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Isle and Empires: Romanov Russia, Britain, and the Isle of Wight is to be reprinted as Putin’s invasion of Ukraine strains Anglo-Russian relations to the hilt.
The book, now in paperback with a new preface from author Stephan Roman reflecting current events, gives fascinating insight into the historic relationship between the 2 countries – and the intriguing role the Isle of Wight plays in the story.
In the new preface, Roman notes:
“As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it is more important than ever to understand the way in which history has shaped the world in which we now live. This 2nd edition of my book, with its insights into the complex relationship between Imperial Russia and the British Empire, demonstrates that the events of the past continue to echo in powerful and disturbing ways.”
At the heart of the book is the 1909 visit of Tsar Nicholas II and the Imperial Family to the Isle of Wight for Cowes Week, the most glamourous yachting regatta in Europe. At the time, this seemed to presage a new era of Anglo-Russian relations, but less than 10 years later, the Romanovs were overthrown in the October Revolution and executed by the Bolsheviks in Yekaterinburg. Roman’s book also relates how, a century later, the killing of the Tsar and his family was marked by the unveiling of a memorial to the Romanovs in Jubilee Park, on a hill overlooking East Cowes.
The remarkable links between the Isle of Wight and Russia extend much further than these 2 incidents, 100 years apart. The Island’s strong seafaring tradition led to Peter the Great recruiting Cowes based shipwright, Joseph Nye, when he wanted to rebuild his fleet and transform Russia into a major maritime power in the late 17th century. The 2 men became good friends with the Englishman appointed Captain-Commodore, giving him noble status. On Peter’s death, Nye played a prominent role in the Tsar’s funeral procession.
The Isle of Wight’s Russian links weren’t purely royal. Some half-a-century before Nicholas II visited Cowes and Osborne House, the favourite residence of Queen Victoria, on the north of the island, Ventnor on the south coast was home to a coterie of Russian radicals. Among them was writer Ivan Turgenev, who began penning his novel Fathers and Sons while living in the seaside resort in 1860.
Roman’s book, however, begins on a more poignant and personal note. It recounts how, in the immediate aftermath of the October Revolution, his own family were refugees awaiting their fate on the banks of the Dniester River, having fled from Moscow through Ukraine to Moldova.
Isle and Empires: Romanov Russia, Britain, and the Isle of Wight, is available on all major e-Book platforms. Hard copies can be ordered from Isle and Empires (2022 Paperback Edition) – Medina Publishing LTD on the UK, and Isle and Empires (casemateipm.com), in the US.
Quote: “Isle and Empires: Romanov Russia, Britain, and the Isle of Wight is to be reprinted as Putin’s invasion of Ukraine strains Anglo-Russian relations to the hilt.”
Cashing in on death and destruction, Reprinted, why???? Is the author going to donate the cash made on this “Reprint” to help the people who are being bombed out of existence, can we have a reply from the author please !!!
It’s perfectly normal that when there’s a surge of new interest in a subject, whatever the angle, a relevant book gets more interest and it’s re-published.
… Also normal, that a hard back version of a book in due course is followed by a paperback version,
Thanks for your message. My book ‘Isle and Empires’ was published last July and the first edition had sold out by December. It was decided to print a second updated edition in early January. We were not to know that this would coincide with Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. My book is an exploration of the Anglo-Russian relationship during the time of the Tsars and has relevance to what is happening today. Since the invasion any promotion of my book has been in support of events to raise money for Ukrainian refugees and a percentage of my book sales goes directly to Ukrainian refugee charities, including MAD-Aid, which is based in East Cowes.
It’s not exploitative in the least. As you’ll read in the first chapter, the author’s grandparents we’re fleeing Russia through Ukraine exactly 100 years ago, and though this experience obviously informs his approach, the book is one of the most balanced accounts you could hope to find. Preparations of the paperback were well under way when the conflict began to escalate and publication was delayed to allow Stephan to include his new introduction. Any promotional opportunities that we had planned have been repurposed to maximise fundraising, working closely with MadAid, raising in excess of £7,000 thus far. Cashing in? I hope so.
Still, it is cashing in on genocide in this instance.
This book looks interesting, it is of historical record to the Isle of Wight,and also Ivan Turganave is one of my favourite Russian authors.Regarding sub notes about the ongoing American proxy war with Russia, using the poor people of Ukraine as expendables, helped on by their puppet leader Zalensky, and the Nazi white supremist brigade adjoined to the Ukraine army. (although I don’t think the sub notes will tell you that) also it won’t tell you about the assassinations by the Ukraine forces of anybody who speaks the truth and goes against the propergander western Narrative. The book is only historical facts, my grandfather escaped too.
So I guess you think it’s OK for the Russians to invade, kill innocent woman, men and blow the limbs off children, no apologies for being blunt, it’s happening now.