Rasputin: Faith, Power, and the Twilight of the Romanovs

I probably have read more books about Rasputin than can be justified by one who would claim to have a healthy mind. This one by Douglas Smith is the latest (2016), probably the longest (over 800 pages with notes and index), and maybe just the best and most accurate. Let me say that I find Smith's writing style to be highly readable and one can get through page after page in a brisk manner, so do not let the length of this volume put anyone off (as some other commenters have noted, however, there a great many names and keeping track of all these people are can be challenge). Herein is included lots and lots of additional materials unearthed from long unavailable Russian records, some of which was missed by previous researchers. Despite its length, I got through it much faster than the rambling slog by E. Radzinsky  The Rasputin File  (Radzinsky does present a lot of new material on his subject, but injects too many of own speculations into matters -- Douglas Smith acknowledges the value of the Radzinsky, but advises to approach with caution on page 683), or a more turgidly academic (though not particularly accurate) go at the subject by Brian Moynahan  Rasputin: The Saint Who Sinned  . Author Smith regards the best English biographies to have been the two by Joseph T. Fuhrmann; I am familiar with his first one from 1989  Rasputin: A Life  (which I have reviewed and found to be very good for its day, but a lot more about Rasputin has been discovered since that time), but I have not read Fuhrmann's newer account  Rasputin: The Untold Story  . [UPDATE: I have read that one, and it is a most excellent account, second only to this Smith book; actually, it is a better book for anyone looking for a simple, straight-forward, up-to-date and accurate account of Rasputin's life and influence -- the specialist, however, will want the Smith, which is about 3 times as long.]One of the good things about Smith's account is that he does try to keep things true as the evidence indicates. He also follows what I think is vital for a biography of this nature -- report on all the scandals and speculations as nothing more than what they actually were; and , avoids too much speculation on his own part; when he does speculate, which must be done at times, it is not done in any way to advance some new, goofy theory about things, but simply to provide a possible, rational explanation for things that are known to really have happened. This is best noted in the most legendary episode in the entire life of Rasputin -- his assassination. Smith sums the whole thing very neatly on page 595 when he writes that what really happened will never be known, but Rasputin was killed by 3 bullet shots, dead at age 47. Not very exciting, but given contradictory statements given by those involved and the investigative data available, that is how it was. Those interested in the sensationalized accounts must look elsewhere, especially the wild accounts given by the chief assassin, Felix Yusupov. On this subject, there are at least two volumes out there which try to pin the killing on British agents, by Andrew Cook in 2005  To Kill Rasputin: The Life & Death of Grigori Rasputin , and Richard Cullen in 2010  Rasputin: The Role of Britain's Secret Service in His Torture and Murder  . The Cullen book is interesting for some of the accounts of the murder and investigation, but the conclusions of both I consider to be nonsense. For a more "traditional" Rasputin biography, with myth, legend, and scandal intact, one cannot go wrong with Alex de Jonge, 1982  The Life and Times of Grigorii Rasputin (BCE)  ; Colin Wilson, 1964, also spins a good yarn  Rasputin and the Fall of the Romanovs  .Douglas Smith also does some interesting analysis of several other legendary attributes of Rasputin, such as his ability to perform miracles -- here it is pointed that Rasputin never claimed to do any such thing, though his fans and followers may have interpreted his words or actions to represent such; quite simply, no evidence the miracles ever happened. A major event scandal attributed to Rasputin involved a scene he created one night at the Yar Restaurant in Moscow, Smith shows this simply never have happened, but made up after the fact by those wishing to slander. Smith also analyzes and debunks, at length, other reports that Rasputin was a member of a bizarre religious sect. While Rasputin retains his credit for being an advanced debauchee (case not argued against, though there are some issues with these stories), his legendary alcohol consumption appears to have been a factor in only the last couple of years of his life when he knew he was a marked man (barely surviving one failed attempt in 1914) and having to watch his beloved Russia going down the drain and heading to complete destruction. One of the beauties of this book is how it shows that Russia's freedom of the press, established after the 1905 revolution, resulted in the liberty to lie, and lie big, in the effort to sell papers. The Rasputin of the press and the gossips was far more sinister and destructive than the reality (Rasputin: Sleeping with the Empress; and her 4 daughters; ruling Russia; stealing the Empire blind; spying for Germany; etc., whatever one wanted to make up -- the sky being the limit). What people believed Rasputin was doing was far more destructive to the regime than anything he actually did do. To that degree, this book is almost a fine analysis of mass hysteria and a public's willingness to believe anything, regardless of how outlandish or absurd (my assessment, not that of the book's author).So, for this time, I am declaring this tome to be the best yet produced biography on a person who is for sure one of the most extraordinary characters ever to appear on the stage of world history! (Should I have the opportunity to read the second Fuhrmann, that opinion may change.)

Douglas Smith recounts such a bizarre story with numerous characters who played a role in Rasputin's rapid rise to influence and his ultimate demise that I found some of the episodes almost unbelievable. His research and documentation is extensive.He has a tendency to present multiple versions of controversial accounts of specific incidents which at times bogs the narrative flow of the book considerably. In some respects his conclusions make him almost an apologist for Rasputin as he tends to dismiss a few of the more sordid stories about Rasputin albeit after presenting alternative versions. Despite these more critical observations I was almost constantly fascinated and engaged while reading this and the facts surrounding Rasputin's life and personality are some of the strangest things I've ever read. I would recommend persevering through the endless litany of confusing Russian names which is also at times distracting to follow. Regardless I recommend this book by Douglas Smith as he relates a most astounding and intriguing biography.

This is an extremely detailed account of the life of Rasputin. Douglas Smith has clearly done his homework here, because he leaves no stone unturned and he references many other biographies of the involved personages.By the time you finish this massive tome, you may end up feeling as ambivalent/uncertain about Rasputin as you did at the beginning of the book. There’s clearly no conclusive judgment of the man. This is a detailed account, but not vivid or captivating. That is a little frustrating. Certain facts about Rasputin's character and activity are established, but whether he was good or bad, or good or bad for Russia, is hard to determine. Alexandra’s fixation on him is very creepy, and the entire story has a somewhat surreal quality. The level of religiousness In Russian culture was peculiar to the point of being grotesque, and even the educated aristocrats were very much caught up in it. Both Alexandra and Nicholas come across as religious nut-jobs. And they obviously paid the ultimate price for their lack of grounding and commonsense perspective. My main frustration with the densely written 680 page book is that there were so many names I could never keep track of anybody. And these are obviously Russian names, and so to an American the names have less familiarity, and for me that made them harder to remember. Mr. Smith would have been well advised to put some tables or charts at the front of the book that showed the Romanoff family structure, the Russian Orthodox Church hierarchy, the various government bureaus and positions, and all the other arrorted players/places in this story whose names we’re going to hear repeatedly. Many people in the government changed jobs and official titles during the covered time-frame, and quite frankly I couldn’t keep track of them all. I don’t think I’d be exaggerating to say there’s over 1000 names in this book. I just didn’t have the energy to go to the index for every single one of them. I had the impression Mr. Smith wrote this book primarily for people who are already Russian scholars or otherwise intimately familiar with the Rasputin epic.This is a book I had to skim at certain points because the detail just became overwhelming. All that being said, if you’re looking for the ultimate book on Rasputin this is probably going to be it. This is probably the meta-biography that all other biographies will be compared to in the future.

Lo pedí para regalo y llegó antes de tiempo planeado. Lo único malo es que el empaquetado no fue el adecuado para evitar que se maltratara un poco el libro, ya que es pasta blanda y contiene muchas hojas. Por el contenido, se me ha dicho que es una biografía muy completa sobre Rasputín con mucha información acerca de la vida política rusa.

I liked the attempt to separate sensational rumour from reality.

O livro apresenta uma descricao detalhada e extremamente bem documentada da vida de Rasputin. É interessante sua influência sobre o tsar, e a crônica da queda do império russo em 1917. Uma das melhores biografias que já li.

A great biography, excellent bibliography, exhaustive investigation and very beautiful prose and narrative. A book you must have if interested in russian history or biographies in general.

The essential book for the historian and scholar researching the life and influence of Rasputin and the end of the Romanov dynasty. 5 starsA formidable book (of over 800 pages)for the more casual reader of historic biographies. 3 Stars It relates the facts of Rasputin's life and relationships, but also describes incidents and conversations which the author concludes are partly or entirely false, and details rumors circulating at the time which were exaggerations or falsehoods. Some were deliberately circulated to undermine the royal family.It was interesting to learn that Rasputin's influence on the imperial family waseven greater than believed. Through Empress Alexandra he usually had his way with political, military, legal and religious appointments, dismissals, banishments, and punishments. Alexandra had a history of being under the spell of Mystics, clairvoyants and religious fanatics and was easily influenced by the arrival of Rasputin at the palace. Czar Nicholas was weak willed, and dominated by his wife who passed on Rasputin's wishes as pleas and orders. He usually fell in line to please Alexandra. An exhaustive amount of research went into this book. A cast of hundreds of characters made it confusing to me. There was a collection of remarkable photos, political cartoons and posters.