Rasputin

**Rasputin** by Douglas Smith is gripping narrative history that traces how a barely literate Siberian peasant became the most notorious figure at the heart of Imperial Russia. Part political biography, part study of power and paranoia, it’s a page-turning look at the Romanov court on the eve of collapse.

Smith follows Rasputin from obscure beginnings to his extraordinary access to Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra, examining how a self-styled holy man without rank or office could still shape decisions, reputations and morale. Alongside the scandal and intrigue, the book asks a sharper question: did Rasputin truly wield influence, or did the stories told about him—fuelled by gossip, fear and propaganda—do the real damage?

Perfect for readers who love Russian history, royal scandal, the Romanovs, and richly detailed nonfiction that reads with novelistic momentum.

Add it to your shelf and explore how myth can move empires.