I watched about the story of Olga, the sister of Nicholas II today. I wanted to find out a little more about that time (I'm slogging my way through a book about Rasputin) ... so I watched a series about the Romanovs on Youtube, and then this one, about Olga. The story about Olga is so beautiful! It has sorrow, intrigue, passion, pomp and ceremony, her humanity and simplicity, and her amazing talent as an artist! That and so much more! I hope you will enjoy this as much as I did:
Monday, 7 May 2012
11 comments:
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We were actually talking about Russia this last week in history. I will bookmark this:)
ReplyDeleteHi Ma,
DeleteWow, how timely! :)
Hi, Susan. Thank you for sharing these. I seldom take the time to watch anything longer than a few minutes. As a matter of fact, every time my hubby approached do initiate conversation, I'd tell him that I needed only two more minutes. Well, I couldn't help clicking the next video and then the next, until my husband finally "noticed" that it's been only two more minutes for an hour. He's so patient!
ReplyDeleteI've heard of Olga before but have never taken the time to find out who she really was, and thoroughly enjoyed meeting her truly royal servant's heart.
Hi Petra,
DeleteIt truly was a wonderful video. The last couple of months the Lord is showing me on a very personal level the truth about having wealth and position in this world. You can "know" these things ("money isn't everything") intellectually and still wish for a different life (more money, property, etc, and being envious of those who have it) while pretending contentment. The book (about Rasputin) I'm reading tells of Nicholas II and Alexandra's envy for the common peasant's life. The royals were all couped up and forced into daily routines in their confined spaces, while commoners could come and go and enjoy the theater or go out to dinner whenever they wanted to.
I'm very blessed, much more than I often realize.
Modern Russian history is pretty interesting stuff. Are you enjoying the book on Rasputin? I don't know much about him, except that he exercised a lot of influence on Nicholas and Alexandra, and that it was very hard to kill him. Beyond that, I don't know what his political or religious views were, or what kind of person he was. Something tells me that he wasn't a pleasant person, though. What have you found out so far?
ReplyDeleteHi Leslie,
DeleteJust doing a quick drive by, will answer your comment later, however did want to thank you for stopping by :)
Ok, Now I have a little more time :)
DeleteI'm about halfway through the book. It is called "RASPUTIN the Saint Who Sinned" by Brian Moynahan...it's very difficult reading for me with references to Russian names for things and people that look so similar to each other... and many of the situations that are talked about are pretty disgusting. You have it right about his influence on Nicholas and Alexandra and that it was difficult to kill him. He was a very strange man, but there are some that have a similar spirit wearing "spiritual garments" today....:(
I didn't know a thing about Rasputin except that he was Russian, so when I saw this book I figured I should find out a bit about him. This book relies on the witness accounts of him that are still in print (from newspaper articles and court hearing testimonies, mostly, also diaries and letters)...it's interesting, somewhat, and yet such a burden to read through.
Also, I should add that the book does point out there were people that didn't really know him but were caught up in some hysteria about him (either on the "for" or "against" side) and there were exaggerations about his antics written in some of the newspapers (equivalent to stories you may find in the "Enquirer" that are about 5% truth and 95% fiction), and they do bring up some of these exaggerations... so then knowing what is really true about him might be a little more complicated than what is put down about him...
DeleteVery interesting. I would like to learn more about Rasputin. What a strange individual.
DeleteI just wanted to add that I like the name "Olga", and that I would even considering naming a daughter "Olga", but of course my wife would never go for it. She says that all the baby names I like are old-fashioned.
DeleteStill slogging through the book...almost done...he was a very interesting person. From talking with other people, it is commonly held that Rasputin brought down Russia, but reading this book makes me believe that Rasputin was a product of his culture that was already compromised and declining, and fit right in with the tzarina's superstitious needs. There was another charlatan with the tzarina before Rasputin that did many of the things Rasputin did before he "lost favor" with her...then Rasputin came and "upped the ante". There was a lot of corruption, and Rasputin took advantage of that. Very sad story. I think we are heading in the same direction. :(
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