The Court of the Last Tsar

The Court of the Last Tsar by Greg King 476 Pages
Essentially talks about the extravagance that Tsar Nicholas II and his family lived in from when he took power in 1894 to their untimely deaths in 1917 at the hands of the Bolsheviks. The wealth accumulated and inherited by the Russian Empire before and during his reign was unheard of in any other part of the world. The summer palace at Livadia, the only palace Nicholas II built during his reign had 116 rooms, virtually every one of them overlooking the beautiful Crimean landscape. The royal family usually resided at Tsarkoye Selo, translated as Tsar's Village. Here the family stayed in the 300+ room Alexander Palace.
Royal Balls, Seasonal Balls and Pageants were held monthly, sometimes twice a month. A standard table setting may include up to 1,100 pieces of monogrammed silverware and china just to serve less than 100 people. Food dishes included caviar (beluga and sturgeon), smoked salmon, grouse, pheasant, leek soup,
grilled sturgeon, etc... While the book may seem a bore to many, as the opulence and pomp become repetitive and make you jealous of the family's wealth. It does help you understand how the gap in wealth between the autocracy and the millions of peasants created such turmoil and civil unrest. Overall, a good read, a bit repetitive but if you like history and the Romanov Dynasty give it a shot.