Rating: 
Summary: An authoritative book on Stalin
Review: This book by Edvard Radzinsky is one of the latest on the subject. Though a lot has been written on Stalin over the years, this biography is clearly one of a kind. First, in the introduction, the author clearly states that, unlike most of his fellow Soviet compatriots, he hated Stalin. This subjectivity only gives more weight to the book's objectivity. It shows Stalin in all his pragmatism. How the 28 million people he sent to death were not an act of mere paranoia but a way to consolidate his own power. It could be summed up as "If I kill them, they can't kill me". And Radzinsky explains how he managed to do that for a quarter of century. He displays all the tricks Stalin used to seize power in the late twenties and how he kept it and even gained more power in the thirties. Radzinsky goes beyond much of what has been previously said and shows evidence that goes against general ideas about Stalin (for instance, the common belief that the USSR was so easily attacked by Hitler because of the military purges). Having access to whole new ressources because of the collapse of the Soviet Union, Radzinsky delivers here nothing less than a tour de force on one of the most fascinating leaders our civilization has ever had to deal with.
Rating: 
Summary: A portrait of a monster
Review: The common view of Stalin is that he was a paranoid psychopath who murdered tens of millions due to his own insecurites. Radzinsky's view is different-- he believes that every move Stalin made during his long, bloody career was carefully calculated, that he always stayed a few steps ahead of his foes. He makes the quite convincing case that Stalin instilled terror as the primary characteristic of the Soviet regime because Stalin recognized early on that terror alone could keep the people and the Party obedient. The Stalin Radzinsky presents is a far more sinister and frightening figure than a mere psychotic. It describes a man of extraordinary evil, not just a psychological case study. Even if you don't buy all the theories that the author presents, Radzinsky's writing is so energetic and dramatic that you can't help but be fascinated, horribly fascinated by this man who probably murdered more people than anyone in history. While many people prefer to think of Stalin as insane, Radzinsky presents compelling evidence to support his view. This was, after all, a man who seized power from some very ambitious men who were enormously skilled at treachery. He took power and then over the course of 30 years ruthlessly and methodically crushed anyone who even vaguely threatened his position. He killed his enemies, his friends, his family-- no one was safe. And he didn't just destroy these people-- he made them destroy themselves. Radzinsky's descriptions of the great show trials are the most interesting part of the book, because archives show that Stalin not only orchestrated the trials but also even wrote much of the dialogue the condemned men happily parroted from the dock. That these once-powerful men (like Zinoviev, Kamenev, and Bukharin) collapsed so completely and yet naively believed that Stalin would spare them if they confessed completely shows how rotten at its core the Soviet system was. Only during the war was Stalin's rule threatened, first by Hitler (though the author argues that Stalin was actually planning a sneak attack on Germany) and later by Zhukov and the rest of the general staff, who enjoyed a measure of freedom as they beat back the Nazis. Stalin relaxed the terror to inspire a patriotic fury in his people as they fought the invaders, but once the danger passed he clamped down as hard as ever. Cold, ruthless acts like these lend weight to Radzinsky's idea of Stalin as the master puppeteer. Stalin died in 1953 and the controversial part of this book focuses on what may have happened had Stalin lived. It did appear that Stalin was preparing another purge, yet another bloodletting that would send millions to the camps and the grave. This initial culprits were seven Jewish doctors, and Razinsky raises the possibility that Stalin was preparing a Holocaust of his own. By now Stalin had the hydrogen bomb, and Radzinsky theorizes that perhaps Stalin was thinking about using the Bomb, thinking about starting World War III. This theory stretches the available information to the breaking point but the author does make his case strongly enough to get the hairs on the back of you neck standing up. Would a man who murdered millions of his own people shrink before killing millions of Americans, British, Chinese, etc? Stalin himself once said, "A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths are a statistic." Brilliantly written, painstakingly researched, Radzinsky's book is well worth reading even if you don't accept every new theory he puts forth. Stalin was doubtless a monster, and this book superbly details his crimes
Rating: 
Summary: Good Style, shame about the substance
Review: Early on in the book, Radzinsky claims he did not write the book out of hatred for Stalin- which is a blatant lie. While his writing style is very gripping, the book is ruined by his sheer one sidedness. From ignoring credible proofs that Stalin was a victim of paranoia to the wholly unrealistic depiction of Stalin being exclusively monolithic, apparantly personally responsible for every single murder in the USSR during his reign. This excessively hostile account based on sometimes the flimsyist of evidence makes it impossible to understand the genuine affection Russians had for him at the time or the reasons for self denunciations in the show trials, and is the books eventual undoing. This hostility is also evident in his descriptions of other figures such as Lenin who is criminally misrepresented. Indeed, Radzinsky seems to gloat at times over the tragic torture and deaths of the key Bolsheviks. Still, the book is still a gripping read,just don't go away thinking you have the definitive explanation of Stalin and co.
Rating:
Summary: AN ENLIGHTENING ACCOUNT OF STALIN AND FRIENDS
Review: Despite the problems that a previous reviewer or two had about this book, I found it fascinating and easy to read for several reasons: 1) it is written in the "I" first person, so we can follow Radzinsky as he progresses through the research of his narrative; 2) it is very revealing since it is based on Soviet archives that have just now been opened after 50 years or so; 3) it takes the reader from Stalin's childhood, through his ascendancy, and finally to his supremacy in the Soviet; and 4) it reports rather than analyzes, forcing the reader to listen to the "facts" and come up with conclusions of his/her own, creating a less "preachy" story. The only difficulty in the reading is the Russian names, but that can't be helped. As another reviewer has said, the story has something for everyone from the general reader to the student of Soviet history. I read the book since I didn't have a general understanding of the Soviet Union under Stalin, and now I feel I have a good grasp of what went on, both on the Leninist/Stalinist organizational level, and on the personal level of not only Stalin, but many of those who were liquidated. If the book was originally written in Russian, this is then a very good translation: easy to read and no clumsy expressions. I had a hard time putting it down. As far as content, I feel I "learned" a lot, not just about the personality of Stalin, but also that of Lenin, Lenin's wife, Trotsky, Motolov, Stalin's wives, his children, and others, all very surprising, intimate and interesting stuff. An excellent, smooth flowing account about people and their character. I give it a strong five star rating.
Rating:
Summary: subtle yet full of new information
Review: I listened to this on tape. I listened to it four times. there is a lot of info here. I was trying to find out: a) how could one man of such humble means learn to control so much power? He was arguably THE most powerful man of the 20th century (at his death his laws controlled one third of the human population). Hitler blew up. Mussolini blew up. He didn't. Yet, he tortured his own citizens. The book reveals a lot about the man. I also recommend Amy Knights book 'Beria'. Between these two books, i feel i have a good understanding of the soviet system in the 30's and 40's. (I'm glad i was born in the 60's).
Rating: 
Summary: This is not a very good book
Review: This book contains some interesting nuggets, and the depth of Stalin's evil is truly difficult to grasp. But this book is a train of thought, totally disorganized, apparently unedited at all. If you dislike Stalin, you'll really, really dislike him after this read. But with so much undigested trivia you'll be lucky to learn much of anything. Read "People's Tragedy" by Orlando Figes. It stops before Stalin is fleshed out, but does a much better job of laying the groundwork for how such a limitlessly brutal regime could exist. Lenin was no piker, either.
Rating:
Summary: The Five Foot Five "Devil" Himself
Review: I found Mr Radzinsky's book most unsettling. I had known Stalin was a monster, but was not aware of just how deep he infected his whole country with the disease of full and complete secularity. "Without G-d, all things are permissible". Mr. Radzinsky has shown that under the rule of Iosef Stalin this maxim is an absolute. The book can be difficult to read at times. I found myself struggling to find something human in Stalin to mourn. Nothing came forth. The monstrosity of the early years of the Bolsheviks and then the war against the Kulaks makes the spirit ache. The purges of the 1930's leaves the reader with a sense of hopelessness. The Great Patriotic War comes and untold tens of millions die to defeat the Nazi invaders. They were rewarded with imprisonment, or at best, lives filled with fear of the gulags. This book is faithful to humanity and in doing so makes one sick to heart at the inhumanity one man can create in so many. A must read for serious researchers.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent account
Review: Much to the chagrin of leftist apologists, Stalin is a superior account of the true murderous nature of the Soviet Empire in its bloodiest of days. The first person accounts enhance the readability, and provide color to the well-researched accounts of the institutional abuse and murder that was the Soviet Union. For any history buff, this is a must.
Rating:
Summary: Easy to read, easy to understand, a must for Stalin "fans"
Review: Even thought the book is written by a russian, the story is easy to read and understand. Its more a novel than a biography...somehow. I'm an spanish speaking person who is starting to practice reading in english and I've read it in just couple of days. Good for a house wife and for a college student. Maybe this book is not as scientific as many people could expect, but its tells Stalin story to everybody, and believe me, everybody must know about this murderer to avoid having another one in the future. - communism is not good - Revolution is the perfect platform for sick maniacs like Stalin to get in power. After reading this book I realized that Hitler compared to Stalin was like a boy scout.
Rating:
Summary: Definitely worth reading, but take it with a grain of salt
Review: Radzinsky has created a well researched narrative with fantastic primary sources, but he gives Stalin's evil genius too much credit. He writes this history as if Stalin was pure omnipotent evil that calculated every move and was wise to every countermove against him. He underestimates all other players in the Cold War, and rests the blame solely on Stalin. It becomes a little melodramattic and tedious after awhile, but is still a must for those interested in modern history. Radzinsky brings a lot of new information to light and reminds us of many things that should never be forgot.
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