Maria and Anastasia: The Youngest Romanov Grand Duchesses in Their Own Words: Letters, Diaries, Postcards., Paperback/Helen Azar

They were the two youngest daughters of the world's most powerful man - Nicholas II, Tsar of Russia. Known to their family and friends as "The Little Pair," Grand Duchesses Maria and Anastasia were born into opulence, but led modest lifestyles. They were two normal young women growing up in extraordinary circumstances, ultimately getting caught in the middle of frightening political events that would take their teenage lives. Until this volume, the two girls did not have a chance to tell the story of the last four years of their lives during the first world war and the revolution, - in their very own words. About the Author: Helen Azar is a public librarian specializing in history. She grew up in a Russian speaking household and as a child used to translate paragraphs from children's books and magazines for fun. Helen's professional scientific training and a passion for Russian history led to co-authoring several articles on the identification of the remains of the last Tsar and his family. While researching for her first book, "The Diary of Olga Romanov: Royal Witness to the Russian Revolution," Helen visited Russia several times, and as part of academic curriculum worked in the Rare Book Fund at the Museum at Tsarskoe Selo, which holds the imperial book collection, including that of Catherine the Great and the last Tsar Nicholas II.