Rasputin

Was Grigori Rasputin a visionary, a fraud, or a victim of history? Antony Beevor searches for the truth about the great seducer of the Romanovs, the wild mystic who laid the ground for the Russian Revolution

Beevor is one of our finest narrative historians, with sharp judgment, a sweet pen and a deep understanding of the world in which he works... [A] beautifully written, clear-eyed biography of a very Russian tragedy. Rasputin is a meditation on history as well as a masterclass in smooth, judicious prose

An exceptionally well-sourced, morally serious and often darkly comic account of how a barely literate peasant from Siberia came to precipitate the collapse of one of the greatest autocracies in the world

A fantastic, vivid portrait not only of Rasputin but of the twilight of imperial Russia. And if the story sometimes reads like dark political farce - a drunken peasant advising an empress while ministers tumble from office - that is because, as Beevor demonstrates so convincingly, it very nearly was

There have been many books written about [Rasputin], but none as well-honed as this one. Beevor, arguably Britain's greatest living historian, has a remarkable capacity to make complex topics comprehensible and downright fun. Simple sentences convey complicated ideas mellifluously. The author mixes intelligent analysis with bizarre anecdote, never quite camouflaging his fondness for gossip. His narrative is packed with bizarre characters-a cross-dressing assassin, a minister afflicted with syphilitic insanity, a gaggle of grand ladies in thrall to a narcissistic charlatan. The drama builds to a crescendo as Rasputin shatters a brittle autocracy

A marvellously readable account

A stunning achievement of psychological insight, deep research, and evocative prose that adds to his illustrious career as a chronicler of the 20th century, Antony Beevor's Rasputin not only captures the mysterious Siberian holy man in all his bizarre complexity - the feverish religiosity, the preening ambition, the drunken lust as well as the sincere concern for the peasantry and fear of war - but also paints a vivid portrait of tsarist Russia hurtling toward the abyss. A must read for understanding the epic downfall of the Romanov dynasty

Totally fascinating, compelling and beautifully written. In its deep political and psychological understanding of Rasputin, the Romanovs and Russia itself, it's intriguing and original. One of the great stories of history, told by one of our greatest historians

We have come to expect narrative clarity from Antony Beevor, and in his latest book, he doesn't disappoint. Pushing away the myths and legends that surround Rasputin, Beevor brings us a plausible psychological portrait, a very readable account of an extraordinary life, and a tale of autocratic decline with plenty of contemporary analogies, for readers who care to see them

Who was Grigory Rasputin? Shaman, healer, abuser of women, favourite of the Tsaritsa, this is the peasant who altered Russian history. In this stunning banquet of a book, Antony Beevor gives us the rich and ripe flavour of his shape-shifting powers

From Antony Beevor's scrupulous history, Rasputin emerges as even more bizarre and fascinating than the creature of popular myth

Incisive and illuminating. This extraordinary story has never been better told

For well over a generation, Beevor has been the gold standard of narrative history

A wonderful book. Beevor has written a brilliant and vivid account of how a barely literate peasant beguiled the Romanovs, and helped plunge imperial Russia into chaos and revolution. Rasputin's fantastical story anticipates our own truth-challenged times, when myth and fake news can be more potent than reality

An unputdownable account of a unique figure in history

Scrupulously documented, erudite and entertaining history

A great read for anyone who, like me, is fascinated by cult-like figures, aristocratic decadence, corruption, and the spectacular downfalls of the powerful

Beevor blends arresting imagery, bizarre details, and mordant observation . . . Brisk, engaging history. An informative page-turner

Superb

ANTONY BEEVOR's previous book was Russia: Revolution and Civil War 1917-1921. Earlier works include Stalingrad, Berlin, D-Day, The Battle for Spain and The Second World War. His writing, which has received major prizes, has appeared in thirty-seven languages and sold more than nine million copies. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the Royal Historical Society, he has received honorary doctorates and fellowships from five universities. He was knighted in 2017.