What a wonderful talk. Thoughtful, gracious, always interesting. He is a great historian and it was wonderful to see him informally speak. Thank you so much PP for this posting. Too bad about that guy on the right! Thank god the camera man avoided him as much as possible. Bad vibes! You might want to keep the front sides clear if you use that space again!
Having gotten into the study of Russia during the pandemic, I found Simon's and Anne Applebaum videos to be top shelf. This one, though, with its sub-standard acoustics is more of a challenge. Too, I'm hoping Simon will tackle the topic of the Silver Age poets (Akhmatova, Mandelstam, Brodsky, et al.) if he feels inclined to do so.
He's not some Stephen King-level author...most authors can expect a turnout like this when they tour unless they write huge bestsellers, usually fiction.
how do they know what took place at the execution of the family? were there accounts written from the death squad or guards? I just finished the Docu-movie The Last Czars, which Simon narrates parts of and now understand that Russia has always had autocracy.
There were many accounts, from the head executioner himself, to the White Russian investigator who arrived on the scene mere days later, after the Bolsheviks had fled the town. And we have lots of gruesome archeological evidence as well.
Yes, we have multiple first-hand accounts from the killers, including from the guy who led the whole thing, and research by the Whites, who overran the town a few weeks later. The Kremlin distanced itself from the murders for the entire life of the Soviet Union, so these testimonials were all just people talking who had acted without central authority as far as it was concerned. Only after the fall of the Soviet Union did the government acknowledge that Lenin had given the order, as well as when a part of Trotsky's diary was uncovered where he writes that he inquired as to the fate of the tsar and someone told him "The tsar has been shot" on Lenin's orders.
He's quite funny. You absolutely need a sense of humour when talking about batshit crazy assholes. He said in another video that when he was writing his book on Stalin he had horrible nightmares about being tortured and beaten. Jesus Christ! Like the canvas jacket too lol
Nicholas II - ditched Russia, with his useless rule, and naturally went to hell, to his ancestors - torturers of human souls! Being a sorcerer and a fool, with his own kind, he is cursed forever by God the Father!)))
They had access to the same sources you do. Many Russian historians say similar things. And remember, people are very interested in Russia for reasons other than today's politics. It's just a really fascinating country.
Nicholas II - ditched Russia, with his useless rule, and naturally went to hell, to his ancestors - torturers of human souls! Being a sorcerer and a fool, with his own kind, he is cursed forever by God the Father!)))
Pity the audio is awful.
What a wonderful talk. Thoughtful, gracious, always interesting. He is a great historian and it was wonderful to see him informally speak. Thank you so much PP for this posting. Too bad about that guy on the right! Thank god the camera man avoided him as much as possible. Bad vibes! You might want to keep the front sides clear if you use that space again!
Thats the best introducer of a speaker ive ever seen. Great job guy
wonderful presentation. Love his hefty books.
Very interesting talk but the sound is very poor, considering Mr. Montefiore has a mic in his hand throughout.
Having gotten into the study of Russia during the pandemic, I found Simon's and Anne Applebaum videos to be top shelf. This one, though, with its sub-standard acoustics is more of a challenge. Too, I'm hoping Simon will tackle the topic of the Silver Age poets (Akhmatova, Mandelstam, Brodsky, et al.) if he feels inclined to do so.
He must be highly in demand right now.
There's less people than at CPAC 2023.
He's not some Stephen King-level author...most authors can expect a turnout like this when they tour unless they write huge bestsellers, usually fiction.
Very poor audio....hard to understand.
how do they know what took place at the execution of the family? were there accounts written from the death squad or guards? I just finished the Docu-movie The Last Czars, which Simon narrates parts of and now understand that Russia has always had autocracy.
There were many accounts, from the head executioner himself, to the White Russian investigator who arrived on the scene mere days later, after the Bolsheviks had fled the town. And we have lots of gruesome archeological evidence as well.
Yes, we have multiple first-hand accounts from the killers, including from the guy who led the whole thing, and research by the Whites, who overran the town a few weeks later.
The Kremlin distanced itself from the murders for the entire life of the Soviet Union, so these testimonials were all just people talking who had acted without central authority as far as it was concerned.
Only after the fall of the Soviet Union did the government acknowledge that Lenin had given the order, as well as when a part of Trotsky's diary was uncovered where he writes that he inquired as to the fate of the tsar and someone told him "The tsar has been shot" on Lenin's orders.
The guy in the background looks like he's about to punch Montefiore at any moment.
3:20
How prescient with us on the brink of WWIII
He's quite funny. You absolutely need a sense of humour when talking about batshit crazy assholes. He said in another video that when he was writing his book on Stalin he had horrible nightmares about being tortured and beaten. Jesus Christ!
Like the canvas jacket too lol
Such a privilege to listen to Simon's review of his own masterpiece of writing, Spoiled by the awful PA!! Shame!!
Teabag the grifter
Terrible sound. Echoey.
Изучать русскую историю по книгам англосаксов - последнее дело.. ни одной буквы правды.
Nicholas II - ditched Russia, with his useless rule, and naturally went to hell, to his ancestors - torturers of human souls! Being a sorcerer and a fool, with his own kind, he is cursed forever by God the Father!)))
They had access to the same sources you do. Many Russian historians say similar things. And remember, people are very interested in Russia for reasons other than today's politics. It's just a really fascinating country.
I read a book, completely rubbish. A Russophobic book from the first to the last page.
@@aleksandarmarinkovic6986 Hopefully you read more than one book ;)
@@squamish4244 I have read enough books to recognise rubbish.
Nicholas II - ditched Russia, with his useless rule, and naturally went to hell, to his ancestors - torturers of human souls! Being a sorcerer and a fool, with his own kind, he is cursed forever by God the Father!)))