tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post6703158397823392623..comments2024-03-23T12:05:23.537-05:00Comments on The Wild Reed: Remembering the RomanovsMichael J. Baylyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-37523752461159387672021-03-23T22:08:34.431-05:002021-03-23T22:08:34.431-05:00Didn't like the film but the music was magnifi...Didn't like the film but the music was magnificent! Still love Robert Maissie's Nicholas & Alexandra to this day. Did anyone ever read his book Journey about his family's struggles raising his hemophiliac son Bobbie? Fantastic book was the impetus for his writing Nicholas & Alexandra.royalcandacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14894767983922802254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-35266708383455285992014-11-07T19:09:53.754-06:002014-11-07T19:09:53.754-06:00Hi, Keir,
I don't believe this post "gla...Hi, Keir,<br /><br />I don't believe this post "glamorizes" the Romanovs. I clearly say that the way Nicholas and Alexandra chose to respond to events around them – including the tragedy of their son's haemophilia – ensured epic and tragic results for themselves and countless others. They were, in the words of Virginia Cowles, "lamentable rulers" of a truly horrendous autocratic system.<br /><br />Also, I don't view Nicholas and Alexandra as "martyrs." Without doubt they brought their downfall upon themselves. That being said, I don't think that anyone deserves the brutal death that they, their children, and their servants endured. Some people no doubt justify the execution of Nicholas and Alexandra by saying that they were political figures. No rationale, however, can be made to justify the brutal murder of their four children or the servants imprisoned with the family.<br /><br />Peace,<br /><br />MichaelMichael J. Baylyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-24302111016856882562013-12-27T14:03:57.842-06:002013-12-27T14:03:57.842-06:00To glamorise the Romanovs and see them as martyrs ...To glamorise the Romanovs and see them as martyrs is akin to sympathising the Assads and grieving over how inconvenient their slaughter of their own people is to their eBay purchases. As Christopher Read puts it, Nicolas's first reaction was, always "to bring out the machine guns."Keirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17780519140837852601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-50422424362059095102012-10-25T21:10:17.727-05:002012-10-25T21:10:17.727-05:00Very insightful Michael - thanks for reminding me ...Very insightful Michael - thanks for reminding me of this post. I like this what you wrote:<br /><br />"In Yekaterinburg the Romanovs were no longer exalted royalty, but an abandoned and frightened family who, through their response to the chaos and negativity around them, came to perceive more clearly the strengthening and transforming presence of God in their midst."Terry Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09819523933502820341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-9902724874008073092012-08-03T00:13:01.309-05:002012-08-03T00:13:01.309-05:00Thank you, Anne, for sharing the link to your beau...Thank you, Anne, for sharing the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nNIe6q16gM" rel="nofollow">link</a> to your beautiful video tribute and drawing.<br /><br />Peace,<br /><br />MichaelMichael J. Baylyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-68117545363852819272012-08-02T11:40:43.876-05:002012-08-02T11:40:43.876-05:00Wonderful post! I think you would enjoy seeing a v...Wonderful post! I think you would enjoy seeing a video I made about July 17th. It's about the morning when the truck with the remains left the Ipatiev House and the processions of today. Thank you<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nNIe6q16gMAnnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05033117202223821117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-77990824655591802852012-08-01T23:36:00.333-05:002012-08-01T23:36:00.333-05:00Wow! What a great insight/observation, Colleen. Th...Wow! What a great insight/observation, Colleen. Thanks so much for sharing it here, and for all the important and insightful writing you share at your inspiring blog, <a href="http://enlightenedcatholicism-colkoch.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Enlightened Catholicism</a>.Michael J. Baylyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-57251268775592041142012-08-01T23:22:37.635-05:002012-08-01T23:22:37.635-05:00I vividly remember reading the book and truly thin...I vividly remember reading the book and truly thinking the movie was better than Dr Zhivago. <br /><br />You have given the story heart and depth. This is a moving blog.<br /><br />I can identify with Alexandra to some extent but have often wondered just who was Rasputin and what is the message he carries? If the message is he was a charismatic spiritual fraud of a priest who was abusive as hell, we are now living this story again. And won't it be ironic if the last standing monarchy,one that also considers rules by Divine right, is taken down by charismatic sexually abusing fraudulent clerics.colkochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03432916690101599393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-86449466454908610132012-08-01T22:19:33.784-05:002012-08-01T22:19:33.784-05:00Hi, Andrew! Yes, the film's definitely worth c...Hi, Andrew! Yes, the film's definitely worth checking out. Although it's now over 40 years old, it remains, in my view, the best movie out there that focuses on the Romanovs.Michael J. Baylyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-33587757371450611332012-08-01T22:16:23.399-05:002012-08-01T22:16:23.399-05:00Caught the tail end of this movie on TV a few week...Caught the tail end of this movie on TV a few weeks back - need to find a copy to buy or rent.Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-40046419920607148352012-08-01T22:12:22.645-05:002012-08-01T22:12:22.645-05:00Hey, Garth! Yes, this was indeed the movie I used ...Hey, Garth! Yes, this was indeed the movie I used when teaching about Russia way back in my <a href="http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/10/fragments-from-past-life.html" rel="nofollow">teaching days</a> in <a href="http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/09/goulburn-landmarks.html" rel="nofollow">Goulburn</a>! There's a picture and a bit of a write-up about that time and experience <a href="http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2006/11/more-fragments-from-life-past.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>. As you'll see, the photo I share shows dear Tess and many of her friends . . . in the bedroom of the tsarevich, no less! <br /><br />I think it's great and I'm deeply honored to know that my sharing of my passion for the Romanov family played a part in the naming of your beautiful daughter.Michael J. Baylyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03087458490602152648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-20992642165599006652012-08-01T21:55:54.495-05:002012-08-01T21:55:54.495-05:00Thanks Mick. Was this the movie we watched in scho...Thanks Mick. Was this the movie we watched in school? Was trying to remember the name of it recently. Your obsession with this topic certainly started my interest in the family and in Russia . . . a story that ends in me naming my first born Anastasia.Garthnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27612445.post-41915945120173254392012-08-01T21:50:59.054-05:002012-08-01T21:50:59.054-05:00Oh my God, Michael, this is so beautiful and touch...Oh my God, Michael, this is so beautiful and touching. I remember reading about the Romanov's and Anastasia, in a couple of books when I was in 8th grade. Over the years I have read many books about them. Some of the pictures you have posted are familiar to me. I always felt such compassion for this family. I had always hoped that Anastasia had survived the massacre but now we know that she also was killed with her family. It is such a tragic tale but as you have written, there is inspiration to be found in this story. Thank you so much for sharing this. God bless. Mark from PAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com