The mega-bestseller with more than 2 million readers, soon to be a Showtime/Paramount series starring Ewan McGregor as Count Alexander Rostov From the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lincoln Highway and Rules of Civility, a beautifully transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery. Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.
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"This is that type of book that continuously pulls you in. It provides a very readable perspective on life following the Russian revolution. The mystery and intrigue of living in a famous hotel might also appeal to many. For me a great line in the book is "“if a man does not master his circumstances then he is bound to be mastered by them." The book also sets up the reader for a great ending."
— Richard (4 out of 5 stars)
“Nothing demonstrates the pleasures of audiobook listening better than a fine novel narrated with sensitivity and understanding…A gifted narrator, Nicholas Guy Smith captures scene and character with expressive shadings of voice and tone—a master performance that engages the listener from the start and illuminates Towles’ telling prose and subtle dialogue. In a season of outstanding novels, this one stands out…Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile“A book that inhales you into its seductively Gatsby-esque universe.”
— Town & Country“Irresistible…[an] elegant period piece…as lavishly filigreed as a Fabergé egg.”
— O, The Oprah Magazine“How delightful that in an era as crude as ours this finely composed novel stretches out with old-World elegance.”
— Washington Post“In all ways a great novel, a nonstop pleasure brimming with charm, personal wisdom, and philosophic insight.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“House arrest has never been so charming as in Towles’ second novel, an engaging thirty-year saga set almost entirely inside the Metropol, Moscow’s most luxurious hotel.”
— Publishers Weekly“[A] beguiling portrait of a Russian count who lives large while under permanent house arrest in a Moscow hotel.”
— BookPage“And the intrigue!…[A Gentleman in Moscow] is laced with sparkling threads (they will tie up) and tokens (they will matter): special keys, secret compartments, gold coins, vials of coveted liquid, old-fashioned pistols, duels and scars, hidden assignations (discreet and smoky), stolen passports, a ruby necklace, mysterious letters on elegant hotel stationery…a luscious stage set, backdrop for a downright Casablanca-like drama.”
— San Francisco Chronicle" A unique story blending history and insight. Absolutely charming. Beautifully written. "
— Bruce, 3/4/2024" This is one of the very best books I have read. Great storyline and presentation. "
— MJ, 4/22/2022" Our book club at work read this. We all loved it. I wondered what it would be like to live in a hotel and this story shows how the main character coped with it. It's a great history lesson that left me wanting to know more! The main character is wonderful and truly embraces life the best he can considering his circumstances. The ending left you hopeful. A wonderful story. "
— Samantha, 2/27/2018" This was such a charming & lovely story. We picked it for our book club and I can hardly wait to talk about it and hear what other have to say. I found myself wondering if I could too live in a hotel such as Alexander did. His life was so interesting and the people he met equally so. What a twist at the end as well. I highly recommend this book! "
— Samantha, 11/1/2017" While this was well narrated, the plot was slow moving. I dd not listen to the entire book. "
— Louanne, 4/25/2017Amor Towles is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Rules of Civility, A Gentleman in Moscow, and The Lincoln Highway. The three novels have collectively sold more than six million copies and have been translated into more than thirty languages.
Nicholas Guy Smith, an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator, is a highly rated and diverse voice-over actor who has been heard in feature films, television commercials, and video games. He has voiced characters for Disney, Warner Brothers, Universal, and the Cartoon Network.