Rasputin: The Last Word by Edvard Radzinsky offers an enthralling and authoritative account of one of the most infamous and enigmatic figures in modern Russian history. Grigory Efimovich Rasputin, a peasant-turned-mystic, wielded extraordinary influence over the final Russian Tsar and Tsarina, particularly through his perceived healing powers and spiritual sway over their haemophiliac son, Alexei. With unprecedented access to newly uncovered material—including the 1917 government investigation transcripts—Radzinsky peels away the layers of myth to uncover the reality behind the so-called “mad monk.”
Set against the turbulent final days of Imperial Russia, the biography explores Rasputin’s rise from obscurity to power, his scandalous personal life marked by drunkenness, sexual exploits, and allegations of espionage, and the circumstances surrounding his sensational murder in 1916 by Russian noblemen. Radzinsky re-examines long-held conspiracy theories, offering a fresh perspective on Rasputin’s death and his role in the decline of the Romanovs. This is not only a compelling portrait of a controversial man but also a vivid chronicle of a crumbling empire.
