Secret Lives of the Tsars

April 21, 2014
Farquhar (Behind the Palace Doors) brings all the delightful faults and quirks of the famous Russian dynasts to the forefront while providing an excellent condensed version of Russian history. Working chronologically, Farquhar gives an informative snapshot of each generation in royal succession. Perhaps the title is a little misleading—there was nothing secret about much of the royal misbehavior, including Peter the Great’s (1696–1725) drinking and violence, Anna’s (1730–1740) “peculiar pleasures” (requiring noblemen to delight her by using them as her court jesters), and Catherine II’s (1762–1796) love affairs. While it is certainly true that the Romanov tsars are associated with the types of negative and deviant behavior alluded to in the subtitle, they are certainly not the only monarchs to exemplify these qualities. To single them out—and never really acknowledge their accomplishments adequately—seems somewhat disingenuous. Still, Farquhar weaves a fine tale of history and scandal, and it is sure to please general readers and monarchy buffs alike. Agent: Jenny Bent, Trident Media Group.

June 1, 2014
More tales from the nasty lives of global royalty.Farquhar (Behind the Palace Doors: Five Centuries of Sex, Adventure, Vice, Treasury, and the Folly from Royal Britain, 2011, etc.) continues his chronicles of members of royal families and their strange, often reprehensible foibles, which demolished governments, lives and countries. This book, covering the horrors of Russia's 300 years of Romanov rule, concentrates on the totalitarian autocrats and their beastly reigns, during which they rewarded their favorites with thousands of serfs. Even great accomplishments, such as Peter the Great's navy and Westernization, are swept aside with stories of dictatorial actions such as his banning of beards and his personal torture of prisoners. Likewise, the author portrays Catherine the Great in light of her usurpation and the death of her husband, Peter III, as well as her long list of lovers. The book also tells the stories of the violence against the czars and their supporters, not least the multiple attempts on the life of Alexander II. It took a bomb to finally eliminate the man who actually freed the serfs. The czars who were not congenitally cruel and repressive, like Nicholas I, were certifiably mad or grossly ineffective. Farquhar devotes almost a third of the book to Nicholas and Alexandra, perhaps due to the fact there is so much material from which to choose. Nicholas was weak-willed, introverted and completely under the thumb of his despised wife. Both were under the spell of Rasputin, who claimed to heal their son Alexei's bouts with hemophilia. Alexandra's shyness was construed as pride and haughtiness, but she controlled Nicholas and his government to their desperate ends.An easy-reading, lightweight history lesson. Farquhar's tales of totalitarianism make one wonder if the secrets behind so many centuries of cruelty could be in the DNA.

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Starred review from August 1, 2014

In a book that's more sordid lives than secret lives, Farquhar (Behind the Palace Doors) details the torture, murder, debauchery, and depravity that hallmarked the Romanov dynasty's 300-year reign (1613-1917). The author illuminates the lives of renowned Romanov rulers and their contributions to Russia, both good and bad, in an accessible, exciting narrative. Readers will gain insight into a nation governed by autocrats, slow to industrialize or modernize, and destined for revolution. Although the work offers intriguing details on the lives of each tsar, the author devotes the final three chapters entirely to Nicholas II, whose assassination in 1917 heralded the October Revolution. Pulling from both primary sources and the research of other Romanov biographers such as Robert K. Massie and Henri Troyat, this is certainly not the first volume to cover the entire dynasty. However, Farquhar, unlike other Romanov experts, is not a historian but rather a best-selling author of books on royal families and scandals. VERDICT Highly recommended for generalists interested in Russian history and those who enjoy the seamier side of past lives.--Leslie Lewis, Duquesne Univ. Lib., Pittsburgh

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