Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
An excellent biography of Stalin (or "Soso") from birth through 1917, Simon Sebag Montefiore writes like a cross between a historian, a novelist, and whoever wrote those names after names after names in the Torah. Despite the breathless tone--frequently the author feels the need to share the originality of whatever document or anecdote he is relating, sometimes with an explanation of how he dug it up--if anything the book overall is a measured, judicious take debunking some particularly lurid conspiracies (e.g., Stalin as an agent of the Tsarist police) as well as rejecting the extreme views of Stalin as essential to the revolution and as a bungling bystander. The very early years as a seminarist and a bankrobber/roller for the Bolsheviks are particularly well told and interesting. There is a risk in a book like this that it excessively humanizes its subject and although it is unflinching in portraying Stalin's horrors, it is also hard to come away from reading about this phase of his life without some sort of appreciation bordering on cheerleading for the scrappy outsider clawing his way to power. But then the epilogue gives the fates of all the people that helped Stalin along the way--many of them condemned to death by Stalin (often preceded by their wives), so it brings you back to the hard reality.
An excellent book which presents a truly different perspective on one of the principle characters of the early 20th century
informative
slow-paced
Although this was written in a very journalistic style (as opposed to an academic style), the sheer number of names and incidents was a bit overwhelming and interfered with the pacing. Not interested enough to read the sequel of Stalin's later life as dictator.
slow-paced
So interesting, definitely worth a read for anyone interested in Russia or any historical event that involved Stalin.
I have to start off with admitting that I cheated. It has taken me forever to read this and lots have happened and with the amount of names, I was do out of focus by page 300.
The writing is very interesting. The history is rich.
It's just, that unless you are truly familiar with the majority of names and terms already from the start, it's hard to keep up. I've taken a year long course on the history of Russia from the 1500s to early 1900s. Still I wasn't prepared for that was too broad a course.
Maybe one day when I have better knowledge I'll finish the final 75 pages and have a better grasp of the Stalins life. His early life though did sink in :)
The writing is very interesting. The history is rich.
It's just, that unless you are truly familiar with the majority of names and terms already from the start, it's hard to keep up. I've taken a year long course on the history of Russia from the 1500s to early 1900s. Still I wasn't prepared for that was too broad a course.
Maybe one day when I have better knowledge I'll finish the final 75 pages and have a better grasp of the Stalins life. His early life though did sink in :)
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Montefiore's biography of Young Stalin is authoritative and interesting but feels truncated due to being shorn of the latter portions of his life. I do plan on reading [b:Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar|282108|Stalin The Court of the Red Tsar|Simon Sebag Montefiore|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320529351s/282108.jpg|2910172], and I hope that Young Stalin may feel more collected after proceeding through Montefiore's most well-known work, but for now it remains three out of five stars.
informative
medium-paced
Great book on understanding the childhood of one of the evilest men in the history of the world. I learned a lot of new things about Stalin that I previously never knew before - or should I call him Soso? Stalin is a very interesting figure and his childhood is full of adventure. His stunning bank robberies or the sheer amount of affairs he had. The fact that he is a pedophile and preferred younger women was quite repulsive to me. He also supported concentration camps from a very young age which was quite disgusting for me to find out but not surprising. He supported them later on and even called the Gulags concentration camps (Gulag by Anne Applebaum, great book)
I also felt bad for the sheer amount of bastard children that Stalin fathered - or didn't father, I should say.
The author of this book included way too many names without reminding us who they were. Unless you are good with your Russian, you will have a hard time remembering all of the names. I particularly remember Kamo the most, he was the crazy assassin that Stalin was friends with. I also remember Kato, an important figure in Stalin's life.
This book is best for students of history but a casual reader could definitely read this book, as long as they focus on the book.
I also felt bad for the sheer amount of bastard children that Stalin fathered - or didn't father, I should say.
The author of this book included way too many names without reminding us who they were. Unless you are good with your Russian, you will have a hard time remembering all of the names. I particularly remember Kamo the most, he was the crazy assassin that Stalin was friends with. I also remember Kato, an important figure in Stalin's life.
This book is best for students of history but a casual reader could definitely read this book, as long as they focus on the book.