Anastasia: The Riddle of Anna Anderson by Peter Kurth
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Book Reviews of Anastasia: The Riddle of Anna Anderson
Book Review: YOU decide who she was
Summary: 5 Stars
This book, is wonderful let me start bvy saying that. It is endlessly compelling and fascinating and is exhaustively researched, as a reader can probably tell by the constant source refrences.
It tells the story of Anna Anderson, the young woman who jumped of a bridge and then, whilst in a German asylum, claimed to be Grand Duchess Anastasia, youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II. Kurth's book exhaustively details the known sections of her life, recording the testimony of not only thoughs who supported Anna but also those who opposed her.
The only detractor from this book, is that Kurth refers to Anna Anderson as Anastasia throughout, which can get confusing (especially in the earlier sections.)
I have read one review here that says that Anna Anderson could only speak German. To me this is proof they have not read a word of the book. Anna Anderson spoke English and Russian 'like a lady of high soceity' both in her sleep and in secret to the nurses whilst she was in the asylum, and by 1928, after only a few lessons in English based on childish nursey rhymes, would speak nothing BUT English, the language she used for the rest of her life. And to those who say the REAL Anastasia couldn't speak German, workbooks in her own hand, that feature writing in German with LESS errors than in her writing in Russian totally disprove the widely spread myth that Anastasia couldn't speak German.
Overall this is an excellent book, and I recommend it to anyone who wants a well balanced account of one woman's claim that gripped the world.
Book Review: The Debate Still Rages
Summary: 5 Stars
This book will still be standing strong one hundred years from now as one of the only reliable
Resources about the life and identity of Anna Anderson/Grand Duchess Anastasia.
The majority of reviews posted here show little to no knowledge of the actual contents of the book.They merely serve to slander both Mrs Anderson and Peter Kurth.
If they had read the book they would know that whoever they believe her to have been she was a person who suffered greatly during her life not only from the battle over her identity but from constant ill health from injuries she sustained at some point before 1920.
Another overlooked point is the fact that not one but three separate Anthropological studies came to the conclusion that she could only be Grand Duchess Anastasia.
DNA was still very new when the tests were done in the early 1990s.It is interesting to speculate what the results might be if new testing was carried out now.
It is a shame to see how many people feel they have a right to abuse the author of the book and Mrs Anderson when they know practically nothing about her or the very complicated details of her life.
This is a well written and painstakingly researched book that anybody with an open mind will find thoughtful reading.
It is also interesting to see the extreme opinions that abound about Mrs Anderson long after her death and that her claims still provoke such vehement argument.
Book Review: WONDERFUL
Summary: 5 Stars
This book will have you wondering about the mystery long after you finish reading it. Do I believe in Mr. Kurth's story? You can call me the biggest idiot that has ever walked this earth but my answer is a simple three letter word...YES. I have 31 books and counting on the Romanov's and their lives and this one is one of my favorites. Why? Or more importantly, why do I still believe? Read the book and have an open mind. You will find the answers there. There has been so much talk over the results of the DNA. Everyone calling Anna Anderson a liar, an actress or even much worse. My question is, how can anyone just pick up memories and never be wrong? What about a deformity of the feet? The hair, height, eyes? What about the ears? Ears are like fingerprints. They are very distinct with each person and they never change. I could go on and on about the positives as they far out way the negatives. What about the burial in Russia? The body they have buried as Anastasia is 5 feet seven inches. Anastasia was just over 5 feet. Anyone looking at any Romanov photo can clearly see that she was by far the shortest of all of the daughters. I think if Russia can lie about who is buried in their own homeland, then perhaps someone else can lie about the DNA evidence. Read the book and come to your own conclusion.Book Review: Anna Anderson IS Anastasia.
Summary: 5 Stars
The tragedy of the life of Anastasia is multifaceted: She knew the love her family, appreciating the richness of the world around her until the tragic day in 1918 when all was taken from her so horribly: the torture of the masacre of her family, her survival only to be raped, her lifelong suffering from brain damage, tuberculosis and psychological problems. Topped off with the denial of the one thing we all take absolutely for granted- her very identity. While she suffered the mental anguish of her memories and tried to forget the masacre, her relatives kept testing her with questions that only brought the past back to haunt her again and again. Yet most of them only did this to deny she was Anastasia, and never gave her the love and protection a family must. The story is magnificently presented with compassion and clarity. All the details are there- the events leading up to the masacre of the Romanovs, the early details of Mrs. Anderson's return to public scrutiny, the complicated trials and associated cast of charaters. After reading this book, one is certain it is she. The final riddle is only how the DNA test was "fixed" to arrive at the results that deny Anna Anderson her true identity even from the grave.
Book Review: Anna Anderson Sure Fooled A Lot of People!
Summary: 5 Stars
Although 25 years old and somewhat outdated, this was an excellent book. It details Anna Anderson's life, from the time she tried to commit suicide onward...
The book looks in-depth at the controvery and the events that surrounded her through out her life as to whether or not she was the last Tsar's daughter, Anastasia. She had many supporters and many opponents.
It is obvious from the narrative that the author of this book, Peter Kurth, was a staunch believer that Ms. Anderson was indeed Anastasia...that she had escaped the tragedy and fate of the rest of her family back in 1918.
Of course, having already read a more updated book, I already knew that in the 1990's it was finally proven that Anderson was NOT Anastasia...but instead was a poor polish factory worker who successfully duped a lot of people.
But even knowing this, the book was a riviting read because I was able to learn about the ordeal everyone went through before the truth was finally known, and about the hell she put them through. Because it is a very long and extensive biography, there is additional info and transcripts that are missing from other biographies about Anastasia
Definitely worth the reading!