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Rasputin
The Biography
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
This biography is ideal for readers interested in Russian history, political intrigue, and complex historical figures. It will appeal to fans of detailed, scholarly yet accessible biographies that challenge historical myths.
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See moreAcclaimed historian Douglas Smith's riveting - and revisionist - biography of Rasputin
Acclaimed historian Douglas Smith's riveting - and revisionist - biography of Rasputin
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Nearly a century after his murder, Rasputin remains as divisive a figure as ever.
Was he really a horse thief and a hard-drinking ruffian in his youth? Was he a devout Orthodox Christian, or was he in fact just a fake holy man? Are the stories of his enormous sexual drive, debauchery, and drunken orgies true, or simply a myth?
How did he come to know the emperor and empress and wield so much influence over them? What was the source of his healing power? Was Rasputin running the government in the final years of his life? And if so, was he acting on his own or on the orders of more powerful, hidden forces?
Did Prince Yusupov and his fellow conspirators act alone, or were other parties involved in Rasputin's murder? Were British secret agents or even an underground cell of Freemasons involved, as has been claimed? And to what extent did Rasputin's murder doom the Romanov dynasty?
Drawing on major new sources hitherto unexamined by western historians, Douglas Smith's book is the definitive biography of this extraordinary figure for a generation.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Praised as the definitive biography, Douglas Smith's work is brilliantly gripping and superbly researched, shedding new light on Rasputin with rich archival material. Critics highlight its comprehensive detail, political insight, and compelling narrative, distinguishing it from previous accounts. Reviews from The Times, Daily Telegraph, and Sunday Times commend its forensic scholarship and engaging storytelling.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781447245858
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 18 May 2017
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Pan Books
Edition: Unabridged edition
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 52.0mm
Width: 132.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 570g
Pages: 848
About the Author
Douglas Smith is an internationally recognized expert in Russian history and the critically acclaimed and award-winning author of numerous articles and three books, including, most recently, Former People (also published by Pan Macmillan).Before becoming a historian, Douglas Smith worked with the U.S. State Department in the Soviet Union and as a Russian affairs analyst for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Munich.
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