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giant_crab's review against another edition
4.0
Holy hell what an awful human being. Without delving into psychoanalytical presumption, this is a fascinating portrait of the development of a monster.
fallona's review against another edition
4.0
A generally interesting, readable book that gives an interesting and seemingly well-researched pop history/biography look at Stalin's life before he came to power.
My greatest complaint is that the author seems to lean heavily on stereotypes to characterize the people he talks about--the Svanidze sisters are "Rachvelians from Racha, famous for its placid and loving beauties," the reputation of Georgians in general as being passionate and hotheaded, etc. This is fine, in moderation, and does provide some context for the way many of these people would have been seen in an Imperial Russian and, later, a Soviet context--but these stereotypes are invoked with surprising consistency, sometimes resulting in contradictory descriptions of people and places.
It's enjoyable, and provides a look at Stalin's early biographical context that may not always feature in more conventional accounts of his time in power. Personally I would have favored both a broader and more in-depth treatment of the social, cultural, political, etc. context of the Caucasus in the late 19th and early 20th century (partly just because it's a time period and region of particular interest to me--more interesting to me, personally, than a catalogue of Stalin's affairs), but as the book is a biography of Stalin, it makes sense that it would be focused more exclusively on its own subject.
My greatest complaint is that the author seems to lean heavily on stereotypes to characterize the people he talks about--the Svanidze sisters are "Rachvelians from Racha, famous for its placid and loving beauties," the reputation of Georgians in general as being passionate and hotheaded, etc. This is fine, in moderation, and does provide some context for the way many of these people would have been seen in an Imperial Russian and, later, a Soviet context--but these stereotypes are invoked with surprising consistency, sometimes resulting in contradictory descriptions of people and places.
It's enjoyable, and provides a look at Stalin's early biographical context that may not always feature in more conventional accounts of his time in power. Personally I would have favored both a broader and more in-depth treatment of the social, cultural, political, etc. context of the Caucasus in the late 19th and early 20th century (partly just because it's a time period and region of particular interest to me--more interesting to me, personally, than a catalogue of Stalin's affairs), but as the book is a biography of Stalin, it makes sense that it would be focused more exclusively on its own subject.
marieintheraw's review against another edition
3.0
one star off for being a bit dry. but i was fascinated by how much they believe being beaten as a child influenced his adult behaviors.
chadwika's review against another edition
3.0
My biggest issue with the book is the author's way of speaking about women. At one point Stalin has a sexual relationship with a 13 year old and the author explicitly blames the child for seducing Stalin because in her interview a decade later she didn't "sound like a shrinking violet" lmao
tomstbr's review against another edition
4.0
A short history of a young man. I think it's quite a brilliant biography, the horrors that Stalin is well known for little more than a concluding footnote. The author explores the seminal years of Soso, and harrowing they are indeed. An abusive upbringing, years in isolation; what created The Red Tsar is hinted at throughout. Needless to say, all Great Men of History have auspicious beginnings (and all appear to be very well read).
leanne_83's review against another edition
5.0
This is an amazing biography on the man that would one day become a monster named Stalin.
We see an intelligent child, become an adolescent rebel, and a poet, gangster and revolutionary in his adult years. It really is facinating stuff, I couldn't put the book down.
We see an intelligent child, become an adolescent rebel, and a poet, gangster and revolutionary in his adult years. It really is facinating stuff, I couldn't put the book down.
donnaadouglas's review against another edition
4.0
Following the early life of Stalin, up to the October Revolution, this book is both well-researched and well-written, providing an insight into the journey of a young boy on the path to becoming one of histories most notorious dictators. Many of the sources which created this book would have been banned from being recorded during Stalin's rule.
stevenyenzer's review against another edition
3.0
Coming into this with little knowledge of Stalin's biography, I found it interesting but ultimately kind of "meh." It seems like Montefiore uncovered some previously unknown elements of Stalin's history, but it all felt a little inside baseball.