After working for over twenty years as a director of research at a wall street investment management company, Amor Towles turned his considerable talents to writing. His second effort, a startlingly effective tale. A Gentleman in Moscow, now turned into a streaming series starring Ewan McGregor. Set against the real events of the Bolshevik revolution, this fictional tale tells the story of a Count Rostov spared the death sentence by the new regime but condemned to live the rest of his days inside the luxurious Metropol Hotel (a real Moscow hotel where the story is set).  The penalty for leaving the building being death.  Making the most of his sentence gives the resourceful McGregor plenty of room for his satisfyingly effective performance, and the tale its body. The gloomily romantic visual style helps the authentic look of the series, and given the historical background of the story indicates that things will not end well. With a solid supporting cast, this tale while not as sharp as the book is well worth the time spent watching.