Reviews

Putin by Philip Short

slothmanjim's review

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

brad_mckay's review against another edition

challenging informative fast-paced

4.5

simo_hamzaoui's review

5.0

Insightful and neutral. Gives new perspective on the life of the most important autocrat in the world.
The author, I think, displayed a masterful hold on neutrality by showing the hypocrisies of the west while not whitewashing the image of Putin as a war criminal.
Very respectable effort, timely and highly recommended.

camscampbell's review

informative fast-paced

5.0

issyd23's review against another edition

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

3.0

I fear I now know too much after reading this giant Putin biography and may be poisoned by the KGB 3🪆

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Xenophobia, Hate crime, War, Violence, Gun violence, Genocide, Gaslighting, and Islamophobia

penderzz's review

challenging dark informative medium-paced

5.0

kobuscpt's review

challenging dark informative reflective slow-paced

3.75

Provides some insight on Putin’s side of the story, which depict the Western as some rogue, but without creating sympathy for Putin. 

up604777's review against another edition

dark informative slow-paced

4.5

zwembadman's review

informative slow-paced

3.5

This book is factual - meaning it is mostly an endless list of facts and events that are related to Putin's life. Each one is mentioned only briefly before moving on. After a while the reader gets a very broad picture, but never gains any real understanding of either Russia or Putin.
The reading experience is further obscured by the torrent of people and names, most of them relevant for five lines of text at most.

All in all a well-researched book that could have been a lot better with a more thoughtful structure and a selection of key turning points that should be highlighted.

sheehanistan's review

challenging informative slow-paced

4.5