PDF Sinews of War: The Logistical Battle to Keep the 53rd Welsh Division on the Move During Operation Overlord by Gwilym Davies in History

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Told with humor; intrigue; and a shrewd eye for detail; this riveting short biography sheds much-needed light on the life of nineteenth-century Russian icon Grigory Rasputin.Grigory Rasputin; a 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; Rasputin 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? Writing for historical aficionados and curious readers alike; Frances Welch turns her inimitable wry gaze on one of the great mysteries of Russian history.