Listen free for 30 days

  • Once upon a Time in Russia

  • The Rise of the Oligarchs and the Greatest Wealth in History
  • Written by: Ben Mezrich
  • Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
  • Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (17 ratings)

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Once upon a Time in Russia cover art

Once upon a Time in Russia

Written by: Ben Mezrich
Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.25

Buy Now for $26.25

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

The best-selling author of Bringing Down the House (63 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list and the basis for the hit movie 21) and The Accidental Billionaires (the basis for the Academy Award-winning film The Social Network) delivers an epic drama of wealth, rivalry, and betrayal among megawealthy Russian oligarchs - and its international repercussions.

Once Upon a Time in Russia is the untold true story of the larger-than-life billionaire oligarchs who surfed the waves of privatization to reap riches after the fall of the Soviet regime: "Godfather of the Kremlin" Boris Berezovsky, a former mathematician whose first entrepreneurial venture was running an automobile reselling business, and Roman Abramovich, his dashing young protégé, who built a multibillion-dollar empire of oil and aluminum. Locked in a complex, uniquely Russian partnership, Berezovsky and Abramovich battled their way through the "Wild East" of Russia, with Berezovsky acting as the younger man's krysha - his roof, his protector.

Written with the heart-stopping pacing of a thriller - but even more compelling because it is true - this story of amassing obscene wealth and power depicts a rarefied world seldom seen up close. Under Berezovsky's krysha, Abramovich built one of Russia's largest oil companies from the ground up and in exchange made cash deliveries - including $491 million in just one year. But their relationship frayed when Berezovsky attacked President Vladimir Putin in the media - and had to flee to the UK. Abramovich continued to prosper. Dead bodies trailed Berezovsky's footsteps, and threats followed him to London, where an associate of his died painfully and famously of Polonium poisoning. Then Berezovsky himself was later found dead, declared a suicide.

©2015 Mezco, Inc. (P)2015 Simon & Schuster

What listeners say about Once upon a Time in Russia

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    9
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    8
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    9
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very much an eye opener

This was an experience. I’m an ordinary working taxpaying citizen. This book opened an entirely new world to me. One I might add I am glad I don’t know first hand. I really liked the book but sometimes had to stop listening to let myself regroup and break from such a dark side of life . Sometimes it was a bit difficult to follow partly due to the Russian names some of which sound similar. Other than that I would recommend this book despite it being gritty and dark and very often brutal, sadistic and even evil. It was an education for me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Superb!

This book made my 40 min. long morning and evening commute back and forth to work an unforgettable experience.
During the ride I have been transported back to 90s Russia and re-lived the events of that era. Thank YOU Ben Mezrich & #Audible1

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!