A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW

What do we need in order to live a life of purpose? Love, space, treasured belongings, companionship, meaningful work, all of the above? This novel answers these questions in such a beautiful, indelible way that I’m already going to call it one of my favorite books of the year. In it, a Russian aristocrat is sentenced to become a “former person living under house arrest” in a grand Moscow hotel he frequented before the revolution. While the Bolsheviks are exiling others to Siberia, the Count is banished to the hotel where he is to remain for the rest of his life, or be shot.

Some punishment, you may think – a prisoner in a luxury hotel? But the Count quickly learns that his changed circumstances will require a rapid revamp of all things he once held dear, including the joys of frivolity and a life of privilege. It is truly a delight to join him on his journey as he reframes his situation with resourcefulness, integrity, humor and tenderness. This book is a true gem.

There’s so much food described in this story that it needs its own blog! But I settled on a chilled summer soup called okroshka, made with plenty of fresh herbs and vegetables. This soup marks a relationship’s beginning early in the story, and a beautiful goodbye between characters at the end. I confess I would rather have warm soup on a snowy day like today, but at least I now know how to julienne radishes and peel hard boiled eggs! Side note: this novel was on @barackobama 's favorite books of 2017 list – anyone else trying to ready each and every one?