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The Black Russian  By  cover art

The Black Russian

By: Vladimir Alexandrov
Narrated by: Peter Marinker
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Publisher's summary

The Black Russian is the incredible story of Frederick Bruce Thomas, born in 1872 to former slaves who became prosperous farmers in Mississippi. A rich white planter’s attempt to steal their land forced them to flee to Memphis, where Frederick’s father was brutally murdered. After leaving the South and working as a waiter and valet in Chicago and Brooklyn, Frederick sought greater freedom in London, then crisscrossed Europe, and - in a highly unusual choice for a black American at the time - went to Russia in 1899. Because he found no color line there, Frederick made Moscow his home. He renamed himself Fyodor Fyodorovich Tomas, married twice, acquired a mistress, and took Russian citizenship. Through his hard work, charm, and guile he became one of the city’s richest and most famous owners of variety theaters and restaurants. But the Bolshevik Revolution ruined him, and he barely escaped with his life and family to Constantinople in 1919. Starting from scratch, he made a second fortune by opening celebrated nightclubs that introduced jazz to Turkey. However, the long arm of American racism, the xenophobia of the new Turkish Republic, and Frederick’s own extravagance landed him in debtors’ prison. He died in Constantinople in 1928.

©2013 Vladimir Alexandrov (P)2013 Blackstone Audio
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

"Peter Marinker's narration of how the restaurant and nightclub entrepreneur gained and lost fortunes sounds like a novel.... Marinker's voice proves flexible as he conveys the attitudes of bureaucrats, condescending American tourists, Thomas's friends and loyal employees, and Thomas's correspondence." (AudioFile Magazine)

What listeners say about The Black Russian

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US Born African Descendant 2 Russian Citizenship

Genealogy & Historian will LOVE this Story. It is a detailed account of his escape & transition into freedom & independence....and so it is.

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Well researched and well told real life story of a most interesting man

I have always been fascinated with this book and finally had the chance to listen to it. It was extremely well researched and was written with such a great touch to details that I was enthralled through the whole book. The author wove the history of the time with such easy into the how and why of the expressive man that it became a great lesson in the history of the time. I enjoyed it much better than I had imagined.

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    3 out of 5 stars

uhmmm

This book was okay not the best ive heard but it brought to life the idea of a black man not being bound to the US.

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An incredible story.

Fantastic! Excellent narration, too. Treat yourself to a truly unique story about a past era.

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Great story

This was an unexpected jem. The author does a great job of telling this incredible story. The story is one of resilience and should serve as a guide to anyone of color. The subject had his flaws no doubt, but he was very industrious. Definitely worth a credit.

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Truth Uncovered

I loved it. A complex life full of struggles and triumphs. Reminded me the story of The Black Count the true story of Alexander Dumas Sr. Amazing story will share it with others.

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Little known part of Russian history

What made the experience of listening to The Black Russian the most enjoyable?

A surprising story. I know a lot about Russian history, but the story of an African-American's success in per-revolutionary Russia is unexpected.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Sad, but somehow not surprising.

What three words best describe Peter Marinker’s performance?

Competent, easy-to-listen-to, adequate pronunciation of Russian.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A Black American Entrepreneur in Russia

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If fiction, I would have downrated it as too incredible to believe

Spoiler alert–this is among the best book I’ve read in the last year but no, this book is not about an alcoholic drink. It is about a real person and if it were a novel, I would mark it down as a bit too improbable if not completely unbelievable. But, in fact, author Vladimir Alexandrov has written a well researched account of Frederick Bruce Thomas, born in Mississippi in 1872 to former slaves. Thomas left home in his late teens and worked in restaurants and hotels across the northern US before going to London and working as a waiter, moving on to France, Italy, Austria, Hungary, and finally to Russia where he settled in 1899. There he showed his abilities and worked his way up into the top establishments before starting his own, which he developed into a business empire of theaters, restaurants, and clubs. He learned Russian (along with passable French, German, and Italian), married, and took on Russian citizenship under the name Fyodor Fyodorovich Tomas. Though never denouncing his American citizenship, he didn’t maintain a passport (a document that was not necessarily required for international travel in those days). He introduced new music and dance to Russians in Moscow including jazz and the tango.
When the Bolsheviks overthrew the Tsar, he was forced to flee with his family to Odessa in present day Ukraine. He was able to use his claim of US citizenship to get on one of the last ships to leave there, saling in 1919, with his family (minus one daughter who was lost in the confusion), to Constantinople (now Istanbul) in Turkey where he started over with only a few hundred dollars in cash and little more than the clothes they were wearing.
In Constantinople, though his businesses grew to be very successful, Turkey also became unstable as the Turks fought to drive out the Greeks. During his years in Constantinople his dealings with the American Consulate also became increasingly difficult. He applied for a passport but the authorities there refused to give credence in what was very obviously (and the State Department records clearly back that up) an example of racial prejudice. He wrote letter after letter over many years both to the Consulate in Consantinople and to the State Department in Washington requesting that a search be made of records for his previous passport records to prove his citizenship. All indications are that no search was ever even attempted.
With Russia now under the Bolsheviks and America refusing to acknowledge him, he and his family were stateless and unable to travel. Debts mounted and he died in a Turkish debtors’ prison. Years later, on a request by one of his children, the records were quickly found. They were there all along and and easy to find. The State Department which could have confirmed his American citizenship and offered him help, had instead abandoned one of its citizens and the only difference between him and the myriad of others that they had rescued after the war, who were also without passports and without identification, was that he was black.
Alexandrov’s account is gripping and moving. It is detailed and well-researched. It is a story that is hard to put down. Thomas’ story is incredible and Alexandrov has pulled together records from around the world that allow him to tell it in great detail. You have to respect the talent and genius of Thomas, but even more, his willingness to take risks and his persistence in spite of all that was put in his way. At the same time, the book is an embarrassing indictment of the racism that would deny equal protection to a citizen without even the most cursory effort. Beautifully told, as I said in the beginning, I have to rate this as one of the best books I have read in the last year.

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Phenomenal book

Why is this book not recommended in black literature? This is a phenomenal story!

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It always seems impossible until it is done.

“The Black Russian” unfolds as an enchanting narrative, weaving together threads of resilience, unwavering perseverance, the delicate tapestry of diplomacy, the luminous beacon of hope, the ingenious artistry of business, and the remarkable power of influence. In the pages of Frederick Thomas' astonishing journey, we discover an embodiment of inspiration, a testament to shattering the confines of possibility, and an unwavering resolve to ascend to greatness, transcending all obstacles strewn along the path to distinction. Thomas' personal story serves as a resounding testament to the human spirit's indomitable will, beckoning us all to seize our destinies and etch our stories onto the canvas of time with unwavering brilliance. Dive into "The Black Russian" and let your spirit soar amidst a symphony of aspiration and triumph.

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