Rasputin
And the Downfall of the Romanovs
Failed to add items
Sorry, we are unable to add the item because your shopping cart is already at capacity.
Add to basket failed.
Please try again later
Add to Wish List failed.
Please try again later
Remove from Wish List failed.
Please try again later
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 30 days of Standard free
$8.99/mo after trial ends. Cancel anytime
Rasputin
Narrated by:
Rob Heaps
Buy Now for $38.24
-
Narrated by:
-
Rob Heaps
-
By:
-
Antony Beevor
Summary
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
'THE GOLD STANDARD OF NARRATIVE HISTORY' DAN SNOW
'ONE OF THE GREAT STORIES OF HISTORY, TOLD BY ONE OF OUR GREATEST HISTORIANS' SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIORE
'THIS EXTRAORDINARY STORY HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER TOLD' ANTHONY HOROWITZ
'A STUNNING BANQUET OF A BOOK' ROSE TREMAIN
How could a barely literate peasant from Siberia determine the fate of the world? Undoubtedly, the so-called 'mad monk' Rasputin bewitched Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra. Yet their strange and scandalous relationship conceals a riddle, one that casts an intriguing light on the controversial 'great man' theory of history.
Rasputin was a devoted monarchist, not a revolutionary. He had no official position, no forces at his command. Nevertheless, he contributed more to the fall of the Romanov dynasty than any other individual. So demoralised was the Tsarist officer corps by stories of corruption, to say nothing of the rumours of his debauchery with the Empress - and even her daughters - that when the February Revolution broke out, not a sword was raised in defence of the regime.
Just as Rasputin cast a spell over the Romanovs, his legend has bewitched historians. More than a century later, we still fail to comprehend fully the collapse of the greatest autocracy on Earth. Was there any truth to the wild tales that brought down the empire? Or was his true legacy an unsettling lesson on the potency of myth?
From the bestselling author of Stalingrad comes a fascinating and deeply insightful historical post-mortem©2026 Ocito Limited (P)2026 Orion Publishing Group Limited
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_c
Critic Reviews
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 (DAN JONES)
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 (OWEN MATTHEWS)
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 (GUY WALTERS)
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 (GERARD DE GROOT)
A marvellously readable account (PAT CARTY)
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 (DOUGLAS SMITH, author, Rasputin: Faith, Power, and the Twilight of the Romanovs)
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 (SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIORE)
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 (ANNE APPLEBAUM)
As always, well researched. Fabulously written and at times, even entertaining. Say what you will about Rasputin. He was an interesting character with the ability to charm and influence in the vein of a cult leader like Charles Manson or Jim Jones.
More brilliance from Antony Beevor. Look forward to his next book!
More Brilliance from Antony Beevor
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Viva Beevor!!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.