The gentleman in Moscow

 The book of the month in Indian readers' group was The gentleman in Mosow . I tried to read the book and finished may be 2/3rd of the book and then gave up.

It is a funny. Because it is about post-bolshevik revolution time in Russia, about the life of an aristocrat, who was under house arrest, in one of the luxurious hotels in Moscow. And to top it all the writer himself is an American.

Yes, talk about contradictions. But the book and narration style is good. Full of wit and and Tharoor-ish words (God, how many words I had to google). 

The Count - Alexandar Rustov was kept under house arrest in the attic of hotel Metropolitan. He knows his situation and accepts it with stoicity - or as a gentleman. His problem of abundant time with no work in hand is solved when he strikes an unlikely friendship with eight year old Nina. 

They have plenty of adventures. And time flies and Nina goes back home. Until one day she comes with two of her comrades. They are traveling to rural area to teach farmers about collective farming.

And many years later she comes to the hotel again. This time to leave her daughter in Count's care and heading in search of her missing husband. 

Now Count has a de-facto daughter to take care. Along with his job as waiter - now he is working as a waiter in the hotel. He is always assisted by the chef, the seamstress and other staff. 

He has a childhood friend - of his own age - Micheal or Mishka. Mishka is a proletariat and thus he is part of the Bolshevik. 

He is transcribing some of the books and letters of great writers of Russia - including Chekov. He has prepared a letter by Chekov where he praises the bread of Paris (I think). But the publisher removes this line for brevity. Angered by this, Mishka picks up fight with the publisher. This does not go well with the government. He is tried in the court and is sent to Siberia. 

But what I found strange is all these events do not touch the narrator much. And we readers feel this distance. 

Any ways, a book worth reading. Wish it were briefer.