The Last Diary of Tsaritsa Alexandra

Annals of Communism

by Tsaritsa Alexandra, Vladimir M. a. Kozlov, Khrustalev M. Vladimir

This volume presents an outstanding new translation of two favorite comic novels by the preeminent Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem (1859-1916). The Letters of Menakhem-Mendl and Sheyne-Sheyndl portrays a tumultuous marriage through letters exchanged between the title character, an itinerant bumbler seeking his fortune in the cities of Russia before departing alone for the New World, and his scolding wife, who becomes increasingly fearful, jealous, and mystified. Motl, Peysi the Cantor's Son is the first-person narrative of a mischievous and keenly observant boy who emigrates with his family from Russia to America. The final third of the story takes place in New York, making this Sholem Aleichem's only major work to be set in the United States. Motl and Menakhem-Mendl are in one sense opposites--the one a clear-eyed child and the other a pathetically deluded adult. Yet both are ideal conveyors of the comic disparity of perception on which humor depends. If Motl sees more than do others around him, Menakhem-Mendl has an almost infinite capacity for seeing less. Sholem Aleichem endows each character with an individual comic voice to tell in his own way the story of the collapse of traditional Jewish life in modern industrial society as well as the journey to America, where a new chapter of Jewish history begins. This volume includes a biographical and critical introduction as well as a useful glossary for English-language readers.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Russia, Russian History, Romanovs, Royalty, Biography Memoir

298 pages, Paperback

First published October 20, 1997

Reviews

[Katy S · Rating 2 out of 5]

I checked out a diary of Tsaritsa Alexandra since I wanted to try to understand her better; the 1918 diary is the last ~7 months of her life from January to July 16, 1918. I would be interested in following up this time period with Nicholas's diary due to the numerous footnotes in Alexandra's from his which provided far more detail in a narrative style where Alexandra's was more of an agenda with brief notes of activity. A diary that might be more relatable (if accessible / if it still exists) would be 1912 covering Alexis's Spala incident, or 1914-1917 for Russia's involvement in WWI where Alexandra was regent with Nicholas on the front lines and was active as a nurse in the Red Cross.

As noted in the introduction, Alexandra noted her entries in both the Old and New Style dates, a discrepancy of ~13 days and once day light savings time was adopted on July 1st she made intentional mentions of the time saying things like "they told us it was 12 (but its 10)", showing she stayed on the boundary of two worlds. We know she also tried to balance her identity as a Russian, upbringing of Germanic (Hessian) royalty with being raised by an English governess as she was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria -- which were two strikes against her during the first world war.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What can one say about the occupations of a woman who had once been empress and then prisoner along with her family? No matter what your thoughts on the Romanovs; their deaths became unspeakable horror.

Alexandra does not give her innermost self away in this day book. She records the ordinary flow of the days and sometimes mentions the extra-ordinary. Her son is always on top of mind. He is feeble and sickly and requires much support from the family and their retinue. There is much tatting, knitting, embroidering and sitting in the sun; activities that relieve anxiety and boredom.

And then the blank page for Wed, July 17th. She, along with everyone else with her, never got to live that day and the blankness of the page says it all.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. It felt particularly tragic because the reader knows the ending. While some might find it repetitive and lacking in emotion the reader can imagine the emotions that lie underneath the surface. Primary sources are always essential.

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating insight into the last year in the life of Alexandra Feodorovna. Although the diary is more of a log, rather than a place to share intimate thoughts, there are gems in her writings which bring the Romanov family dynamics to life.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mundane read about the repetitious last few months of Alexandra. I appreciated the introduction and epilogue.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good foreword and afterword. Introduces many new characters I hadn't heard about in the many biographies I've read of Alexandra. 3 stars only because the entries are so brief and don't add a lot of emotional insight into her last year alive (of course, this is the author's style).

[jenwalk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt a little strange to be reading her personal diary entries, even though I'm sure they were censored due to circumstances in her life at the time. The entries were insightful and tender.
I also found myself dreading approaching the entries June of 1918.

[Helen Azar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only complaint I have about this book is that it is not complete, however that's only because I wanted all details. For those who just want to read Alexandra's diary, this will do the trick!

[Alenka of Bohemia]

Invaluable historical resource for any serious Romanov researcher. But not something you want to read as an introduction to the subject.

Not sure if I should rate this, considering it really is not "literature".