A Gentleman in Moscow
by Amor Towles · first published 2016
73% recommend27% neutral
Why HN recommends it
A warm, witty historical novel about a Count confined to a Moscow hotel after the Revolution. Its elegant prose, endearing characters and charming setting make it an uplifting read.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
A Gentleman in Moscow is a 2016 novel by Amor Towles. It is his second novel, published five years after his New York Times best seller, Rules of Civility (2011).
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Mentions per year
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I read 57 books this year, a mix between fiction and non-fiction Top 5 fiction - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles - Trust by Hernan Diaz - City of Thieves by David Benioff - Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders - Widow Basquiat by by Jennifer Clement Top 5 non-fiction - Boom Town by Sam Anderson…
on “Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?” ↗I just finished reading “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles, and it gives good (though likely biased) context after the Bolshevik Revolution, that made reading this article more thought provoking than I think it would be. Though even if you hate…
on “The Sovietization of the American Press” ↗A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I spent a lot of the year in isolation, only seeing a few people and this book felt like an appropriate analogy. It was also very heartwarming when I really needed something to lift me…
on “Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?” ↗A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, was a great piece of fiction that shows that you can be true to your word, and experience a good life despite whatever is thrown your way. Beautiful prose too. Sand Talk by Tyson Yunkaporta,…
on “Ask HN: What Books helped you sharpen your brains?” ↗Gentleman in Moscow. Despite being fiction, it sets the standard for elegance and charm. Suffering from recency bias though, as I read it recently.
on “Ask HN: Which book has had the most meaningful contribution in your life?” ↗A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles blew me away by the quality of the writing, the endearing characters and the charming setting. I’m glad I picked it up and I strongly recommend it to you. I haven’t been reading much in…
on “Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?” ↗…content. That said, here are some of my all time favorites (no particular order): 01. Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett) 02. Lonesome Dove (Larry McMurtry) 03. A Painted House (John Grisham) 04. A Gentleman in Moscow (Amor Towles) 05. The Great Alone (Kristin Hannah) 06. All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr) 07. Annihilation (Jeff VanderMeer) 08. The First Law Trilogy (Joe Abercrombie) * this encompasses…
on “Book recommendations from Hacker News?” ↗Book recommendation: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
on “The wisdom of never leaving your hotel room” ↗Been reading A Gentleman in Moscow for a while. Haven’t finished yet, but I find it thorougly enjoyable.
on “Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021?” ↗…characters. They are made up, but the way they solve problems provides mental models for similar, real-life situations. Like the Power Rangers when I was a kid. I'll give some examples: - The Count from Gentleman in Moscow, because he's so eloquent - Toranaga from Shogun, because of his leadership style - James Bond in GoldenEye, because he's always calm and charming - ... Do any fictional characters manage to inspire…
on “Ask HN: Which fictional characters inspire you?” ↗This is very cool - I like the layout too (though I couldn't find a way to see a total list of authors surveyed, which I would have liked to see) (As an aside, always happy to see "A Gentleman in Moscow" appear in anything to do with "best book" lists!)
on “Show HN: Crunching 1,200 Authors' Favorite Reads of 2023” ↗The most recent book I read that I really loved was A Gentleman in Moscow: https://recleague.com/james/r/144458-a-gentleman-in-moscow. It got me on a Russia kick, which has been fun and enlightening. I keep track of all my favorite books here: https://recleague.com/james/collections/books…
on “Ask HN: What are you reading?” ↗…handkerchief that she once dried her tears, et cetera, et cetera. Until we imagine that these carefully preserved possessions might give us genuine solace in the face of a lost companion...” ― Amor Towles, A Gentleman in Moscow
on “When Death Comes: An Oncology Nurse Finds Solace in Mary Oliver” ↗…read "Crime and Punishment", "The Idiot" and "Demons" in previous years. It was not an easy read but it stays with you for a long time (or maybe even forever). Also did some re-reading this year: "A Gentleman in Moscow" by Amor Towles "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius
on “Ask HN: What are you reading?” ↗Somehow the idea of ex-royalty among normal people fascinates me, this article reminds me of the (fictional) book A Gentleman in Moscow
on “Mukarram Jah, Heir to an Opulent Throne He Abandoned, Dies at 89” ↗