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The Apartment: A Century of Russian History Hardcover – Illustrated, November 5, 2019

by Alexandra Litvina (Author), Anna Desnitskaya (Illustrator), Antonina W. Bouis (Translator)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 79 ratings
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In this picture book from author Alexandra Litvina and illustrator Anna Desnitskaya, 20th-century Russian history comes to life through six generations of a family in their Moscow apartment.

The Apartment: A Century of Russian History explains the true history of 20th-century Russia through the fictitious story of a Moscow family and their apartment.

The Muromtsev family have been living in the same apartment for more than a century, generation after generation. Readers are taken through different rooms and witness how each generation actually lived alongside the larger social and political changes that Russia experienced. A search-and-find element has readers looking for objects from page to page to see which items were passed down through the generations.

Beautifully illustrated with minute details, this book helps readers engage with Russia’s history in an all new way. The book includes a timeline, glossary, bibliography, and index.

“Striking view into Russian history . . . This illustrated ‘living museum’ allows readers to glimpse ordinary lives through some not-so-ordinary times.” —Publishers Weekly
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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    8 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    64 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    3 - 7
  5. Dimensions
    10 x 0.65 x 13.7 inches
  6. Publisher
    Harry N. Abrams
  7. Publication date
    November 5, 2019
  8. ISBN-10
    1419734032
  9. ISBN-13
    978-1419734038
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Striking view into Russian history. . . This illustrated 'living museum' allows readers to glimpse ordinary lives through some not-so-ordinary times."―Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Alexandra Litvina studied at Moscow State University and at the Gorky Institute of World Literature in Moscow. She has written a number of history books for children. She lives in Russia.

Anna Desnitskaya is an author and illustrator who has been nominated for a number of awards, including the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, which is the world’s largest award for children’s and young adult literature. She lives in Russia.

Antonina W. Bouis is one of the leading translators of Russian literature working today and was called the best literary translator by Publishers Weekly. She lives in New York City.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harry N. Abrams; Illustrated edition (November 5, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 64 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1419734032
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1419734038
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10 x 0.65 x 13.7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 79 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
79 global ratings
Exactly what I was looking for
5 Stars
Exactly what I was looking for
Perfect illustrations. Very interesting read about the rise and fall of communism and communal housing in Russia. This is the perfect way to educate yourself and young people about what communal housing is really like.
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Top reviews from the United States

Asheley77
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a treasure!
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2022
Verified Purchase
This book is a delight to read. The illustrations and text are creative and engaging. The longitudinal and multigenerational story is very well-done and easy to follow. I’ll enjoy sharing this book with my children, but I absolutely bought it just for me!
One person found this helpful
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A voracious reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Many lovely illustrations....
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2022
Verified Purchase
....and there are also some nice photos. It's a real pleasure looking at every page!
One person found this helpful
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Leah Vavra
5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I was looking for
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2021
Verified Purchase
Perfect illustrations. Very interesting read about the rise and fall of communism and communal housing in Russia. This is the perfect way to educate yourself and young people about what communal housing is really like.
Customer image
Leah Vavra
5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I was looking for
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2021
Perfect illustrations. Very interesting read about the rise and fall of communism and communal housing in Russia. This is the perfect way to educate yourself and young people about what communal housing is really like.
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3 people found this helpful
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GermanTranslator
5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating insight into recent Russian history from a family’s perspective
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2020
Verified Purchase
We had the opportunity to visit such an apartment in St. Petersburg the summer of 2019, and we saw how it must have been for these families. It was fascinating to read and see how it all came about.
2 people found this helpful
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Lynn Carter
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2021
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A beautiful book.
One person found this helpful
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Yulia C
5.0 out of 5 stars Good quality of print and interesting history of Russia
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2020
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I like to browse on book pages and find a lot of small thinks! Thx
One person found this helpful
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Ryan Mease
4.0 out of 5 stars Awkward to Hold and Visually Navigate; Content is Solid for Young Readers
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2022
Admittedly, my choice to read this on a flight wasn't the best decision. The book is extremely large, with type scattered all over the place in no consistent order, so the reading experience was awkward. I feel like young readers would also struggle with the extremely large number of characters that show up in the book, many of whom are distantly related. I suspect children would struggle to keep up with all of the details and focalize on the complex and interested scenes created by the artist.

I did generally find the tone and demeanor of the book to be a great match for young readers. The violence and despair that shows up as a recurring motif in Russia's history is treated with appropriate empathy and caution. This book would definitely leave readers with a balanced perspective on the Russian state and tends to evoke an interest in Russian culture and the Russian people, without leading the reader towards or away from the communist ideology that Americans tend to assume is at the core of any presentation of Russia. We are shown communism as a social phenomenon within the country during this century, but it's never presented in a way that asks children to consider how they feel about the appropriate size and scope of state power.
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Top reviews from other countries

Diane Oz
5.0 out of 5 stars My favourite purchase!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2020
Verified Purchase
Beautiful book. Lots of true facts and illustrations are amazing
2 people found this helpful
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Ol
5.0 out of 5 stars Good summary of life in the historic time periods in Russia
Reviewed in Australia on March 31, 2023
Verified Purchase
It has lots of information and informative illustrations.
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