The Last Tsar

The capstone to a brilliant career, The Last Tsar is certain to become the definitive work on the chaotic, earth-shattering demise of the Romanov destiny. No historian before has dissected these tumultuous days with such clarity, precision, and insight – Douglas Smith, author of RASPUTINA terrific account of the February 1917 Revolution in Russia that knocks down many of the pillars of our usual interpretations. Elegantly written and magisterially researched – Robert Service, author of A HISTORY OF MODERN RUSSIAAn intimate and highly absorbing account of Russia’s last hereditary autocrat. It is likely to be the definitive one for many years to come. From the cult surrounding Rasputin to the tense minute-by-minute plotting of the generals, Duma politicians, aristocrats, and the tsar himself, The Last Tsar brilliantly conveys the messy reality of imperial power coming apart at the seams – Lewis Siegelbaum, Emeritus Professor, Michigan State UniversityHasegawa’s masterful book is like a slow-motion picture of Russia approaching the edge. Yet only the weakness, inaction and stupidity of the last Tsar, as well as the stunning recklessness of the Russian elites, pushed the empire into the breach. A chilling lesson on how the ineptness of one man, and the opportunism of many, can pull down not only an outdated regime, but the entire temple of state, law, and civil society – Vladislav Zubok, author of COLLAPSEMesmerising and damning – Daily TelegraphAn impressive, often brilliant book. The detail is mind-boggling and the skill with which political convolutions are unravelled is admirable – The TimesThis obsession with absolute power ultimately led to the downfall of the Romanov dynasty [Hasegawa] argues. His thesis is presented with clarity and conviction. It’s also backed up with a wide range of new archival sources – Sunday IndependentOver six decades, Hasegawa has been explaining a century of conflicts and misunderstandings between Russia and Japan with rare linguistic versatility, bringing to his work unremitting forensic research. He has also analysed the disintegration of the Russian monarchy and the bewildering chaos of revolution. In this book, he examines microscopically how the Romanov dynasty lost power – Literary ReviewFilled with revelations and fresh insights … [Hasegawa’s] narrative is rich with observations about paths not taken and about the unintended consequences of the paths that were indeed taken – Wall Street Journal

Tsuyoshi Hasegawa is Professor Emeritus in history at the University of California at Santa Barbara. The award-winning author of many books on Russian history, World War II, and the Cold War, he lives in Santa Barbara, California.