NOTE: this post is for information purposes only. I regret that I do not know how to obtain copies of this book from Russia, or if we will ever see an English edition published – PG

During the last 30+ years, hundreds of new books on the life and reign of Emperor Nicholas II, have been published in Russia. Sadly, very few (if any) will ever find a Western publisher, who is willing to have them translated into English. The current economic sanctions imposed against Russia only complicate things further.

One new title ‘Николай II: Отвечаю за все‘ / ‘Nicholas II: I am Responsible for Everything‘, which was published in June 2023, really stands out among the others. It is a large format hard cover, with 456 pages, and richly illustrated throughout. Language: Russian only

The author of the book is Fyodor Gaida, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of 19th-20th Centuries Russian History of the Faculty of History of Moscow State University.

Gaida’s book explores the tragic fate of the last Russian Tsar, whose 22-year reign continues to evoke a wide range of opinions in modern Russian and Western society. It explores events related to the most controversial and crucial period of Russian history – the First World War and the 1917 Revolution.

Nicholas II is presented not only as an autocrat, but also as an ordinary man with deep religious and political convictions, which he carried throughout his life.

The book tells the life story of the Emperor and his family in the context of the historical and political events that took place between 1894 to 1917, fragments of his personal correspondence, and testimonies of contemporaries.

The publication presents rare photographs and documentary materials, as well as unique items from the collections of the State Historical Museum, the Moscow Kremlin Museums, the State Hermitage Museum, the Peterhof State Museum, and the Museum of Political History of Russia.

© Paul Gilbert. 19 May 2024