The House by the Dvina: A Russian Childhood

By Eugenie Fraser

Book Overview

The House by the Dvina is the riveting story of two families separated in culture and geography but bound together by a Russian-Scottish marriage. It includes episodes as romantic and dramatic as any... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0552128333
• ISBN13: 9780552128339
• Release Date: May 1997
• Publisher: Transworld Publishers
• Length: 335 Pages
• Weight: 0.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 1.0" x 5.0"

Customer Reviews

Haunting, Beautiful, and True

I first read this book many years ago when a Swiss friend sent it to me. I could not put it down and the fact that I have read it cover to cover at least three times indicates how special I think it is. It gives a vivid account of what life was like in an aristocratic household in Russia in the years leading up to and during the revolution. The richness in love, piety, generosity, and tradition give us a much different view of the noble class than the usual decadence and frivolity of Hollywood descriptions of Russian aristocracy. This is a true tale that weaves an incredible tapestry of characters and events against the background of a remarkable time and place. Best read in winter in front of a cozy fire.

Charming and very sad

I enjoyed this book because it described a time and place, Russia from 1905 through 1920, that I knew little about. The author tells the story of her parents' love match -- a young Scottish woman marries a Russian man and moves to his country -- and the family events that followed, including her own birth. Very charming and sad. I'm so glad Ms. Fraser wrote an autobiography instead of trying to turn her story into a novel as so many younger writers from potentially interesting backgrounds are doing today. This way she was able to include various events that were exciting, fun or touching without stretching to find some novelistic reason for including them.