Rasputin: A Short Life

by Frances Welch

For historical aficionados and curious readers alike, this is the perfect ‘short life’ - gripping and hilariously funny, this biography sheds much-needed light on the life of the Russian icon: Grigory Rasputin.

Grigory Rasputin, Siberian peasant-turned-mystic and court sage, was as fascinating as he was unfathomable. He played the role of the simple man, eating with his fingers and boasting, ‘I don’t even know the ABC’. But, as the only person able to relieve the symptoms of hemophilia in the Tsar’s heir Alexei, he gained almost hallowed status within the Imperial court.

During the last decade of his life, he and his band of “little ladies” came to symbolize all that was decadent, corrupt and remote about the Imperial Family, especially when it was rumored that he was not only shaping Russian policy during the First World War, but also enjoying an intimate relationship with the Empress...

Rasputin’s role in the downfall of the tsarist regime is beyond dispute. But who was he really? Prophet or rascal? A “breath of rank air...who blew away the cobwebs of the Imperial Palace’’, as Beryl Bainbridge put it; or a dangerous deviant?

In this riveting and eye-opening short biography, Frances Welch turns her inimitable wry gaze on one of the great mysteries of Russian history.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Russia, Romanovs, Amazon, Russian History

208 pages, Paperback

First published February 6, 2014

About the author

Frances Welch, coauthor of Memories of Revolution and author of The Romanovs and Mr. Gibbes, has written about the Romanovs for the Sunday Telegraph and Granta. She lives in Wiltshire, England.

Reviews

[Fiona MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knowing very little about Rasputin I was fascinated to read Frances Welch's account of this dangerous yet strangely charismatic man. I was absolutely blown away by this book. It was insightful, easy to read, wonderfully researched and at times frankly hilarious. Welch goes into amazingly intricate detail about Rasputin, from his birth right up until his assassination and finishing the book has simply made me more interested in his story. The impact he had over the Romanov family, in particular the Tsarina was rather frightening in my opinion, and in my head I was likening him to Charles Manson, who appeared to 'bewitch' his followers by spouting rubbish about his own sort of 'religion'.
Frances Welch should be highly congratulated, she has encouraged me to read more about Rasputin, feeding my curiousity in ways that would not have happened if I had not read her book.

[F.R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

My wife Is a great fan of the Boney-M song (in fact it was played at our wedding) and having read this entertaining, short biography I think it’s safe to say that he was ”a cat that really was gone”. However we can’t give him the title “Russia's greatest love machine” as that would mean over-looking an alarming number of alleged sexual assaults; and we can categorically dismiss the claim that he was "lover of the Russian queen". Truly though “it was a shame how he carried on”

We’re at the sharp end of history here, in the whirl of events leading up to the downfall of the Romanovs in the Russian revolution (one commentator makes the point that without Rasputin, there wouldn’t have been a Lenin.) It is frankly astounding just how much influence this bearded, unkempt mystic actually had. Letter after letter from the Tsarina is referenced where she quotes Rasputin’s advice (some of it contradictory) and bullies her husband to act on it. All the time, outside the immediate royal circle, the nest of his opponents grows every day, while he’s such a public figure that salacious gossip about his relations with the Tsarina spreads right throughout the populous.

It’s hard here to get a grasp of Rasputin’s character, it seems likely that a team of psychiatrists sitting down with the man for a month would struggle, let alone a biographer one hundred years later. He is like a dervish at the centre of the madness, clearly in some ways charismatic but also distinctly off-putting. This was a time of mystics, healers and charlatans at the Russian court (a contemporary and implacable foe of Rasputin was a monk named Iliodor. Even though he had thousands of followers he never attained the fame of prestige of Rasputin and – bizarrely – ended his days as the janitor of the Municipal Life Building in New York). Hindsight is a wonderful thing so we know we’re looking at the end of days for old and decrepit aristocracy here, but it’s still incredible to see the level of trust they placed in this amoral, promiscuous, licentious self-proclaimed holy man.

It’s an eyebrow raising and occasionally salacious read, albeit one that can get confusing as titled personage after titled personage shows up to first passionately support and then violently denounce Rasputin. You will though shake your head in wonder at how he could climb so high and then drag everybody – both supporters and opponents – so low.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this short biography the politics of pre-revolutionary Russia are a necessary part but take a back seat to the personal life Grigori Rasputin. There is a lot that is unsavory about this "Man of God's" life so this volume, by his very nature, would have a parental advisory in the movie world.

It is a quick read. Even for those who know the story there is new (or at least new to me) material. The book is not footnoted so it is unclear how much some assertions are interpretative. Some are significant, for instance, did Yussoupov (one of the assassins) discuss a cure for his homosexuality with Rasputin on an earlier occasion? Some are interesting but not so significant, for instance, did the Romanov daughters keep lockets with Rasputin's picture throughout their incarceration?

The last pages were of the most interest. They capsulize what became of the main people in Rasputin's life. While most of the nobility perished in the Revolution, Rasputin's assassins were (safely) exiled before the empire's ultimate fall. Rasputin's family, considered wealthy peasants, did not fare better than the nobles although his daughter survived until 1977 in the US in ways that are as amazing as (but very different from) those of her father.

This is a light and spicy overview for those with general interest in the topic. For those who want more depth I recommend Rasputin: The Untold Story.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

quite interesting and fun to read, short and entertaining. it had a bit of a campy style but it made all the craziness of this whole tale more outrageous. I have a deep fascination with this Rasputin character and the more I know about it, the more I love it

[Jeanette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terribly choppy read. Mostly hearsay from dubious witnesses, like Rasputin's daughter, Maria. Definitely perverse and frenetic mentally ill individual, IMHO, who was almost constantly drunk. So many cult related sadistic or perverted to controlling behaviors throughout the cultural mores and belief system of the larger society (especially within the ruling nobles),existed that an individual with characteristics of a Rasputin was thought to have mystic powers and several kinds of paranormal abilities by his presence or touch.

The photographs were far more interesting than the print, to me. You need a strong stomach to visualize some of these eating, hygiene, physiology condition descriptions and explanations mentioned randomly and often within the print. Not just in Rasputin's case, either.

Rasputin was murdered, and the entire Tsar's family murdered, as well, about 19 months after Rasputin's death.

It's probably a 3 star in the context of the total Rasputin life's facts being accurate. The photographs and pictures are 4 star. Coming near the end of WWI, Rasputin's assassination was effected by some members of the noble class close to the Tsar and Tsarina coupled with aid from King George (England's king, a cousin). It was believed a separate peace was going to be reached by Germany with Russia because of the influences of Rasputin. All of it seems historic guesswork, far more than any surety. And most survivors who are visual witnesses in close association wanted to continue connection with the cult following for monetary reasons as they lived in exile during the years after the Revolution. Continually changing their stories for better pay offs or living conditions. Regardless, it seems the Tsarina had more politico direction to the situation than the Tsar. And had great reliance upon the "safety" she felt under a Rasputin voicing of control and prophecy. Overall, nasty, mean and crude over rode any kind of holy when it comes down to the man himself.

[Viv JM · Rating 3 out of 5]

I blame Boney M for my choosing this book for Task 6 of the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge (to read a biography)! Unfortunately, the whole time of reading it I have had a "Ra-Ra-Rasputin" earworm to contend with!
As to the book - it's a short but entertaining look at the life and death of the controversial figure of Rasputin, with reference made to a variety of sources.

[Zachary Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up Rasputin: A Short Life because Frances Welch, I'd heard, wasn't afraid to spend some time on the rumors and more sensational aspects of Rasputin's life. After reading two very factual books on the notorious Mad Monk I wanted something that would dive into the more bizarre elements of his life (the amount of crazy stories about Rasputin and his cronies seems practically endless) and I was not disappointed. To those painting the book as *purely* a sensational account: I think that's a bit unfair. Welch does do a good job separating pure fact from speculation, rumor, hear-say, and complete fabrication. It may not be the definitive account of Rasputin, but it was certainly one of the most entertaining. A good companion book to more historically minded studies of Rasputin.

[Jess Penhallow · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the topic of Rasputin and his influence over the imperial family is interesting, this book was poorly edited and, in places, difficult to read. The chapter breaks were not natural and it contained a lot of long sentences and lists. It was very repetitive in parts and I just don't think there was enough known about Rasputin to justify a whole book. He is better as a side character than as the main event!

[vn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rasputin is undeniably one of the most fascinating individuals in Russian history. Was he truly a prophet, a simple peasant risen from poverty to the very top through his mystical powers - or was he simply a brilliant charlatan? The answer this book provides is, a bit of both!
I found this volume very informative and masterfully pieced together. An issue with biographies of famous historical figures seems to be fairly often that the actual telling of the life is just swamped by the political narrative, but Frances Welch managed to balance them out perfectly!

[Sarah AF · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book did occasionally venture too easily into supposition and unnecessary flowery detail, it's an enjoyable beginner's insight into such a fascinating man who held such sway over, not only the Tsarina and her family, but Russia by extension. The Boney M classic remains safe as my favourite biography of Ra-Ra-Rasputin for now though.

[Alvin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entertainingly salacious and macabre, but poorly edited and sorely lacking in historical context and analysis.

[Noah McCarthy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just didn’t enjoy the way this book was later out. I didn’t like the lack of chapters.

[Rai · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s hard to find anything good to say about ‘Rasputin’, except for it was short. I’m very thankful it was short, because otherwise, I wouldn’t have got through it. Frances Welch really gives it her all when it comes to sensationalizing history. I’m going to keep this review short because for me 2018 is the year of not spending too much time on things I’m not / didn’t enjoy.

I hate when history books / biographies don’t give notes - I might not read those notes but at least I can go back and see where the writer has got their information from; even a bibliography would do. Welch gives us neither, and I do genuinely think it’s because a lot of what she writes is pure and total hearsay. She writes so many sensational things, gives wide sweeping statements and attributes quotes to Rasputin, and then doesn’t back her information up with anything at all.

In fact ‘Rasputin’ is more an account of Rasputin’s sex life than his actual journey through religion, mysticism and politics. Welch is more concerned with the contents of Rasputin’s trousers and where he puts them than how he influenced the Royal family – sure, she mentions that but it’s obvious it’s completely secondary to her.

I went into this hoping for a better look at one of the most conflicting figures of Russian history. I knew I wasn’t going to get anything amazingly detailed due to how short the book is, but I thought it’d be a nice taste that’d lead to me wanting to go deeper into Rasputin’s life and biographies. Now it turns out that being short is this book’s only saving grace.

2 / 5

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you ever wondered how much of the Russian Revolution was Rasputin and how much was the ineptitude of the Tsar, Ms Welch did a good job showing how Rasputin was a pawn, and a corrupt one at that, of the Tsarina. History blames Rasputin wholly, but I think that is rather sexist -- no one wants to say that it was a woman, and a German princess at that, who really botched up everything. Welch does a good job of laying the blame where it should be -- on Her head. It would have been nice had it been better edited, or at points fuller like the Dr Baemaev piece, but it was good that the black and white pictures were throughout the book and not like just in the middle. It was enjoyable as well enlightening reading. I would recommend it.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief biography of Rasputin, the Mad Monk of Russia. I remember learning about him briefly at school when we were studying Russia but this is the first biography I've read. Whether you believe he was a mystic or a charlatan, he certainly led an interesting life. He also had bloody big cojones to get away with the things he did. This is a great introduction to Rasputin if you've never heard of him or know little although you might end up like me with the Boney M song stuck in your head for days.

[Bridie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a horrible example of a human being. To state that his own actions and sins would cleanse others of their own, and then actively seek out those sins in order to engage. I mean, extra-marital affairs, alcoholism and whispers of rape --- to be frowned upon unless you are Rasputin, then you are assisting others who have engaged to cleanse their own.
I feel what I was most interested in was how Rasputin managed to manipulate the Tsar and Tsarina into granting him such power, wealth and control with little to no consequences.
Absolutely fascinating read.

[Dalton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Better suited for children than adults. Welch's writing and structure borders on that of crassness while providing skimpy details on the vastly interesting Rasputin. I try and find redeeming qualities, be it from something even as minuscule as good pictures or credits, but fail to find any at all. A horribly disappointing read for a subject that requires far better.

[Keiran Thegreat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, concise and well phrased. A fascinating and even-handed look at one of Russian history's most polarising and mysterious figures.

[Kevin Burke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one does what it says on the tin - it's short, and that does mean it lacks detail where you'd like a bit more. So in Rasputin's infamous death, it's suggested that the reason he wasn't killed by cyanide in cakes he was offered is because he didn't actually eat the cakes (he didn't like sweet foods), but we don't really know. And after he's shot dead, he recovers and attacks his attacker, fleeing into the courtyard where he's shot dead again - but it's really just a recounting of the legend without getting underneath it as we'd like. Maybe this is because there's little enough actually known - we aren't really told. He was dumped in the Neva after death - there's no evidence he was still alive and drowned at this stage - and when his body was burned, he sat up (as is wont to happen when the tendons contract), which helped create his legend.

Rasputin seems to come to power through a chance meeting with the Russian royal family in Kyiv - his reputation having followed from his Siberian homeland, both as a mystic priest, where he was linked with various sects of varying repute, and as an insatiable nymphomaniac, believing sex ousted sin - and when he managed to control the haemophilia of the heir to the throne, Tsarevich Alexei, his influence in the royal family was assured. Here we do have some interesting additional info - Rasputin likely controlled the bleeding either by simple reassurance, which caused Alexei to relax and his blood pressure to drop, or by rejecting modern doctors and their new wonder drug, aspirin (which stops blood from coagulating). His famous stare - he was generally believed to be able to adjust his pupils at will - aided his reputation, and his vague predictions could be interpreted as required.

His influence with the royal family was such that numerous Government officials were sacked merely complaining about him - in the view of the Tsarina Alexandra in particular, he was untouchable due to his ability to help her son and the heir to the throne, and he received large sums of money in reward- ultimately he got caught up in the power struggle which led to the overthrow of the Tsar, who lasted just 18 months longer than Rasputin. Rasputin's influence was such that he persuaded Nicholas to take over control of the Russian forces during WWI - even though Rasputin was opposed to war - and Alexandra and Rasputin gained more power in Nicholas' absence. A number of attempts had been made on his life already, though the one which succeeded was planned in more detail than the others, and had the involvement of the royal family, which helped ensure minimal follow-up.

There's an interesting follow-up on how his legend grew - a relic of his penis, 18 inches long and 6 inches wide, was claimed to exist and though it sounds highly unlikely, it gives an indication of his reputation - and includes mention of the famous Boney M song; the lead singer died in the same city and on the same day as Rasputin, in a fun but pointless coincidence.

What's here is interesting; you feel there's more depth to be had though.

[Doug Lewars · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** Possible Spoilers ***

In the 1978 song by Boney M, there is a line, 'Ra Ra Rasputin, lover of the Russian Queen'. Frances Welch seems to suggest that while the Tsarina admired and possibly loved Rasputin, that love was purely platonic. She was devoted to her husband and, whatever could be said about Rasputin, he wasn't so stupid as to do something that would threaten the relationship between himself and his meal ticket. Certainly Rasputin was a womanizer and didn't much care about obtaining consent. He took what was given and he took what wasn't given in equal measures. In addition, he liked to pretend that his lusts were inspired by God and that he was taking such sin as might exist in the liaison upon himself. He drank to excess, he fornicated with anyone who might be considered female, he ate like a pig and it is doubtful that he ever heard of hygiene as either a word or a concept. The author goes to considerable lengths to explain how such an disagreeable individual could hold sway over much of the politics of Russia at the time. It is fascinating reading.

Of course the author is limited to the historical material that is available and while he made the best of it, it would have been nicer had he been able to dig a little deeper. Rasputin was probably an incredible con artist. He created the illusion of having vast psychic powers and, certainly, it is difficult to say how he carried it off although I'm pretty certain that modern stage magicians would be able to emulate his tricks. In addition, the author had to work with what was written and there is no guarantee that every detail was present or, that the reporters even knew all the details. Still this is an interesting book and the author does make the case that without Rasputin, there is a good chance that Lenin would never have risen to power - that in fact it was a backlash against Rasputin and his excesses that provided a large amount of fuel for the revolution.

[António Massena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Escrito magistralmente ao estilo de um romance, esta biografia de Rasputine explora o melhor possível a ascensão deste "monge louco", nascido e criado numa aldeia remota da Sibéria, que se sagrou sacerdote simplesmente para curar os pecados das mulheres através de... um culto sexual.

Homem porco e dado ao pecado, se Rasputine era vidente ou simplesmente perspicaz, tal torna-se ainda mais confuso após a leitura. Tornando-se o homem mais próximo da czarina, não me espanta que o Império Russo tenha caído. Com um czar frouxo e manso e uma czarina beata e que se julgava mais esperta do que era, Rasputine tornou-se figura central da decadência da corte. Após muitos atentados à sua vida (inclusive uma em que os conspiradores tentaram castrá-lo), lá acabou por morrer, com dificuldade.

Livro de rápida leitura, recomendo àqueles que tenham estômago para ler sobre as suas ações libidinosas, e que me expliquem o porquê de um homem que cheirava a bode e limpava a boca à barba como se fosse um guarpanapo se tornou um símbolo de sex appeal.

[Sammy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this, as I've always found the Romanovs and their relationship with Rasputin to be fascinating. The fact that this book was supposed to consist of mostly hearsay didn't bother me. Just treat it as anything you'd come across on Facebook (with a huge pinch of salt), and I figured it could be highly entertaining.

Unfortunately the book isn't so much a book as a collection of sentences. There is no narrative flow, possibly due to the fact that there are far too many short sentences, with little to tie them together and a whole lot of jumping back and forth along the timeline, for no discernible reason other than that the author must have thought of something then and there, so there it was going to sit.
Basically, the whole thing lacks cohesion, and could really, really use a better editor.

Disappointed.

[João Sá Nogueira Rodrigues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rasputine foi e é uma figura enigmática,mas fascinante! Para quem tem uma predilecção especial por tudo o que diga respeito aos Romanov (como é o meu caso), Rasputine é alguém que não pode ser esquecido! Aliás, é praticamente impossível falar do último casal imperial Romanov sem que se fale de Rasputine!
Quanto a este livro é uma biografia interessante,com muitas informações que nos permitem conhecer melhor Rasputine, a sua vida, a sua forma de estar, enfim, Rasputine enquanto pessoa!E se não dei 5 estrelas a esta biografia é apenas por duas razões: a primeira porque às vezes centra-se demasiado na parte "cor de rosa" da vida de Rasputine e a segunda razão porque gostaria que a biografia aprofundasse mais a relação Rasputine/vida política russa!
Seja como for, é uma biografia que deve ser lida para quem tenha interesse em aprofundar esta personalidade!

[Greg Kerestan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is this biography of Rasputin salacious? Maybe a little, but only to the extent that telling the story of the "mad monk" has to be. Rather, Welch's compelling little potboiler of a biography paints an even-handed picture of a complicated figure, at once mastermind and stooge. Best bit of Rasputin trivia you won't hear anywhere else: he was both a love of folk dancing, and a gadget aficionado. When the urge to dance would overcome him, he would use his new and expensive telephone (a rarity in his area) to call a musically inclined friend, who wound sing and play violin while Rasputin, holding the phone, would drop and do a hearty peasant folk dance. Crazy.

[shaggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this three years ago in an airport as I am wont to do, and there's a reason it took this long to finish it. Florid prose, over dramatic with nothing to add, like a soap opera script. Great moments were overwrought and others could not hold the thread together (couldn't follow which characters were saying what, and it's not due to Russian names themselves), and dare I say sloppily edited? The fact that she said "spanner" three times and it stuck with me is not good. Gr life and times were interesting enough without having to editorialise. The subtitle is "a short life" but that's more a reflection of the content of the book itself? Yeah.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a fascinating topic, this engaging and informative short study of the life of the infamous 'mad monk' is a great introduction to the shenanigans of Grigory Rasputin and the doomed court of the last Romanovs. Welch's style is almost novelistic in tone and pace which makes it a quick read in spite of the lengthy Russian names.

Of course it is a familiar story, but much of Rasputin's early life and that outside of St Petersburg is less familiar and is brought to life admirably in this engaging short book.

Great introduction that serves the casual reader and the serious historian well.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great book for anyone new to knowledge of this enigmatic, monstrous and manipulative man.
I already knew lots about Rasputin but, as with all books, there is always something new you’ll learn as I certainly did with this. For example- I never knew the Yusupovs made enough money to sustain themselves in exile after suing MGM for false information that Rasputin raped Irina Yusupov.
I read this book over two days. One for my shelf.

[Bookgypsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been studying Czar Nicholas and his family since a researched them for a paper in sixth grade. I know the history very well. But I've sort of avoided any deep exploration of Rasputin because, quite frankly, he has always frightened me. The man seemed like an evil otherworldly being. But this book reveals a more human side to him. He had a family and flaws and was just a very creepy but typical human. It was a refreshing perspective of a story I know well.

[Rick Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts narrating Rasputin's early life and I found that very interesting. However, as the story progresses, the book focuses a lot on historic characters relationships with Rasputin. It is obvious there was a tremendous amount of research done. However, I was expecting more details on why he is such a mystical character. Perhaps get more into Rasputin's feats. The book really gets my attention towards the end when it gets into Rasputin's murder plot and developments in detail. It is presented in a respectful and exquisite way and it made me turn around about how I felt about this book. Overall it is an enjoyable read and I can recommend it.

Lastly, I'd like to review the book itself. I think that a book's characteristics are important factors in making a book enjoyable.
The book is very light so it is easy to hold for extended periods of time without your hand getting tired. The font is easy to read and you will find photos throughout the book and that makes it that much more interesting. The cover is beautifully designed and colored. This is a book that captures your imagination at first sight. I just had to pick-up this book when I saw it for the first time and I am glad I did. I guess it is fine to judge a book by its cover.

[Deb Lancaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is indeed very very short and scant but vivid and entertaining. I mostly am irritated by the utter wetness of the tsar and the selfishness of the tsarina. Mental people in charge of everything doing mental things for mental reasons. Twas ever thus.