A gentleman in moscow is the story of one man confined to one hotel for one lifetime and what a lifetime it was. I cant recall any mentions of him later on in the book. Heres the description from the superstore website for a gentleman in moscow. Welcome to a meeting place for publishers, authors, and book clubs to connect. Today is the day for our tenth book club discussion.
The book is technically historical fiction, but you would be just as accurate calling it a thriller or a love story. Discussion questions a gentleman in moscow by amor towles 1 in the transcript at the opening of a gentleman in moscow, the head of the tribunal and count rostov have the following exchange. Reading guide for a gentleman in moscow by amor towles. William blake famously wrote, to see a world in a grain of sand,and heaven in a wild flower,hold infinity in the palm of your hand,and eternity in an hour. The night that sofia leaves for her tour, she and the count share a. A gentleman in moscow by amor towles book club chat.
Lee the weight of ink menu and jumbal cakes recipe from rachel kadish. The year is 1922 and rostov is about to spend seemingly the rest of his life at the metropol. Count alexander rostov born 1889 1954 65 years old at end of book 33 years old when imprisoned. Dinner and a book club a gentleman in moscow by amor. That one scene aside, a gentleman in moscow is a fun, clever, and surprisingly upbeat look at russian history through the eyes of one man. A gentleman in moscow immerses us in another elegantly drawn era with the story of count alexander rostov. A gentleman in moscow book club discussion questions. A gentleman in moscow is laced with sparkling threads they will tie up and tokens they will matter. A beautiful reminder that a rich life is made of so much more than ones circumstances, and that purpose is often found in the most unexpected places. First of all, if you have come to this readers guide because you have read a gentleman in moscow, i owe you my heartfelt thanks. In the transcript at the opening of a gentleman in moscow, the head of the tribunal and count rostov have the following exchange.
A prolific cook, author amor towles shares how he t urned to his own. A gentleman in moscow, by amor towles amor towles new novel stars a russian aristocrat, sentenced by the soviets to permanent house arrest in a. Amor towles answers questions on his novel, a gentleman in. A man of refined taste in wine, food, and literature, he strives to maintain a daily routine, exploring the nooks and crannies of the hotel, bonding with staff, accepting the advances of attractive women, and forming what proves to. Vintage wine and a gentleman in moscow novel food no. Exceptional storytelling brings a changing moscow inside the walls of one building. Set in postrevolutionary russia, the novel follows its protagonist, count alexander ilyich rostov, as he develops new friendships, family, and loves, all while confined within the walls of the metropol. And we know how challenging it can be to find a book that is both entertaining as well as interesting and provocative enough to spark a good, engaging discussion while, perhaps, you nosh on cheese and sip wine. I have no doubt, count rostov, that some in the galley are surprised to find you charming. A m or towles shares a recipe for latvian stew, inspired by his novel, a gentleman in moscow authors on tour. Genre, setting, topic, theme, and discussion questions, just to name a few. See more ideas about yummy drinks, moscow and gentleman. According to towles, the book was inspired by a business trip two years earlier as he mused about guests at le richemond hotel in geneva, switzerland.
It took me longer to read a gentleman in moscow than some other books because many of the storys details were almost hidden in the wellcrafted prose. This list of a gentleman in moscow book club questions are sure to start deep and thoughtul discussion during your next book club meeting. Count alexander ilyich rostov descendant of many counts and other nobility, product of a genteel upbringing by his ohsoproper grandmother, graduate of elite russian schools, and allaround member of the czars upper crust is. What was the outcome that prince petrov had on the story. A count becomes a waiter in a novel of soviet supremacy. To enhance your book club check out a study guide for book clubs. No wonder im not ever invited to be in a book club. To have that unspool against a massive backdrop of sweeping emotions, well, it just affirms what tolstoy proved. A gentleman in moscow latvian stew recipe from amor towles. A gentleman in moscow is an amazing story because it manages to be a little bit of everything. Count was sentenced to a house arrest for being associated with a poem which had revolutionary overtones even though he was not the one who composed it.
In each book club session, we dine on a delicious menu related to the book while we enjoy a lively discussion. A gentleman in moscow is a worthy update to the great. Click on a food image to be directed to the recipe site. A gentleman in moscow by amor towles reading guidebook. A gentleman in moscow by amor towles is a remarkable work of fiction. A wine and food connoisseur, while at the hotel the count dines at the hotels restaurants. His second book, a gentleman in moscow came out in 2016. A gentleman in moscow book club discussion, all welcome. Just to help get you thinking, if you have a hard time figuring out what you want to say, there are some questions below that i found online. At the beginning of the book, count alexander ilyich rostov is sentenced to spend his life under house arrest in moscows metropol hotel. Over the two decades that i was in the investment business, i travelled a good deal for my firm. A gentleman in moscow by kathryn cope whether you are a member of a reading group, or simply reading a gentleman in moscow for pleasure, this clear and concise guide, written by a specialist in literature, will greatly enhance your reading experience. This will become count alexander ilyich rostovs daily challenge and his lifelong campaign, to see the whole world as defined by the confines of a single building.
Did you know, the current day metropol hotel offered a gentleman in moscow book club tour. A gentleman in moscow is written by amor towles, and it tells the story of count alexander rostov, who is a russian aristocrat. Theres fantastical romance, politics, espionage, parenthood and poetry. I finished reading a gentleman from moscow by amor towles months ago. The literary epicurean book club selection march 29, 2017 by amor towles book description courtesy of goodreads. When, in 1922, he is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a bolshevik tribunal, the count is sentenced to house arrest. A gentleman in moscow chronicles 32 years in the life of a russian aristocrat forced to live out his days in moscow s metropol hotel. In writing a novel, i work from an extensive outline that describes in detail the events of every chapter, the settings, and the psychological states. The book picked for this month was a gentleman in moscow by amor towles. A gentleman in moscow archives the book club cookbook.
A gentleman in moscow is full of that kind of loreof the stories and drama and elegance that faroff, longago european capitals have always suggested. A gentleman in moscow by amor towles is the story of a russian aristocratturnedwaiter who lives 32 years of his life under house arrest at the hotel metropol in moscow. A gentleman in moscow by amor towles is the perfect book club pick. As the book opens, you find count alexander in the midst of a trial for crimes against the. Last month the group read frankenstein which proved to be an interesting read it is much much more than just a monster coming to life. He finds travel guide books for paris and draws a path for sofia to follow on a map.
To keep the discussion interesting, class size is limited to 16. Find exciting ideas from book clubs all over the country what theyre reading, what theyre eating, and how theyre blending the two as well as recipes from some of your favorite authors and book giveaways. But it had never occurred to towles that it could be a timely book. A gentleman in moscow is the 30year saga of the count alexander ilyich rostov, who is placed under house arrest inside the metropol hotel in moscow in 1922 when the bolsheviks spare him from death or siberia because of his 19 revolutionary poem written. In 20, towles retired so he devote himself to fulltime writing. In a gentleman in moscow, richard vanderwhile and the count challenge the metropols bartender, audrius, to invent a cocktail in each of the colors of st. Its usually a lot of fun, but it can get us in trouble when one of us is further along than the otherwhich recently happened when we were both reading a gentleman in moscow by amor towles. Notes from a gentleman in moscow 1922 1954 tale over 32 years characters. A gentleman in moscow amor towles, 2016 penguin publishing 480 pp. A gentleman in moscow summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes.
A gentleman in moscow, amor towles, book club, book clubs, recipe peking duck spring rolls from janice y. A gentleman in moscow by amor towles, paperback barnes. The metropol hotel circa 1910 amor towles answers questions about his new novel. At one point, i got tearyeyed because one of the characters gets hurt and must go to the hospital. A gentleman in moscow is the story of count rostov, a russian aristocrat sentenced by the bolsheviks to a lifetime of house arrest in moscows metropol hotel. When devoted reader, susan carr, and her friend, katya, asked me for recipes for the drinks, i challenged them to come up with the recipes on my behalf. Both novels have been translated into over fifteen languages. When choosing a book for a book club there are a lot of factors to consider. Amor towles, a wall street director of research turned bestselling author, is about to release his second novel. Melinda and i sometimes read the same book at the same time. For those interested in learning more about the background of the book or my process, i encourage you to browse this site where i have placed a variety of supporting materials.
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