Review of An Elegant Puzzle: Systems of Engineering Management

Book Link: https://smile.amazon.com/A-Gentleman-in-Moscow-audiobook/dp/B01E0CCSXA/

Another audiobook listen over my commutes to work during the last few months.The story is interesting with the comparing and contrasting between Count Rostov's time with Nina and Sophie. The characters are interesting and the concept of taking place entirely within a Moscow hotel injects detail and nuance about the space itself into the story. I appreciate much of the historical references and thought-provoking commentary between Rostov and the cast of characters and strangely relateable scenarios given its setting in 1920s Russia. At minimum, I'll be pulling out the game 'Zut' during down times with company :-)

Since I don't have notes from the audiobook, here is the description of Zut from the novel: "Zut’s rules were simple. Player one proposes a category encompassing a specialised subset of phenomena — such as stringed instruments, or famous islands, or winged creatures other than birds. The two players then go back and forth until one of them fails to come up with a fitting example in a suitable time (say, two and a half minutes). Victory goes to the first player who wins two out of three rounds. And why was the game called Zut? because according to the Count, Zut Alors! was the only appropriate exclamation in the face of defeat."