Rasputin : the last word

by Edvard Radzinsky

Other authorsJudson Rosengrant (Translator)
Hardcover, 2000

Status

Available

Publication

London : Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2000.

Description

"In 1995, a file from the State Archives that had been missing for years came up for auction at Sotheby's, and was put in Radzinsky's hands. It contained the interrogations of Rasputin's inner circle of admirers and those who kept him under police surveillance--documents never seen by any other historian. With this file, Radzinsky is able to transform the biography of Rasputin from mysterious legend into fact."--Jacket.

User reviews

LibraryThing member Shrike58
I felt that I had enough background in Late-Tsarist Russia to get the maximum out of this book, but I probably needed to read a good biography of Nicholas & Alexandra before hand. That said, Radzinsky puts Rasputin into context in a way that I haven't seen before and the first two thirds of the
Show More
book are really good. Whether you're impressed with the author's reconstruction of Rasputin's murder is another question.
Show Less
LibraryThing member CarlaR
I keep hearing about how good the author is with Russian history, and especially this time period. For my part I thought that it was very informative as well and he really does know his stuff. I must also mention that I had a hard time getting through it, I don't know if the problem was the
Show More
translation or the editing, but it was a hard read, but kinda worth it. Pretty good book!
Show Less
LibraryThing member kateh
I found this book fascinating. It was a rich portrayal of russian life in the period, exploring all the complexities of a society on the verge of revolution. Rasputin's peculiar hold on the Tsarina was especially interesting and his betrayal of her trust even more so. The author recounts numerous
Show More
tales of Rasputin's misbehavior as examples of this betrayal. After reading this book i knew a lot more about the end of Imperial Russia but not as much about Rasputin as I would have liked. This is not a fault of the book but is due to his enigmatic persona.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ocianain
Some great history is coming out of Russia. Radzinsky is one of the best!
LibraryThing member everfresh1
Great book, really presents Rasputin in a new light, all his shortcomings and craziness notwithstanding. The only gripe I have with this book - which also applies to other Radzinsky's historical books I read - is that often he presents his theories as something that is proven, even though most of
Show More
the times they are just interesting suggestions.
Show Less
LibraryThing member trulak
The only reason for the fewer stars is the translation from Russian to english is stilted and often leaves the subject matter dry and impersonal. Reads like a text book too often. Otherwise, a great look into a man accused of being a manipulator, but may in fact have been manipulated by yet another
Show More
ambitious behind the throne female, taking a fall for things he never did. You decide.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ted_newell
Fasci-nating. A great read by a Russian author who undoubtedly brings Russian sensitivities to his subject. No wonder the autocracy was toppled in 1917. The political setup was Obscurantism City. It's half a wonder R wasn t done in earlier than 1916 -- a harbinger of the fast approaching end as it
Show More
turned out.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Bricker
I expected this book to be more of a biograph of Rasputin, and it definitely had those elements, but to me felt more like an examination of the Russian royal family and where he fit in. It was definitely in-depth if you have no knowledge of the tsars and political players of the late 1800s and
Show More
early 1900s.
Show Less

Language

Original language

Russian

Local notes

Signed by author.
Page: 0.6689 seconds