Every now and then we like to point readers in the direction of a good book by a small press. Today’s pick, in honor of the upcoming Russian Independence Day (June 12) is My Russian Family from Surepoint Publishing.
My Russian Family by Lilia Sarieceheva (with Robert Oslund) falls into the saga category, and who doesn’t love a good historical saga? It follows three generation’s and a dozen family members through early modern Russia. And what’s so great about this book is that it’s all true! If you’ve always wanted to know more about Russia but were put off by Tolstoy, and the very idea of looking into an enigma wrapped in a mystery gave you the willies, this is the book for you. There are new perspectives of Stalinism, Soviet Power, the Gulag Archipelago and the KGB, as well as a singular view of historical events, including World War II.
Beautifully written, you get all the social, political, and historical events as a backdrop to this wonderful exploration of Russia through the lives of a single family. Over 90 photographs are included along with site location maps and genealogy charts. Stories of love, faith, and mystery stand in sharp relief against the raw reality of everyday life. Old Russia and new meet in the form of a daughter of nobility marries who a peasant destined to rise through the ranks of the Red Army to become a KGB Lieutenant Colonel.
This 500-page book is available in HB, Trade Paper ($12.50) and a Kindle e-book ($4.50).
Far & Beyond: A Saga of Publishing 