walruz's review against another edition
4.0
While I know this was generated as an "intimate" portrait of Lenin -- and on that account, it succeeded very well -- I think Sebestyan could have infused just a bit more of Lenin's political philosophy, especially in his deeper thinking of how to accommodate (or some would say bypass) Marxist theory to the Russian situation.
I am always surprised by the so-called tenderness of ruthless people, and this biography moves Lenin well up the list; while he allowed and even ordered the deaths of so many people (mere abstractions on paper), Lenin clearly had a soft spot for individuals when he encountered them personally, and he allegedly came face to face with only three dead people in his life -- not of whom were his victims.
I am always surprised by the so-called tenderness of ruthless people, and this biography moves Lenin well up the list; while he allowed and even ordered the deaths of so many people (mere abstractions on paper), Lenin clearly had a soft spot for individuals when he encountered them personally, and he allegedly came face to face with only three dead people in his life -- not of whom were his victims.
nghia's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this was a fantastically readable biography about a person I know virtually nothing about. When I compare it to the other "great communist revolutionary" biography I read recently, [b:Ho Chi Minh: A Life|564927|Ho Chi Minh A Life|William J. Duiker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1385191000s/564927.jpg|552040], this one was vastly superior. Partly that is because Sebestyen has the advantage of the fall of the USSR unsealing lots of documents about Lenin that had been kept secret for decades. But beyond that, Sebestyen has simply created a very readable book. (Maybe it is his background as a journalist?)
The book is 600 pages but fairly flew by for me, which is interesting because Lenin really didn't do much with most of his life. He spent most of it in exile writing books and newspaper articles. Hardly the stuff of a dashing revolutionary. He let others take all the risks, even his own allies sometimes wondered if he was a coward.
This book is focused on Lenin -- some biographies have a tendency to wander and go in depth on other topics & people beyond just the subject. This means that some topics where Lenin isn't present get short shrift. The planning for the October 1917 revolution and the Russian Civil War are the two biggest examples. But I'm okay with that. The book is already 600 pages. Lenin's story is complicated enough that the alternative would be a multi-volume biography.
But one victim of this -- and the reason I gave this otherwise tremendous biography 4-stars instead of 5-stars -- is that Lenin's philosophy always remained murky to me. His actual writings never get more than a sentence or two of thumbnail synopsis. And once he is actually in power, there is very little written about his governance. There's some kind of land reform, I gather? And a brief mention of people being paid in-kind? And when the New Economic Plan comes along, it is a temporary retreat but...what exactly Lenin planned -- how they were going to regroup and continue the transition -- was unclear.
At some point I'll get around to reading a biography of Mao to complete the trio of big three communist revolutionaries.
The book is 600 pages but fairly flew by for me, which is interesting because Lenin really didn't do much with most of his life. He spent most of it in exile writing books and newspaper articles. Hardly the stuff of a dashing revolutionary. He let others take all the risks, even his own allies sometimes wondered if he was a coward.
This book is focused on Lenin -- some biographies have a tendency to wander and go in depth on other topics & people beyond just the subject. This means that some topics where Lenin isn't present get short shrift. The planning for the October 1917 revolution and the Russian Civil War are the two biggest examples. But I'm okay with that. The book is already 600 pages. Lenin's story is complicated enough that the alternative would be a multi-volume biography.
But one victim of this -- and the reason I gave this otherwise tremendous biography 4-stars instead of 5-stars -- is that Lenin's philosophy always remained murky to me. His actual writings never get more than a sentence or two of thumbnail synopsis. And once he is actually in power, there is very little written about his governance. There's some kind of land reform, I gather? And a brief mention of people being paid in-kind? And when the New Economic Plan comes along, it is a temporary retreat but...what exactly Lenin planned -- how they were going to regroup and continue the transition -- was unclear.
At some point I'll get around to reading a biography of Mao to complete the trio of big three communist revolutionaries.
nicholas_matheson's review against another edition
5.0
Before reading Lenin The Dictator, I had read no biographical books, and I had read no non-fiction books...except Horrible Histories, and I still uphold that that series is the best thing in the history of anything ever. Either way, by the time I closed this book, I realised what I'd been missing out on.
I first saw this book in the bookshop and picked it up, because I've developed a keen interest in the history of socialism over the past year. I read the first chapter there and then, but had to wait a few more weeks before I could actually buy it. When I did, I slogged through the first three quarters and whipped through the last quarter. That's not to say the first three quarters are bad, I just read most books that way.
If you have any interest in Russian history, socialism, or Lenin himself, read this book. It reveals countless interesting details about his private life, and the life of those around him.
I've not got much else to say, just read this.
I first saw this book in the bookshop and picked it up, because I've developed a keen interest in the history of socialism over the past year. I read the first chapter there and then, but had to wait a few more weeks before I could actually buy it. When I did, I slogged through the first three quarters and whipped through the last quarter. That's not to say the first three quarters are bad, I just read most books that way.
If you have any interest in Russian history, socialism, or Lenin himself, read this book. It reveals countless interesting details about his private life, and the life of those around him.
I've not got much else to say, just read this.
alfredosa's review against another edition
4.0
I feel like this book paints Lenin as a loved character in history, and shows his emotional side too, there was a lot of emphasis missing on the fact that he was hated by millions too and in their own party as well.
stastna_karolina's review against another edition
4.0
★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 7/10
YOUTUBE REVIEW
Extensive, well-written biography capturing both Lenin’s life and revolution in Russia.
GOOD: surprisingly accessible, yet academic and full of interesting information
VS BAD: well, Lenin is Lenin, so it can feel a bit dry from time to time, but I personally find the historical events interesting enough
IS THIS A BOOK FOR YOU? If you are interested in Lenin and/or history of Russia, definitely a book for you.
------
FAVORITE QUOTE: Lenin's tragedy was that, in Goethe's phrase, he desired the good...but created evil. The worst of his evils was to have left a man like Stalin in a position to lead Russia after him.
YOUTUBE REVIEW
Extensive, well-written biography capturing both Lenin’s life and revolution in Russia.
GOOD: surprisingly accessible, yet academic and full of interesting information
VS BAD: well, Lenin is Lenin, so it can feel a bit dry from time to time, but I personally find the historical events interesting enough
IS THIS A BOOK FOR YOU? If you are interested in Lenin and/or history of Russia, definitely a book for you.
------
FAVORITE QUOTE: Lenin's tragedy was that, in Goethe's phrase, he desired the good...but created evil. The worst of his evils was to have left a man like Stalin in a position to lead Russia after him.
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