A review by jameshendrickson
The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin by Masha Gessen

3.0

This book is one of the only stories that I could find on the origin of Vladimir Putin (it's terrifying). However the author mixes a bit too much conjecture with fact and their own journey for me.

This is also useful for getting a broad overview of the history of Russia (or at least the liminal moments in Russian history).

I loved the story of protestors disarming a brass band sent to drown them out by all eating lemons which makes anyone watching someone eat a lemon produce excess saliva; making it impossible to play a brass instrument.