In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest in a luxurious hotel. As the decades pass, he navigates a life confined to the Metropol, transforming his elegant prison into a vibrant world filled with intriguing characters and unexpected adventures. Rostov's resilience and charm allow him to master the art of living fully, even within his confines. Through his experiences, the novel explores themes of time, loyalty, and the essence of what it means to be a gentleman. Will the Count's indomitable spirit triumph over the limitations of his new existence?
By Amor Towles
Published: 2016
"If a man does not embrace the fortune that accompanies his fate, he cannot find true happiness."
The mega-bestseller with more than 2 million readers, soon to be a Showtime/Paramount series starring Ewan McGregor as Count Alexander Rostov From the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lincoln Highway and Rules of Civility, a beautifully transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery. Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.
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“If a man does not embrace the fortune that accompanies his fate, he cannot find true happiness.”
A Gentleman in Moscow
By Amor Towles
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Amor Towles is an acclaimed American author known for his richly woven narratives and character-driven stories. He gained widespread recognition with his debut novel, "Rules of Civility," published in 2011, which received critical acclaim for its exploration of class and ambition in 1930s New York City. Towles further solidified his reputation with his bestselling novel, "A Gentleman in Moscow," published in 2016, which tells the story of a Russian aristocrat under house arrest in a luxury hotel and has captivated readers with its lush prose and engaging historical detail. His writing style is characterized by its elegance, wit, and the ability to evocate deep emotional connections, often set against meticulously researched historical backdrops. Towles's works have been praised for their compelling narratives and the depth of their characters, making him a standout voice in contemporary literature.
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SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILEY'S WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 'A delicious, important novel' The Times 'Alert, alive and gripping' Independent 'Some novels tell a great story and others make you change the way you look at the world. Americanah does both.' Guardian As teenagers in a Lagos secondary school, Ifemelu and Obinze fall in love. Their Nigeria is under military dictatorship, and people are fleeing the country if they can. Ifemelu--beautiful, self-assured--departs for America to study. She suffers defeats and triumphs, finds and loses relationships and friendships, all the while feeling the weight of something she never thought of back home: race. Obinze--the quiet, thoughtful son of a professor--had hoped to join her, but post-9/11 America will not let him in, and he plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London. Thirteen years later, Obinze is a wealthy man in a newly democratic Nigeria, while Ifemelu has achieved success as a writer of an eye-opening blog about race in America. But when Ifemelu returns to Nigeria, and she and Obinze reignite their shared passion--for their homeland and for each other--they will face the toughest decisions of their lives. Fearless, gripping, spanning three continents and numerous lives, Americanah is a richly told story of love and expectation set in today's globalized world.
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