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The Life and Times of Grigorii Rasputin
Few historical figures have been as shrouded in myth and speculation as Grigorii Rasputin. At the height of his fame, he was thought to be no less than a demonic figure, possessed of supernatural powers, a dissolute agent of the forces of evil with an iron-clad, perhaps sexual, hold on the throne of Imperial Russia. His disciples swooned in his presence; his enemies plotted his murder.
Rasputin is the story of an illiterate Siberian peasant who penetrated the very highest circles of the Romanov dynasty, a srarets (holy man) whose pilgrimages and struggles of conscience warred with sexual rapacity and a predilection for drink, a monk whose fame as a faith healer and visionary was eclipsed by scandalous orgies and notorious palace intrigue until his very name became a synonym for vice and corruption. Here are the people in his life: his jealous (or admiring) fellow holy man, the political ministers who curried his favor, the female disciples who gave him sex to save their souls and the Tsarina Alexandra, who child he saved and whose heart eh never lost, even as scandal succeeded scandal. And here is the turbulent Imperial Russia of which he was so dramatic a part, an explosive mixture of religious fervor, political brutality, sexual promiscuity, and social decadence. From his humble beginnings to the bloody murder that marked his end, Rasputin was never less than a figure of controversy and mystery. Was he an ambitious fraud, a man divinely inspired, or a simple peasant thrust by circumstances into a position he never fully understood?
Rasputin is the story of an illiterate Siberian peasant who penetrated the very highest circles of the Romanov dynasty, a srarets (holy man) whose pilgrimages and struggles of conscience warred with sexual rapacity and a predilection for drink, a monk whose fame as a faith healer and visionary was eclipsed by scandalous orgies and notorious palace intrigue until his very name became a synonym for vice and corruption. Here are the people in his life: his jealous (or admiring) fellow holy man, the political ministers who curried his favor, the female disciples who gave him sex to save their souls and the Tsarina Alexandra, who child he saved and whose heart eh never lost, even as scandal succeeded scandal. And here is the turbulent Imperial Russia of which he was so dramatic a part, an explosive mixture of religious fervor, political brutality, sexual promiscuity, and social decadence. From his humble beginnings to the bloody murder that marked his end, Rasputin was never less than a figure of controversy and mystery. Was he an ambitious fraud, a man divinely inspired, or a simple peasant thrust by circumstances into a position he never fully understood?
363 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1982
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March 29, 2015
I've seen loads of television shows, YouTube videos, and movies on Rasputin and I'd read lots of magazine articles and references in history books but I've consistently and purposely avoided, dallied around, and put-off on reading a biography of Rasputin until I was sure I'd found one that was going to deliver. This was the one.
There are "newer" developments and discoveries about Rasputin since this book was written back in 1982 and it all adds to to the facts surrounding him and the characters he was involved with during the final years of Imperial Russia. The discoveries either add to his myth or attempt to wipe it clean but none of it adds to who Rasputin really was.
This biography focuses much more importantly on the subtle but overriding "hows" and "whys" and succeeds spectacularly. Quite literally half of the book in fact is not even about Rasputin at all but about RUSSIA. And this is important because RUSSIA demands to be understood in order to begin to fathom how such a preposterous character as Rasputin could rise to precisely where he did precisely when he did to become the star player in an international tragedy. De Jonge delicately expounds upon what made Russians Russian, covering all aspects of the culture and the major figures that foolishly bumbled their way to the preventable catastrophe in 1917. Chapter 3 was especially fascinating, describing the destructive sectarianism that had begun sweeping across the land as Rasputin emerged upon the scene. De Jonge is a remarkably clear and confident writer and he sources everything he posits. By the time the book is finished, one feels he has a complete understanding of the topic.
There seems to be a bit of criticism of De Jonge's "acceptance" of Rasputin's supernatural abilities, which I think is slightly unfair, as De Jonge simply states that there is no rational explanation for some of the profuse coincidences that surrounded Rasputin and his miraculous healings and mesmeric abilities. De Jonge doesn't exalt Rasputin, though it is obvious he has a soft spot for his subject, but doesn't find it necessary either to reduce his magnitude in order to explain him.
It's been many years since I've read such a well-done biography. 4.5 stars, with no misgivings in bumping it up into a full 5.
A sample from the "Conclusion":
"One of the most important features of European cultural history in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries is the erosion of Christian values, both in public life and in individual consciousness. Imperial Russia had remained an overtly Christian culture for longer than most countries, but even there, the hold of Orthodox Christianity was weakening. Rasputin's rise must be set against an age of religious decadence, in which the Orthodox required ever stronger and rarer experiences and began to flirt with heresy, sectarianism, and even paganism. Rasputin was in one sense the last of his kind, both a creation of Official Christianity and the sign of its termination. His authority was an index of the final collapse of Christendom, as the culture turned to strange gods and strange versions of God. His brand of religion was highly coloured by sectarian heresy - and yet there was more to it than that, it also possessed great warmth and simplicity. As a peasant he moved in a world of cosy belief, simple faith, the world of Bozhenka (the infinitely tender Russian diminutive form of God), which in the eyes of many people, and especially the tsarina, gave him great strength. His brand of faith, with its simplicity, its understanding both of spirituality and of weakness, appealed to many devout Christians of the age in their search for God... Whatever the reasons for his rise to prominence, he lacked the temperament to cope with it.
...If we have struck an apologetic note in this final consideration, it is to remind the reader that Rasputin was not wittingly destructive; he simply acted out of unenlightened self-interest - unenlightened in that he never learnt from his experiences, and always retained the horizons of a peasant. It was indeed because he was a peasant that his existence close to the throne was unacceptable to so many. Had he been a member of the nobility who achieved great prominence, acquired a hold over the tsarina, abused his position, was sexually dissolute and of poor political judgment, he would never have scandalized the nation. It was the fact of his being a peasant that created the scandal."
There are "newer" developments and discoveries about Rasputin since this book was written back in 1982 and it all adds to to the facts surrounding him and the characters he was involved with during the final years of Imperial Russia. The discoveries either add to his myth or attempt to wipe it clean but none of it adds to who Rasputin really was.
This biography focuses much more importantly on the subtle but overriding "hows" and "whys" and succeeds spectacularly. Quite literally half of the book in fact is not even about Rasputin at all but about RUSSIA. And this is important because RUSSIA demands to be understood in order to begin to fathom how such a preposterous character as Rasputin could rise to precisely where he did precisely when he did to become the star player in an international tragedy. De Jonge delicately expounds upon what made Russians Russian, covering all aspects of the culture and the major figures that foolishly bumbled their way to the preventable catastrophe in 1917. Chapter 3 was especially fascinating, describing the destructive sectarianism that had begun sweeping across the land as Rasputin emerged upon the scene. De Jonge is a remarkably clear and confident writer and he sources everything he posits. By the time the book is finished, one feels he has a complete understanding of the topic.
There seems to be a bit of criticism of De Jonge's "acceptance" of Rasputin's supernatural abilities, which I think is slightly unfair, as De Jonge simply states that there is no rational explanation for some of the profuse coincidences that surrounded Rasputin and his miraculous healings and mesmeric abilities. De Jonge doesn't exalt Rasputin, though it is obvious he has a soft spot for his subject, but doesn't find it necessary either to reduce his magnitude in order to explain him.
It's been many years since I've read such a well-done biography. 4.5 stars, with no misgivings in bumping it up into a full 5.
A sample from the "Conclusion":
"One of the most important features of European cultural history in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries is the erosion of Christian values, both in public life and in individual consciousness. Imperial Russia had remained an overtly Christian culture for longer than most countries, but even there, the hold of Orthodox Christianity was weakening. Rasputin's rise must be set against an age of religious decadence, in which the Orthodox required ever stronger and rarer experiences and began to flirt with heresy, sectarianism, and even paganism. Rasputin was in one sense the last of his kind, both a creation of Official Christianity and the sign of its termination. His authority was an index of the final collapse of Christendom, as the culture turned to strange gods and strange versions of God. His brand of religion was highly coloured by sectarian heresy - and yet there was more to it than that, it also possessed great warmth and simplicity. As a peasant he moved in a world of cosy belief, simple faith, the world of Bozhenka (the infinitely tender Russian diminutive form of God), which in the eyes of many people, and especially the tsarina, gave him great strength. His brand of faith, with its simplicity, its understanding both of spirituality and of weakness, appealed to many devout Christians of the age in their search for God... Whatever the reasons for his rise to prominence, he lacked the temperament to cope with it.
...If we have struck an apologetic note in this final consideration, it is to remind the reader that Rasputin was not wittingly destructive; he simply acted out of unenlightened self-interest - unenlightened in that he never learnt from his experiences, and always retained the horizons of a peasant. It was indeed because he was a peasant that his existence close to the throne was unacceptable to so many. Had he been a member of the nobility who achieved great prominence, acquired a hold over the tsarina, abused his position, was sexually dissolute and of poor political judgment, he would never have scandalized the nation. It was the fact of his being a peasant that created the scandal."
November 12, 2018
This is an excellent read. It does an exceptional job of giving the reader a detailed context of the religious, political and social environment in which Rasputin, a peasant from Siberia, rose to become one of the most defining characters in modern Russian history. The incredible amount of research put in here is truly commendable, serving to throw light on how the myth behind the man came to be while making sure all varying perspectives are given a voice. Alex crafts the flow well enough such that the reader is kept engaged till the very end. Rasputin's story signifies the phenomenon of how certain peculiar individual abilities can sometimes contribute to a highly improbable rise to prominence. A highly recommended read!
May 19, 2017
De Jonge presents us with a very nuanced look at the true Rasputin--the peasant who rubbed elbows with the Czar and his family.
This is a very nicely written history. It picks up quite a few threads as the story goes along, but wraps them up nicely as the end nears.
5/5 stars.
This is a very nicely written history. It picks up quite a few threads as the story goes along, but wraps them up nicely as the end nears.
5/5 stars.
November 17, 2007
After reading this book I felt I had a much better understanding of how Russians think and their politics. It's also very interesting just for historical information too. Rasputin was a very interesting person, darker and stranger than the comic book character he's become.
August 22, 2015
I can't remember if I actually finished this book, I just remember our favorite Snape-like English teacher in high school sharing a very juicy detail from it and picking it up afterwards partly because of that. And having certain things STICK inside me.
June 25, 2007
Definitely interesting, and dispelled some myths I had always heard about Rasputin. The writing was a bit redundant at times.
April 11, 2009
First rate research. Clears up a lot of misconceptions.
July 24, 2010
Like trying to eat an ice-cream cone through cellophane. The content was fascinating and I wanted more... but the horrible writing made this a painful endeavor.
Read
September 6, 2012After reading about him,I saw a freaky, perverted religous cad who brought the Russuan governnent down and how his death help birth evil dictators like Stalin.
November 22, 2019
Oh, Those Russians...
Someone I know, an old East German, recently said that the Salisbury attack couldn't have been the Russians 'because if it was the Russians they (the targets) would be dead'. This is a backhanded tribute from a former subject which I'm sure they would be proud of, but in fact the Russian state's brutality has always been matched only by its incompetence. Witness the bungled assassination of poor Rasputin - admittedly not carried out by official agents: poisoned, shot three times, beaten, and finished off only by drowning in a river.
Another parallel with the modern day is the prevalence in early C20th Russia of paranoia and fake news (the term is new but the idea isn't), much of it diffused deliberately. It decided Rasputin's fate: the rumour that he was a German agent did for him where a dozen scandals had failed. Like today, there was never any evidence produced for this and other allegations - it was enough to repeat them often and loudly enough, to a public that was looking for a scapegoat. It's frightening to reflect how completely Russia fixated on him, ignoring the real problem: the fact that their entire administration was corrupt and useless. Trying to destroy Rasputin, his opponents thus (by helping bring about the Revolution) brought down destruction on themselves and many millions of others. It ought to be a warning: if such people are allowed to put up enough obscuring smoke, in the end everybody might get choked..
Having started out vaguely envying Rasputin as a sort of real-life superhero - the irresistible lover (with his 'strategically placed wart'!), possessor of magical powers, the peasant who rose to be the most influential man in a huge empire - I surprised myself by ending up pitying him. He wasn't a bad man by the standards of his time; was one of the few influential people in Europe consistently to oppose the war; indeed he was a healer who spoke up for peace and the welfare of ordinary people. The way he foresaw his 'bitter' death - whether it was clairvoyance or natural perceptiveness - is enough in itself to make you sorry for him. He was a victim of sexual jealousy perhaps, social jealousy certainly (a peasant with the ear of the Tsar!) and, maybe above all, an early example of the way the cult of celebrity can devour its own idols.
I went for this particular biog because, in a field which would obviously be prone to disposable trash, it had been through several editions. It was a good choice: intelligent, readable, balanced, and having some sympathy with the subject (which every good biography needs). I like the way that it doesn't pre-judge issues like Rasputin's claimed supernatural powers, one way or the other: it just presents the evidence as far as known. On the other hand it doesn't seriously examine the claim that he was the Tsarina's lover, simply dismissing it as 'preposterous'. It's pretty obvious that the author is of privileged Russian émigré stock; this might give him insights that others don't have, but it also explains why he consistently pours scorn on the idea that Russia's salvation was to be found in its people. The book does also show signs of not having been properly revised before printing, with some repetitions and occasionally contradictions.
Someone I know, an old East German, recently said that the Salisbury attack couldn't have been the Russians 'because if it was the Russians they (the targets) would be dead'. This is a backhanded tribute from a former subject which I'm sure they would be proud of, but in fact the Russian state's brutality has always been matched only by its incompetence. Witness the bungled assassination of poor Rasputin - admittedly not carried out by official agents: poisoned, shot three times, beaten, and finished off only by drowning in a river.
Another parallel with the modern day is the prevalence in early C20th Russia of paranoia and fake news (the term is new but the idea isn't), much of it diffused deliberately. It decided Rasputin's fate: the rumour that he was a German agent did for him where a dozen scandals had failed. Like today, there was never any evidence produced for this and other allegations - it was enough to repeat them often and loudly enough, to a public that was looking for a scapegoat. It's frightening to reflect how completely Russia fixated on him, ignoring the real problem: the fact that their entire administration was corrupt and useless. Trying to destroy Rasputin, his opponents thus (by helping bring about the Revolution) brought down destruction on themselves and many millions of others. It ought to be a warning: if such people are allowed to put up enough obscuring smoke, in the end everybody might get choked..
Having started out vaguely envying Rasputin as a sort of real-life superhero - the irresistible lover (with his 'strategically placed wart'!), possessor of magical powers, the peasant who rose to be the most influential man in a huge empire - I surprised myself by ending up pitying him. He wasn't a bad man by the standards of his time; was one of the few influential people in Europe consistently to oppose the war; indeed he was a healer who spoke up for peace and the welfare of ordinary people. The way he foresaw his 'bitter' death - whether it was clairvoyance or natural perceptiveness - is enough in itself to make you sorry for him. He was a victim of sexual jealousy perhaps, social jealousy certainly (a peasant with the ear of the Tsar!) and, maybe above all, an early example of the way the cult of celebrity can devour its own idols.
I went for this particular biog because, in a field which would obviously be prone to disposable trash, it had been through several editions. It was a good choice: intelligent, readable, balanced, and having some sympathy with the subject (which every good biography needs). I like the way that it doesn't pre-judge issues like Rasputin's claimed supernatural powers, one way or the other: it just presents the evidence as far as known. On the other hand it doesn't seriously examine the claim that he was the Tsarina's lover, simply dismissing it as 'preposterous'. It's pretty obvious that the author is of privileged Russian émigré stock; this might give him insights that others don't have, but it also explains why he consistently pours scorn on the idea that Russia's salvation was to be found in its people. The book does also show signs of not having been properly revised before printing, with some repetitions and occasionally contradictions.
January 21, 2016
Grigorii Rasputin was a real enigma. Was he a true holy man? Was he a mere charlatan? Was he the “mad monk?” Was he a con man? Did he indeed have supernatural powers? Was he merely a sex fiend who used his position to take advantage of women throughout imperial Russia?
This biography attempts to answer these questions and more. Unfortunately, it bogs down somewhere in the middle and gets repetitive and somewhat dull, so it’s relatively hard to slog all the way through, honestly, but it’s an honest look at an infamous character from history who I always wanted to learn about, so that’s a good thing.
Rasputin was born a poor peasant in Siberia, where he always gravitated back to, and gravitated toward the spiritual, like so many of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century Russians. Some were Orthodox. Many were sects that had split off and were frankly doing their own thing, some quite odd. Many seemed quite insane. Most had ardent disciples as that period of Russia had a great deal of people undergoing spiritual searches and there were many people going on pilgrimages throughout the country and there were many monasteries where people would stop for spiritual retreats. Rasputin, though married with children, engaged in this behavior, and went on years-long pilgrimages, traveling throughout the country, as well as to the Holy Land, and he came to be viewed as a holy man who prayed frequently and who had supernatural powers, including the power of healing and the power of prescience. The author does not make too many attempts to confirm or deny these powers, but does acknowledge that apparently there were many witnesses to confirm his abilities in these areas, so it’s difficult to deny them.
Rasputin made his way to the capital with the help of influential friends he made over time, people who became benefactors and disciples, most of whom were women. He had power over women which was to manifest itself through his entire life. He had powerful, hypnotic eyes with which he could force people – women – to do whatever he wanted them to do, typically engage in sexual acts with him. He was a sex maniac. He would have parties at his place, dinner parties, although he didn’t eat meat, or wine parties, and would take women back to his bedroom one at a time and have sex with them although everyone could hear him/them and everyone would talk about what a great man he was, about how spiritual he was, about what a great healer he was, about how wise he was, about how he should be sainted by the church (???), all the while, while he was persuading women both single and married to have sex of all types with him whether they wanted to or not, and if they did not, he would often simply rape them. Sometimes he would tell them they had to sin in order to be forgiven by God. He could excuse everything using God; he was mentally quick.
He somehow came to the attention of the tsar and tsarina through very complicated and complex ways and met them finally, he a simple peasant “holy man” who refused to change his ways for anyone, royal or not. He ate with his fingers, for God’s sake, and felt his beard eliminated the need for a napkin. He spoke with the Romanavs and they came away impressed. They had several children, the youngest one, a small boy, was quite ill with a disease that made his leg bleed to the point where it could kill him if not treated quickly and even then, it only stopped the bleeding, it didn’t cure it. The tsarina was beside herself.
She had heard of Rasputin’s alleged healing powers and asked him about it. Her son was suffering. Rasputin laid his hand on the boy, prayed, told her the boy would be fine, and he got better overnight. That did it. Rasputin was part of the inner circle. And that automatically pissed off the aristocrats of the city and country.
The royal family started having Rasputin over on a semi-regular basis, when he wasn’t traveling back to Siberia, and the chief of the secret police put a dossier together of his dalliances and presented it to Tsar Nicholas, only to be rebuffed. The tsar wasn’t thrilled with Rasputin’s behavior, but he wasn’t about to risk his wife’s wrath by doing anything with her favorite person and his son’s savior, so he buried the information and did nothing. This happened several times. Meanwhile, Rasputin both continued to gain disciples as his fame grew, especially as he came to be known as the peasant who had made it in court, and his original religious backers started to back away from him, horrified of his sins of the flesh, which he barely hid, if at all.
Something else happened a little later that cemented his position even more. The tsar and his family traveled to Germany while Rasputin was in Siberia. Their son became seriously ill and they attempted to travel back to Russia for medical aid, but couldn’t make it home. They were forced to stop prematurely and it appeared their son would die. He was given last rites and out of desperation, the tsarina called Rasputin in Siberia and pleaded with him to heal her son. He asked for a couple of hours and said he’d call her back. He prayed diligently, by all accounts, called her back and told her that her son would be healed and live and hung up. Her son recovered, lived, was healed, they returned home, and from that point on, Rasputin could never again do any wrong in her eyes, nor even in the eyes of the tsar, no matter how much “evidence” of wrong doing was laid in front of his eyes by jealous competitors, security personnel, and religious personalities.
All of this is interesting to a certain degree, but at the same time, there’s a certain degree of redundancy in the book leading up to this point. The author goes on and on about the women, the parties, the travels, the sects, Siberia, the Russian political system, etc. Frankly, it got a little boring. I made it to page 214 out of 341 pages before deciding I had gotten a good enough picture of Rasputin. After all, he never was given an actual title. He had by this time gotten nearly as much power as he would ever have. I know he would be assassinated and by whom. What would the final 125 pages have to say that would keep me riveted? I had had a hard enough time getting to page 214, reading five other books, some longer, while reading these 200+ pages, simply due to boredom. Maybe if another author had tackled the subject, it would have been more interesting, I don’t know. Or perhaps Rasputin isn’t, after all, all that interesting of a historical personage. I don’t know. I’m a little disappointed. I’m not sure what to think. He was interesting, certainly. But I feel like he was lucky, a pervert, a fraud, a possessor of potential minor supernatural powers that he made occasional use of, and in the end, someone who helped bring about the downfall of the empire through his excesses, which is really bizarre when you think about it. After how he started out, how could this happen?
This isn’t a bad book, nor is it necessarily poorly written. It just didn’t really connect with me and it’s not overly scintillating. Somewhat interesting subject matter. Another biography might be better, I don’t know. I’m not sure if I’d recommend this book over another biography of the same person. Three stars max. Simply for the extensive research. Otherwise, it’s a two star book.
This biography attempts to answer these questions and more. Unfortunately, it bogs down somewhere in the middle and gets repetitive and somewhat dull, so it’s relatively hard to slog all the way through, honestly, but it’s an honest look at an infamous character from history who I always wanted to learn about, so that’s a good thing.
Rasputin was born a poor peasant in Siberia, where he always gravitated back to, and gravitated toward the spiritual, like so many of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century Russians. Some were Orthodox. Many were sects that had split off and were frankly doing their own thing, some quite odd. Many seemed quite insane. Most had ardent disciples as that period of Russia had a great deal of people undergoing spiritual searches and there were many people going on pilgrimages throughout the country and there were many monasteries where people would stop for spiritual retreats. Rasputin, though married with children, engaged in this behavior, and went on years-long pilgrimages, traveling throughout the country, as well as to the Holy Land, and he came to be viewed as a holy man who prayed frequently and who had supernatural powers, including the power of healing and the power of prescience. The author does not make too many attempts to confirm or deny these powers, but does acknowledge that apparently there were many witnesses to confirm his abilities in these areas, so it’s difficult to deny them.
Rasputin made his way to the capital with the help of influential friends he made over time, people who became benefactors and disciples, most of whom were women. He had power over women which was to manifest itself through his entire life. He had powerful, hypnotic eyes with which he could force people – women – to do whatever he wanted them to do, typically engage in sexual acts with him. He was a sex maniac. He would have parties at his place, dinner parties, although he didn’t eat meat, or wine parties, and would take women back to his bedroom one at a time and have sex with them although everyone could hear him/them and everyone would talk about what a great man he was, about how spiritual he was, about what a great healer he was, about how wise he was, about how he should be sainted by the church (???), all the while, while he was persuading women both single and married to have sex of all types with him whether they wanted to or not, and if they did not, he would often simply rape them. Sometimes he would tell them they had to sin in order to be forgiven by God. He could excuse everything using God; he was mentally quick.
He somehow came to the attention of the tsar and tsarina through very complicated and complex ways and met them finally, he a simple peasant “holy man” who refused to change his ways for anyone, royal or not. He ate with his fingers, for God’s sake, and felt his beard eliminated the need for a napkin. He spoke with the Romanavs and they came away impressed. They had several children, the youngest one, a small boy, was quite ill with a disease that made his leg bleed to the point where it could kill him if not treated quickly and even then, it only stopped the bleeding, it didn’t cure it. The tsarina was beside herself.
She had heard of Rasputin’s alleged healing powers and asked him about it. Her son was suffering. Rasputin laid his hand on the boy, prayed, told her the boy would be fine, and he got better overnight. That did it. Rasputin was part of the inner circle. And that automatically pissed off the aristocrats of the city and country.
The royal family started having Rasputin over on a semi-regular basis, when he wasn’t traveling back to Siberia, and the chief of the secret police put a dossier together of his dalliances and presented it to Tsar Nicholas, only to be rebuffed. The tsar wasn’t thrilled with Rasputin’s behavior, but he wasn’t about to risk his wife’s wrath by doing anything with her favorite person and his son’s savior, so he buried the information and did nothing. This happened several times. Meanwhile, Rasputin both continued to gain disciples as his fame grew, especially as he came to be known as the peasant who had made it in court, and his original religious backers started to back away from him, horrified of his sins of the flesh, which he barely hid, if at all.
Something else happened a little later that cemented his position even more. The tsar and his family traveled to Germany while Rasputin was in Siberia. Their son became seriously ill and they attempted to travel back to Russia for medical aid, but couldn’t make it home. They were forced to stop prematurely and it appeared their son would die. He was given last rites and out of desperation, the tsarina called Rasputin in Siberia and pleaded with him to heal her son. He asked for a couple of hours and said he’d call her back. He prayed diligently, by all accounts, called her back and told her that her son would be healed and live and hung up. Her son recovered, lived, was healed, they returned home, and from that point on, Rasputin could never again do any wrong in her eyes, nor even in the eyes of the tsar, no matter how much “evidence” of wrong doing was laid in front of his eyes by jealous competitors, security personnel, and religious personalities.
All of this is interesting to a certain degree, but at the same time, there’s a certain degree of redundancy in the book leading up to this point. The author goes on and on about the women, the parties, the travels, the sects, Siberia, the Russian political system, etc. Frankly, it got a little boring. I made it to page 214 out of 341 pages before deciding I had gotten a good enough picture of Rasputin. After all, he never was given an actual title. He had by this time gotten nearly as much power as he would ever have. I know he would be assassinated and by whom. What would the final 125 pages have to say that would keep me riveted? I had had a hard enough time getting to page 214, reading five other books, some longer, while reading these 200+ pages, simply due to boredom. Maybe if another author had tackled the subject, it would have been more interesting, I don’t know. Or perhaps Rasputin isn’t, after all, all that interesting of a historical personage. I don’t know. I’m a little disappointed. I’m not sure what to think. He was interesting, certainly. But I feel like he was lucky, a pervert, a fraud, a possessor of potential minor supernatural powers that he made occasional use of, and in the end, someone who helped bring about the downfall of the empire through his excesses, which is really bizarre when you think about it. After how he started out, how could this happen?
This isn’t a bad book, nor is it necessarily poorly written. It just didn’t really connect with me and it’s not overly scintillating. Somewhat interesting subject matter. Another biography might be better, I don’t know. I’m not sure if I’d recommend this book over another biography of the same person. Three stars max. Simply for the extensive research. Otherwise, it’s a two star book.
October 20, 2020
"If the dog Serezhka is forgiven then the dog will devour us all."
"My dears my precious ones.
A threat hangs over us. A great misfortune is coming. The face of the merciful Mother of God has grown dark. The spirit has entered the silence of the night and there is no consolation. The anger will be terrible and there is no place to run to. It is written "Stay watchful for you can know neither the night nor the hour."
The time has come for our land. The blood runs chill with fear. There is so much blood, so many cries of pain. The night of dreadful suffering is dark, I cannot see. My hour will soon come. I have no fear but you must know that the hour will be bitter. I will suffer a great martyrdom. I will forgive my torturers and will inherit the kingdom. You will take pity on me. The young ones will see much. You need not pray long for God to give you strength, you will all be saved. I grieve for you and for our lives. God knows the way of your suffering. People without number will be destroyed. Many martyrs will die. Brother will die at the hand of brother. There will be a great misfortune. The earth will tremble. Hunger famine and drought will come and there will be signs seen all over the world. Pray that that will be your for your salvation, and by the Grace of the Saviour and the protection of the Holy Mother joy will come to you again.
Grigorii."
Two best quotes from this book.
"My dears my precious ones.
A threat hangs over us. A great misfortune is coming. The face of the merciful Mother of God has grown dark. The spirit has entered the silence of the night and there is no consolation. The anger will be terrible and there is no place to run to. It is written "Stay watchful for you can know neither the night nor the hour."
The time has come for our land. The blood runs chill with fear. There is so much blood, so many cries of pain. The night of dreadful suffering is dark, I cannot see. My hour will soon come. I have no fear but you must know that the hour will be bitter. I will suffer a great martyrdom. I will forgive my torturers and will inherit the kingdom. You will take pity on me. The young ones will see much. You need not pray long for God to give you strength, you will all be saved. I grieve for you and for our lives. God knows the way of your suffering. People without number will be destroyed. Many martyrs will die. Brother will die at the hand of brother. There will be a great misfortune. The earth will tremble. Hunger famine and drought will come and there will be signs seen all over the world. Pray that that will be your for your salvation, and by the Grace of the Saviour and the protection of the Holy Mother joy will come to you again.
Grigorii."
Two best quotes from this book.
May 31, 2018
Eye-opening and horrifying, like having your eyelashes ripped out “for your own good.”
Rasputin was a peasant with grand ambitions, no restraint, and a seemingly holy set of simple wisdom that the #MeTooMovement of the day tried to turn into mincemeat. The country was alternately laboring under heavy burdens imposed by their hereditary leaders (some who didn’t want to rule, like Nicholas), panting after false teachers in a desire to see God active in blessing Russia (or changing her), and wrapped in drunken visions of glory turned to military defeat on a colossal scale. Just ripe for an “embodiment of power without responsibility” (thanks Felix Yusupov). I’m glad to set down this non-fiction work for something less gritty.
Rasputin was a peasant with grand ambitions, no restraint, and a seemingly holy set of simple wisdom that the #MeTooMovement of the day tried to turn into mincemeat. The country was alternately laboring under heavy burdens imposed by their hereditary leaders (some who didn’t want to rule, like Nicholas), panting after false teachers in a desire to see God active in blessing Russia (or changing her), and wrapped in drunken visions of glory turned to military defeat on a colossal scale. Just ripe for an “embodiment of power without responsibility” (thanks Felix Yusupov). I’m glad to set down this non-fiction work for something less gritty.
October 15, 2018
This volume includes considerable insight into the importance of the religion in Russian culture, especially with respect to czarist rule over hundreds of years. The Orthodox Church plays the largest role, but self-described men of God -- mostly shamans -- had great influence as well. Rasputin played well into that world, ultimately becoming the most important advisor and confidant to Empress Alexandra, and through her to Czar Nicholas II. Unfortunately, the author's writing style is overly complex, tends to lack easily readable flow, and is often redundant, forcing a "3" rating instead of a "4" from this reader.
February 11, 2022
The Amount of information in this book is impressive; not just information about Rasputin, but Russian history (some political and religious). At times, the information can be a tad overwhelming, maybe drifting away from Rasputin too much. And at other times it repeats itself, sharing information redundantly.
Overall I learned new things about this fascinating figure, and was able to bust some myths about him in the process. If you have an interest in Rasputin, you'll enjoy this book; otherwise its a tad challenging to get through.
Overall I learned new things about this fascinating figure, and was able to bust some myths about him in the process. If you have an interest in Rasputin, you'll enjoy this book; otherwise its a tad challenging to get through.
January 13, 2020
I found the book to be pretty interesting. I learned a lot about not only Rasputin, but about Russia shortly before the revolution.
I think my main issue is the author takes some leaps at times and I felt like was almost trying to convince the reader that Rasputin had to have had some kind of real powers.
I think my main issue is the author takes some leaps at times and I felt like was almost trying to convince the reader that Rasputin had to have had some kind of real powers.
December 24, 2017
Fascinating. enjoyed it.
December 9, 2019
While I can't say that it's a particularly well written book, or that it kept my attention the whole time I was reading it, I did learn some interesting things about Rasputin.
February 7, 2020
Very well-researched biography of Rasputin, although not the best for the unfamiliar reader.
Read
March 1, 2019Reader from the group– Alex De Jonge's "The Life and Times of Grigorii Rasputin" offers up a fascinating glimpse into the life and times of one of the twentieth century's greatest enigmas, the so-called "Mad Monk" Grigorii Rasputin. DeJong's work leads us through Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin's life, beginning with his childhood in rural Siberia, a bleak landscape that was saturated with a strange mix of archaic regional religions and superstitions, poverty and inescapable despair. The book follows the young Rasputin's life, from binge-drinking horse thief to one of the millions of wandering vagabonds that roamed the Russian countryside, eventually finding a reputation as a starets, a charismatic spiritual ascetic. It was in this role that Rasputin eventually climbed the social ladder of Russian society, finding his way into the inner sanctums of Tsarkoe Selo and eventually becoming a trusted advisor and confidant to the Tsar and Tsarina during a period of turmoil that would culminate in the fall of the Russian dynasty. Alongside the biographical information De Jonge also explores the history and socio-political landscape of Russia during Rasputin's life, giving a solid understanding of the myriad of complexities that led to the ultimate fall of the Russian empire. The author also examines some of the more legendary aspects of Rasputin's character, namely rumors of the starts possessing "second sight" to predict events and his uncanny abilities to alleviate the young Tsarevich Alexei's haemophilia, providing a well-documented and enjoyable read that leaves us to form our own conclusions surrounding "the mystery of the history."
May 13, 2015
I carried this book around, doing a close reading and looking up all sorts of references to events and other pre-revolution characters, my copy had to be held together with rubber bands by the time I made it halfway through. At one point it split in half, which was actually pretty convenient since I only had to carry the latter half with me for most of the reading of that part. I did lose a few pages along the way, but I can't really complain. I used the hell out of this book. Sticky notes pop out at all angles, pages are dog-eared, and I went nuts with the highlighters.
A very interesting and, overall, pretty unbiased look at a man who changed Russian history. His actions and, later, assassination evoked passionate opinions from people of all backgrounds and political ideologies. Some thought he was a monster, some thought he was a tormented holy and powerful man who didn't know how to handle the intensity of his own abilities, others thought him a dirty upstart of a peasant, and some thought him a hero of the common man--the first peasant to have broken into elite social circles, building a close relationship with the imperial family, itself. Possibly the best thing about this book is how well the author addressed each of these p.o.v's and even supposes what Gregorii thought of himself.
Lots of great sources cited. If you have any interest in the life and death of this man and the way he affected the lives of all around him, this should be on your bookshelf.
A very interesting and, overall, pretty unbiased look at a man who changed Russian history. His actions and, later, assassination evoked passionate opinions from people of all backgrounds and political ideologies. Some thought he was a monster, some thought he was a tormented holy and powerful man who didn't know how to handle the intensity of his own abilities, others thought him a dirty upstart of a peasant, and some thought him a hero of the common man--the first peasant to have broken into elite social circles, building a close relationship with the imperial family, itself. Possibly the best thing about this book is how well the author addressed each of these p.o.v's and even supposes what Gregorii thought of himself.
Lots of great sources cited. If you have any interest in the life and death of this man and the way he affected the lives of all around him, this should be on your bookshelf.
Read
April 24, 2015p. 332 "They had some difficulty in finding the corpse, despite the use of divers, but it was eventually discovered a hundred sazhens (226 metres) downstream, having floated up under the ice. It was felt that the autopsy should be conducted as discretely as possible, and that it would be unwise to transport the body through the city, for fear that it might inspire public unrest. It was taken in a covered ambulance to a naval hospital three miles out of town, and a guard was placed over it. Rasputin's daughters were permitted to view the corpse. It had to be thawed out before the autopsy could take place, and this took twenty-four hours. The body had been shot three times, and revealed numerous other wounds that looked like stabs. Traces of water in the lungs suggest Rasputin was indeed still alive when he was thrown into the water, but accounts of the autopsy differ on this point. Some usually reliable sources suggest he was dead on entering the water. The issue is one of some importance, since in Orthodoxy no one who dies by drowning can become a saint. However, there is no evidence to support the legend that he had twisted one hand free of his bonds and died making the sign of the cross."
October 6, 2013
I have always been curious about Rasputin and now my curiosity is satisfied. My interpretation of De Jonge's book is that Raputin was a gifted peasant (you must decide what gifts he possessed) who was corrupted by success. Based on De Jonge's telling I do not believe that Rasputin led a very interesting life once he began 'social climbing.' He was just another opportunist.
De Jonge's book is not very well written. I frequently found sentences that I had to read several time in order to determine what he was trying to say. Here's a favorite from page 214:
On page 228 there is a reference to the book Memoirs of a British Agent that is incorrectly identified as Memoirs of a Secret Agent .
I paid 13.00 USD for the book at a hoity toity used book store. I later found the book for as little as 0.08 USD online. I think that the latter is closer to the real value
De Jonge's book is not very well written. I frequently found sentences that I had to read several time in order to determine what he was trying to say. Here's a favorite from page 214:
Immense care was taken by D.T. Hesketh, commandant of the Western railways and the son of a Lancashire Hesketh who had become a Russian citizen in the middle of the last century, to ensure that the train ran smoothly.
On page 228 there is a reference to the book Memoirs of a British Agent that is incorrectly identified as Memoirs of a Secret Agent .
I paid 13.00 USD for the book at a hoity toity used book store. I later found the book for as little as 0.08 USD online. I think that the latter is closer to the real value
March 9, 2015
The myth of the man Grigorii Rasputin is widely known even today but the truth is even more fascinating. I think it says a lot about human nature that a man like this rose to the top of respectable society. Although pre-revolution Russia was particularly susceptible to holy men, it needs to be pointed out that the model of Rasputin continues to pop up in society even today. It's difficult to dismiss him as exclusively a con man as he had genuine belief in his own proximity to god and had genuine skills at prescience and healing. However the rationalist may explain these powers they must have had a startling effect on believers of the time.
I found this a well written, rational and unbiased portrayal of a man whose legend is difficult to separate from fact. I have a particular interest in Russian history and this book presents an enlightening perspective on the last years of the Romonov dynasty, and the man who bent the tsar and tsarina to his will.
I found this a well written, rational and unbiased portrayal of a man whose legend is difficult to separate from fact. I have a particular interest in Russian history and this book presents an enlightening perspective on the last years of the Romonov dynasty, and the man who bent the tsar and tsarina to his will.
July 27, 2016
Well written and very readable. Ample and interesting background information putting into context R's rise to fame from the Siberian sticks to Russian society's salons and the inner sanctum of the Imperial family.
It is balanced and leaves readers to make up their own minds about our Grigorii – charlatan or holy man with special gifts? The answer probably lies some where between the two? Exploiting the naivety and desperation of the Tsarina for the health of the Tsarevich? He exposed the tragic weakness of Nicholas and Alexandra Romanov.
Whatever he was, Rasputin accurately forecast that his death would spell the end for the Russian monarchy.
It is balanced and leaves readers to make up their own minds about our Grigorii – charlatan or holy man with special gifts? The answer probably lies some where between the two? Exploiting the naivety and desperation of the Tsarina for the health of the Tsarevich? He exposed the tragic weakness of Nicholas and Alexandra Romanov.
Whatever he was, Rasputin accurately forecast that his death would spell the end for the Russian monarchy.
July 9, 2014
It's exactly what it says it is. I was hoping for more on the Bolsheviks and all that, but as the title would indicate, the book ends abruptly when Rasputin is killed. It's an older book, written during the USSR days, but by a Westerner. I don't think it would get written today because the author is pretty much taking it as fact that Rasputin was magical. I don't even really mean that as a criticism, only that it's not a perspective you really expect to hear.
June 1, 2008
How was this book as interesting as it was? I have no idea, but it was awesome. The 80's pop song just doesn't do him justice after reading it. If you have a good amount of interest in the Romanov dynasty, or WWI history, I'd recommend this book. If not, read it anyway...I have no interest in either and I loved it.
July 16, 2013
I like the way De Jonge dismantles the mythic Rasputin and reveals a complex human being. De Jonge describes a Rasputin that is almost equal parts simple peasant and strange, mysterious, corrupt courtier. His Rasputin is certainly not the evil cartoon character portrayed in film and elsewhere. De Jonge also creates a compelling portrait of declining Imperial Russia.
July 23, 2021
Good biography. The method in which he was murdered is of such a vile nature that it adds credence to the theory that the entire affair was a premeditated plot by communist radicals. Normal people do not carry their bloodlust to the revolting extent that was exercised by his assassins.
September 3, 2016
dude is badass. just mentioning his name is spooky
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