Rating: 
Summary: An Excellent and Comprehensive Biography
Review: This is a well-written biography by the British journalist Simon Montefiore covering Stalin's life from 1878 to 1953. Photos on the book cover depict Stalin with his associates (the magnates) but it is mainly about him in the period 1932 to 1945. The author attended Cambridge University and has written one previous historical book "Prince of Princes" plus he has written two novels, and contributed many articles on Russia and those regions of the old USSR to the Sunday Times, the New York Times, and created various other written and TV works. He is very well qualified and does an impressive job examining original Russian sources such as letters and diaries, interviewing survivor's relatives or consulting with scholars, etc. From the book, one must conclude that it must have taken a long period of time to pull all the facts together and write the book - since the book is lengthy - is almost 800 pages long with the introduction, photos, maps, notes, lengthy index, etc. Plus it has many references and comments. In short it is not a quick read.There are many things that one can say about the story and Stalin but I will try and limit my comments. Needless to say I recommend the book. It holds your attention and in many ways is quite fascinating. In any case, what really brings this book to life are two things, i.e.: the author uses a lot of quotes or accurate summaries from primary sources that are conversations or communications either written or spoken by Stalin or received by Stalin, so we get the feeling that we are back in the USSR on some chilly Moscow night at the Kremlin or on the warm Baltic coast at his dacha listening to the conversations as observers, plus the author inserts four sets of black and white photos that show all the main characters including Stalin's second wife Nadya, different associates (the magnates) such as Beria, and it gives the reader some perspective as one proceeds through the book. Without these photos and good writing I think this would be a much more difficult read for the average person to keep an interest in the book - and to follow while wading through the many pages of Russian names and relationships. So the author has done excellent background research job for the book and then he does a good job at presenting the material to keep our interest. Also there is a certain degree of drama in the book during the loss of Stalin's second wife and the invasion of the USSR by Germany. In the book the author tells us that he is attempting to provide an accurate and complete biography of the man and his politics, not just the one-dimensional evil genius that is the normal perception of the man. We learn that Stalin enjoys his family life, and endless parties and dinners, hunting trips, billiards, visits by his children, comments by his mother, and his reading from an extensive personal library, singing and dancing, etc. His personal life is not all rosy and you will see that when you read the book. The author reveals these human sides to his complex personality and it works to a point in the book. Also, he gives the reader many details on the war, and the near destruction of Moscow, Stalin living in the subway, meetings with Churchill, Mao, Tito, endless diplomatic and business dinners, drinking binges with many including Churchill, and meetings with his associates to plan the war or the next purge, etc. But in the end it is a story about a ruthless killer that seized control of large country and retains power through the use of a terrifying secret police, bands of armed thugs, mind boggling torture techniques, firing squads, rigged courts, random killings, party purges, killing off of millions of independent farmers and business people, labor camps, and all the mayhem that this entails. But the author for the most part manages to keep the book an interesting read and an educational historical experience. Overall this is an excellent and well-written book that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in the man and European history. I read it cover to cover and enjoyed the book. Also, I read many of the notes and comments. As a follow up I would suggest "Khrushchev" by William Taubman. It is a highly acclaimed best seller. The same author Taubman has written other books on the Soviet Union and Stalin's foreign policy. Jack in Toronto
Rating:
Summary: An excellent portrayal of an evil genius
Review: This is one of the best biographies I have ever read. Montefiore writes objectively and simply, the perfect style for a book about Russians. An unadorned description of Stalin's life and times makes for chilling reading by itself, and does not need the subjective garnishings of a lesser writer (eg. Dmitri Volkogonov in Stalin: Triumph and Tragedy). There is a remarkable amount of information in this book, yet it is extremely well organized and never boring. This is a must-read for anyone interested in history. In fact, I'd recommend it to anyone looking simply for a good read - anyone with a strong heart that is.
Rating:
Summary: A truly amazing work
Review: This is the most amazing and scary book I have read in many years, for the reason explained below. Based at least partially on interviews conducted by the author with survivors of Stalin's regime, the book describes the live and actions of a man who one can only characterize as a blood-thirsty tyrant, who personally ordered the torture and killing of thousands, including many people in his immediate circle. The recounting of these events, are of interest to any student of history. However what is so truly amazing, at least to this reader, is that this monster was admired and almost worshiped, by many people, who apparently thought of him as a great leader, and of an almost saintly disposition, even when he threatened their lives and that of their families. The most thrilling part of the book is the account of Stalin's failing years, and of how terrified his most powerful ministers were of him, because they sensed, that he seemed to be almost insanely determined to execute anyone who might expect to be his successor, as well as their families. In spite of this terrible threat many of these leader's wives still worshipped him, and if they survived his 'terror', still worship him today - at least according to their interviews with author Montefiore! In other words they cannot recognize faults in an adored leader!
Rating: 
Summary: Stalin the man
Review: To me, the truly scary thing about Stalin was his seeming rationality and calmness. No carpet chewing madman, (although no doubt he had a temper) his calculating calmness makes him an even more menacing historical figure. When one faces up to the reality of Stalin, one faces the reality of evil, pure and simple.
The author has written an interesting and informative biography, taking a unique aproach, focusing only on his years in power, and generally on his personal life, and of some of the main Soviet leaders. He provides a look into their rather disfunctional lives, while at first chummy and happy, their world disolves into an unending circle of fear, anxiety and backstabbing. Most interestingly, he looks at the Georgian charachter of Stalin, which remains with him through out.
The author does not sugar coat, in fact sometimes the gory details are laid out in an all to intense fashion. Its not an overly insightful analysis in terms of the political history, but it wasn't meant to be. In all, its an interesting study of the personality of Stalin, with no punches pulled, but I agree with other comments its not the definitive biography.
Rating:
Summary: Lurid, frightening expose of stalin
Review: Two days before xmas 2004 a young Australian Federal policeman was fatally shot by an unkown sniper whilst on a tour of duty in the Solomon Islands, SW Pacific. It was a headline. His colleagues stood shoulder to shoulder and wept as his coffin was loaded onto an aircraft for return to Australia. Author Mr Montefiore notes on p.643 of STALIN that " perhaps 20 million had been killed(under Stalin's rule); 28 million deported, of whom 18 million had slaved in the gulags. Yet, after so much slaughter, they (Politburo members etc) were still believers." Is the difference between the former and the latter a case of the former being the reaction of a civilized country and the latter an example of a barbaric one? Who knows? Mr Montefiore has chosen an apt title for his work - Stalin acted like a Tsar with total control, terror and giving expression through murder to every whim, anxious thought or "paranoia". For the general reader, this is at once a book resembling the lurid details of a depraved society - cf National Enquirer; at the same time resembling LORD OF THE FLIES where those in power acted like wilful, spoilt, savage children; but with undertones of KING LEAR where men are reduced as to flies to wanton gods. A bizarre read, where the very human side of all is revealed - Mr Roosevelt, Mr Churchill included. Every individual who ever flirted with Communism or Stalinism should read this tome. On the other hand not to distinguish between those of the "left" and supporters of Stalin is to do a criminal disservice to the former, just as it is silly to describe President George W. Bush as a [...]. Yes it is a shocking read, and not for the squeamish or those disgusted by sexual activity of a perverse kind.
Rating:
Summary: Stalin and his magnates
Review: With the fall of the Soviet Union and the opening of many previously closed and sealed records, the earlier history of the USSR and its leader Joseph Stalin can now be told with some belief in its correctness. It is a chilling story, and must have been a constant terror to those of Stalin's circle, who were forced to live with his mercurial temper, rages and paranoia on a daily basis. Of course, it's rather difficult to actually feel sorry for them, because most, if not all, of them were just as bad as their leader. The casual way in which multitudes of innocent men and women were sent to horrible torture and death is absoluting astonishing. This is a very well-written book and is quite thoroughly researched. Anyone interested at all in Russian history in the middle parts of the 20th century should read this book.
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