Mysticism, 1689 - 1916 (Imperial Russia) - History, Imperial Russia - 1881-1917, Historical Biography - Russia - General & Miscellaneous
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Overview
On December 16, 1917, Grigori Rasputin, a confidant of the empress's because of his alleged ability to stop the hemophilic attacks suffered by her son, was invited to one of the St. Petersburg palaces of Prince Felix Youssoupov, the second wealthiest man in Russia after the tsar himself. Leading a group of conspirators, the prince considered it a patriotic act to eliminate the palace favorite who had gained political control of the government. Nearly eighty years later, the events surrounding the murder continue to provoke speculation. In an effort to get at the truth, this meticulously researched work covers the lives of both these men, from their childhood and youth right up to their ultimate collision. Youssoupov was then twenty-seven, while Rasputin was some twenty years his senior. Here is a superb retelling of a major historical event, based on new revelations from the St. Petersburg police files. At the time of the murder Prince Youssoupov owned forty-seven palaces throughout the empire. Just two years later, when he and his wife escaped the Revolution, they survived by selling the jewelry they were able to hide on their persons. In the early 1930s their fortunes improved after they won a slander case against Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer relating to its film Rasputin and the Empress. The Youssoupovs became social lions as they traveled the world, residing at times in Paris, London, or New York. And wherever he went, Prince Youssoupov was always pointed out as the man who killed Rasputin. Illustrated with sixteen pages of photos, many previously unpublished in this country, including the recently released Rasputin death pictures.The author of the highly acclaimed biography The Last Empress uncovers the truth behind the murder of one of Russia's most notorious figures--Grigori Rasputin, a former monk who had gained political control of the government. Photos.
Editorials
Publishers Weekly -
King (The Last Empress, LJ 6/15/94) has written a nonacademic work whose strength lies not in shocking revelations of how Felix Youssoupov killed Rasputin. Quite the contrary, after the official version is presented in chapter 15, King reports alternate versions in chapter 16. The real strength of this book lies in its portrayal of Youssoupov living without the trappings of wealth and power of prerevolution days, facing the reality of having plotted the deed that helped bring down imperial Russia. King carefully crafts a mosaic of one of the most enigmatic men of the Russian Revolution. The author does not seem to take advantage of, or has not found much information in, the recently opened Soviet archives. Recommended for public libraries.-Harry Willems, Kansas Lib. System, IolaBook Details
Published
June 7, 2001
Publisher
Secaucus, NJ : Carol Publ., 1998.
Pages
283
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780806519715