Title: To Serve the Russian Empire: From the Autobiography of Boris Héroys
Author: John Elverson
Publisher: WP Lighthouse
ISBN: 979-8-89518-377-9
Pages: 564
Genre: Military / Autobiography
Reviewer: Reyan Boris Mishra

Read Book Review

An interesting life, in interesting detail – presented in an interesting way! To Serve the Russian Empire: From the Autobiography of Boris Héroys highlights how an extraordinary personality navigates turbulent times while being directly associated with them. The over-500-page novel takes the readers through some of the important events of the 20th century explaining causes, processes, and repercussions. Detailing military dynamics, the book delves into the life of Boris Héroys – based on his military memoirs.

As per the foreword, the book goes “far beyond the personal recollections” of Boris – and acts as a time capsule. A lot is happening throughout the pages, but amid all this what you find is invaluable – an insider’s understanding of the military, war, and life. Boris went from being a rookie to a master who taught tactics at St Petersburg’s General Staff Academy. Throughout his career, he went through scores of ups and downs but never ceased to carve out his way ahead. Just when he thought everything war-related had come to an end for him, World War II broke and his life changed in a way he never imagined.  The intricate yet easy manner with which the different manner of his job as a soldier and his ‘ziggy-zaggy’ life is one the best things about this book. It’s due to this, the read smoothly and never once did I feel lost – despite it being over 500 pages long. A dose of pages every day give you more than enough to get you excited for what’s next.

So, who is this book for? Well, most of us who are big on reading can draw something solid out of the read. With superb storytelling, the author takes you deep into the atmosphere so much that the first few pages are enough to have you dive in and become a part of the journey. Additionally, at some point, you would find yourself learning (probably unwittingly) the application of a variety of soft skills from leadership, problem-solving, and communication to adaptability. Does it make it a self-help then? It entirely depends on how you receive it. For some, it might be a historical drama while others might see it as some form of military adventure. No matter what your perspective, by the time you reach the final pages, you are already going to have a feeling of solid satisfaction that you chose a read that did more for you than what you expected. Hence, we highly recommend it.

This book is perfect for history enthusiasts, particularly those interested in Russian history, To Serve the Russian Empire is a valuable and engrossing read.  This book is a poignant reminder of the fragility of power and the personal toll of national upheaval.