Alexander II Book

This fascinating biography covers a lot of ground, explaining the forces that shaped the character and fate of the liberator tsar whom Radzinsky often compares with Mikhael Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union. This biography, which also includes a detailed history of mid-19th century Russia, covers the Romanov family starting with Peter the Great, the tsar's personal life, problems with political reform, the golden age of Russian literature, the populist Narodnik movement, the roots and influences of the late 19th century terrorist group, People's Will and profiles the many contemporaries who were close to the tsar or significant historical figures at the time. Although Razinsky takes on a serious topics and covers a lot of detail gleaned from many sources, his writing is not dry at all. Alexander's tutor, the poet Vasily Zhukovsky, sums up the problems of political reform and dealing with change. "Revolution is a fatal effort to leap from Monday right into Wednesday. But the effort to leap from Monday back to Sunday is just as fatal."