - Spent his Collage Junior Year in China and a summer in Norway and another in China and Singapore - yep, he travels and he learns languages. 

Oh lordy I do get wound up - as to downsizing - have not yet made a huge clear-out but slowly been getting rid of what I no longer use - to move into an attic I too would need my books, pens pencils paper, my CDs, my computer, my piano, my knitting and embroidery supplies, my sewing machine, scissors etc, some flower pots for the window sill, my good pots and pans and knives because I prefer to do my own cooking along with a couple of place settings - a 9 foot long table, large enough for study space as well as, sewing space and dining space, table chair, shelves and more shelves, bed, if space a comfortable chair, if not lots of pillows for the bed/sofa -

Nope, enough, I would hate it - I like being out of doors - I love my various indoor activities but I cannot imagine being confined to a room - no more talking to my trees or seeing what the plants are doing, the sun coming up or the moon lighting my nighttime walk or chatting with neighbors while poking around the front garden or with folks as they walk by - no, no, no - no one room living or even an apartment with no yard for me!

OK, that being said, let's see how the Gentleman in Moscow handles his confinement - I'm sure far better than being thrown in jail. 

[Mkaren557]

I for one was scared to death of the Russians when I was little. I would go to the movies on Saturday and see films on what to do when the Russians dropped the bomb and before my eyes a house with a dummy family inside would be blown to bits as sirens blew.  I would have duck and cover drills in school.  I would crawl under my desk and cover my head.  I put water and food in my cellar and formulated a plan to dig to China to get away from the Russians. This didn't stop.  Some of the families in my neighborhood built air raid shelters and they told me they would shoot me if I wanted to get in.  I must have been 8-9 years old.  My senior year in high school I really thought the end was near during the Cuban Missle Crisis. Just recently someone asked a group of us. "What was the first news story you remember?"  I said that the first news story I remembered was the executions of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg as Russian spies.  I was a weird kid.  So, the fear persisted really until the Wall came down and the Soviet Union broke up. William Faulkner in his Pulitzer Prize acceptance speech said something like "The fear of the bomb is so ingrained in us that we hardly notice it's there"

[Mkaren557]

Well, I was close.  It was Faulkner but it was the Nobel Prize. This is the actual quote.

Our tragedy today is a general and universal physical fear so long sustained by now that we can even bear it. There are no longer problems of the spirit. There is only the question: When will I be blown up? Because of this, the young man or woman writing today has forgotten the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself which alone can make good writing because only that is worth writing about, worth the agony and the sweat.

[BarbStAubrey]

Some took the red scare seriously and some took to the concept of living our life to the fullest and leaning on our faith - I remember talks with my children after conversations with some friends who were building and stocking shelters - thinking it through and discussing it as a family, we realized even if we saved ourselves the earth would be destroyed and we could not last our entire lives living in a shelter - and to fear death was silly when we all eventually die. The upshot that I did not expect, the children came out of those discussions with an inner strength that over-rode their leaning on faith. My eldest, in middle school at the time, unfortunately shared his thinking at school and was bullied unmercifully because he did not agree with their thinking - ah so and we all lived through it - fear is a terrible thing isn't it... Faulkner sure nailed that with "universal physical fear so long sustained by now that we can even bear it." Seems to me every generation has a monster to fear - today Cancer is taking its leading role front and center.

[BarbStAubrey]

Just saw the video you included Karen in the heading - witty and typical 1920s look isn't it - I forgot Amor Towles wrote Rules of Civility - that was the big read a year or so ago wasn't it.

Found this web site entitled The Lost Poets of the Russian Revolution - nice bits of information - so Poets really do have an august position in Russian power politics - In the US we do not couple art with politics, not even poster art any longer, but it appears that art is or was the way of things in Russian politics.

http://newmexicomercury.com/blog/comments/the_lost_poets_of_the_russian_revolution

A thought - all those scary years I'm remembering we referred to Russia almost exclusively as the Soviet Union and the people, we called Soviets - a harder sounding word filled with all that we could imagine that was harmful where as, using the word Russia seems softer and brings up memories of the great novels, ballet and music of pre-revolution - Trying to figure out why, after the break-up of the Soviet Union that same pre-revolution romantic view of Russia is not what comes to mind - I wonder if it has to do with the years of Soviet rule focused on the extinction of the Russian Orthodox Church which was so severe that today Russians are not bound by and ruled by a Church equal to the President, as the Church was equal to the Monarchy and so Russia has a different tone.

[Mkaren557]

Around 1992 I went to the second of the NEH workshops that I wrote about.  It was at Oberlin on Nineteenth Century British Women Writers.  I digress.  The professor who led the workshop was married to a Russian Immigrant who was also a Professor.  This interested me, Barb.  She wanted to restore the Romanovs as rulers of Russia.  Apparently there are those around who would like to turn back the clock to  that time you speak of when the Orthodox Church supported the Czar and the aristocracy lived in amazing luxury.  When it was a slow day in the classroom (or once on the world history final exam), I would ask the kids if they could live in another time period what would you choose and why.  I always said I would have liked living in nineteeenth century and be rich.

[rosemarykaye]

That's the thing, isn't it, MKaren - so many periods in history would be great provided one were rich. Personally I think nostalgia is a pernicious, dangerous thing. So many people go on about how it was 'better in the old days' - one of my late aunts never stopped. She somehow forgot how poor they were as children, when they did not have enough to eat and their worn-down mother had to take in people's washing and do other women's cleaning, as well as trying to care for five children and an unemployed, irrevocably war-damaged husband. None of the children were allowed to stay in education past the then compulsory age of 14 - my mother and her oldest sister would have thrived at university, but all that was denied to them purely by poverty.

I sometimes think I would have liked to have been an adult in the 60s - but then I remember how far we have come re women's rights, LGBT rights, etc since then. Rewatching Our Friends in the North, a fantastic TV series set in Newcastle around that time, reminded us just how much corruption there was in local politics and the police force (especially the Met in London), and how hard it still was for a woman to have a career. Only a very few people enjoyed the 'swinging sixties', though of course the wind of change was in the air.

Rosemary

[bellamarie]

I love reading all your posts of the Russia you understood back in your childhood.  I never experienced those scares, drills or knew of shelters built in the event of an attack.  My first memory of paying any attention to world news was when President Kennedy was struggling with the Cuban Missile Crisis, in October of 1962.  As a child I had no idea what exactly was happening, I just knew it was monumental to our country. 

Oh the 60s, the best thing that comes to my mind about that time is the Beatles came to America! I was twelve years old in February 1964 when they first appeared on the Ed Sullivan show.  I will never forget watching them thinking how dreamy they all looked.  They were my first awareness of music, in deciding what I really like, other than listening to my older sisters music playing on American Bandstand. 

Rosemary, I think the "Good ole days" is more about the sense of faith & family regardless of whether you were rich, middle class or poor, at least in my own opinion.  Money and food was scarce for many, but my large family and strong faith was plenty.  Would I like to go back to those days.... not so much.  Like Karen, I think I would love to experience the the eighteenth or nineteenth century, provided I am in the circle of being invited to all the grand balls.  So I suppose I too, would need to be rich as well.  Ah so.... to dream of another place and time.

We are being bombarded with at least seven inches of snow today, I plan to spend it reading, so I will be ready for our discussion on Monday.  Speaking of keeping a list of characters in the book, I happened to find a list last night while roaming the internet.  This list is in the order as the characters enter the story.  My printer is out of ink, so I just copied and pasted this list to my documents on my computer so I can refer back to it.  I don't think knowing the list will give away any spoilers.

http://www.bookcompanion.com/a_gentleman_in_moscow_character_list2.html

[Jonathan]

Getting to know you. To know all about you. What fun!

But woe is me. I've spent another sleepless night, wondering what to tell you about myself. Such an uneventful life. Don't misunderstand me. I've enjoyed nearly every minute of it. That wise man was wrong who said the unexamined life is not worth living. The contrary may well be closer to the truth.

I've been a gentleman of leisure for the past thirty years, and a widower for almost two. Before that it was thirty years wholesaling in the food industry. Feeding the hungry. My mission in life. I owed God that much, who directs everything. For me to be born a Canadian, the Russian revolution had to happen. As the second greatest blessing in my life, I was born on U.S. soil, just north of the border, in the Red River valley, which is, after all, the erosion of the Dakotas and Minnesota.

Among my heros is someone like Aby Warburg, of Warburg Library fame, the bibliophile in a family of bankers. And that reminds me of my darling wife, who was both a librarian and a shrewd money manger. And a ringer for Ilsa, the star in Casablanca. Just as beautiful and just as gracious. And the strange part. Ilsa was, of course, Ingrid in real life. My wife's given names were Ingrid Ilse. Happy Valentine's Day, my love.

[bellamarie]

Oh Jonathan, you brought tears to my eyes.  Ingrid Ilse was a very blessed and lucky lady to have you for her husband. God bless your for your feeding the hungry, a corporal work of mercy. 

[CallieOK]

Didn't realize I was part of the "start" to introductions.  Thought I was just trying to participate a bit. 

Bellamarie,  thank you so much for the link to the characters.   I've printed out the page listing them by chapter as well as the one listing them alphabetically.
I'm still way down on the reserve list but will be able to read a synopsis and the text through the second chapter in the "sample" available from the library.

I was in my 30's and a stay-at-home Mom living 10,200 feet above sea level in the Colorado Rockies by the time the "Russia scare" occurred.  So, although I vaguely remember reading about events, I missed experiencing it - as well as all the other social upheavals of the era.

Although I agree that literature can be connected to history, I lean more toward reading the history than trying to interpret what an author is saying about it.  Never was good at that sort of thing in college literature classes.
I remember my h.s. English teacher being very impressed when I did a book report on "Anna Karenina".  However, she didn't tell me it was because I was reading TOLSTOY and I doubt I made very much of a connection between the story and Russian history.

Nevertheless,  in my "older years"  (82),  I'm still interested in learning and shall do my best to keep up with all the comments and references.   

[BarbStAubrey]

Wow Callie, the mountains of Colorado - was skiing a part of your life? It was great that you started us off sharing about ourselves - one of those happy accidents on your part - my take on our sharing the history is to get background on the why and wherefore of the characters in the book and to get a feel for their circumstances - my bet is since the story is not Historical Fiction, our topics of conversation will probably not be rattling our brains and researching Russian History - and so your thoughts shared will move us into appreciation of the story tra la - looking forward to your posts.

Yes, I think you said it Rosemary - when we see paintings of peasant life during other historical times it sure is not all that inviting is it and as you say Bellamarie, food and money were not as easy to obtain - we forget how we depended on the seasons for our foods which meant that we did not enjoy the variety we have available today or the security of the crop production that we take for granted today.

Jonathan so glad you are a part of our discussions - your feelings are always refreshing and today's post is filled with the memory of your love - thanks for sharing.

Karen you attended the neatest workshops - how do you learn about them?

[BarbStAubrey]

Link to the seductive Second Waltz by Dimitri Shostakovish danced at a nineteenth century court ball

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEk-0BBbUmw

And this one from Anna Karenia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5QpOBVyinI

[CallieOK]

Barb,  after two attempts at skiing on the Beginners' Slope at the local area https://www.coloradoski.com/resorts/cooper, it was obvious that I was only going to get cold, wet and in everybody's way.  So I bought a smiley button to wear on my parka.  It read:  "I Don't Ski" and I always wanted one for the other side that read "Because I Don't Want To."
Then I stayed home and made hot chocolate and hot buttered rum for the returning skiers.   

[Mkaren557]

Well, Callie, what anyone wants to share in an introduction is fine, but I don't want anyone to feel pressured.  Same thing when we get to the discussing the book. Contribute what and when you want .  Jonathan, thank you for your introduction. What part of Canada are you in now?  Barbara, most of these workshops were for teachers and sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.  That organization used to hold these workshops every summer.  They paid my expenses and provided money to have fun with.  They were promoting a humanities approach to teaching history and literature together and including philosophy, art, music. I believe NEH was cut.

[PatH]

Barb, thanks for the link to Russian poets.  I particularly like this:

Mendelstam recognized this about Russia, when he said, “only in our country is poetry respected.” He continued: “People are killed for it. And there’s nowhere else that people are killed for poetry.”

That kind of sums up the role of literature in Russian politics, and it also throws a different light on the first few pages of our book.

The link mentions music too, though briefly, quoting Dmitri Shostakovich.  Stalin was no music lover, and Shostakovich spent too much of his career dodging around Stalin's corny notions of what was appropriate to the Soviet regime, though he avoided prison or being shot.  Musicologists argue a lot about the details, but he definitely couldn't write some of the music he wanted to, and he did often push the limits of what he could get away with.

[CallieOK]

Advice, please.
Watching the movie "Casablanca" has been suggested.   It's showing tonight on my PBS station and I plan to watch it carefully.  Please help this "interpretation-challenged" reader   know what I should look for in relation to "A Gentleman In Moscow".   

[Mkaren557]

Callie, movies in general play into the story.  "Casablanca"  figures into the ending of the book.  Don't worry about finding symbols and things to analyze.  Think mostly about the mood of the movie and the situation that Rick and Ilse are in.  Most of all, enjoy the movie; it is a classic.   Callie, I was as frustrated as you are about things meaning something else than what they are.  I still miss those things.  That's what I love about book discussions with people I know will help me "get" anything I miss.  So, make some popcorn, sit back, and let this movie take you to Casablanca during World War II.  Have fun. 

[Jonathan]

Let's go to the movies. Thanks, Callie, for letting us know about the showing of Casablanca. With such good advice from Karen: 'Catch the mood.' See the conflict. Between love and duty? Perhaps it's in the lovers' favorite melody. Play it again, Sam. As time goes by.

And then there's the poetry. Thanks for the quote, Pat.

"Mendelstam recognized this about Russia, when he said, “only in our country is poetry respected.” He continued: “People are killed for it. And there’s nowhere else that people are killed for poetry.”

I don't want to jump the gun, but what was it about the Gentleman's poem that saved his life? I need help with this one.

[PatH]

Jonathan:

I need help with this one.

So do I.  But Mendelstam's quote reminds us why poetry is even a serious part of such an inquiry.

[CallieOK]

Mkaren, thanks for saying that "Casablanca" figures into the end of the book.  I've seen the movie several times  (probably saw it when it first came out) and am aware of the time, mood and situation.  Thought there might be something more subtle  I needed to find. 
 Please don't misunderstand.  I don't feel like a misfit here and can't wait until I get my copy of "Gentleman...." so I can read farther than the end of the 2nd chapter.  Won't be long now.