Brilliant

Great read. One of the best Putin books out there. I would highly recommend it

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Incredibly insightful

Nothing short of splendid - an epic tome - engrossing and fascinating brilliantly narrated by Jonathan Keeble. I want to listen all over again

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A Strong Leader

Since the 2014 invasion of Crimea and then the 2022 invasion of Ukraine Vladimir Putin has become a cartoon villain in the west. Although one cannot condone an invasion of a sovereign state, is Putin the monster that he is portrayed to be? Philip Short does an excellent job on trying to understand Putin and twenty first century Russia.

Like the opposite of Mikhail Gorbachev, Putin is generally loved in Russia and loathed abroad. Opinion polls there regular place him with an extremely high percentage. One may argue it is a corrupt system, there aren’t many alternatives and rivals are stuck in a bureaucracy so frustrating it makes Victorian chancery courses seem straight forward. However, what cannot be argued is that Putin has a grip power and is a strong almost monarchical leader.

Putin is not hard to understand in my opinion. A product of the Soviet Union, he had family members which felt the purge under Stalin. Putin always has ambition and so studied law, much to his peers dismay, to join the KGB. Unremarkable in features, cold and determined, he was perfect for the job. Eventually being placed in Germany, a well desired posting, due to the wages and opportunities there. Everything in his life has always been calculated, measured to his end goal, whether to get that said posting or to climb the greasy pole as Benjamin Disraeli would say. Putin has steered Russia into stability and confidence following the disastrous Boris Yeltsin years, however the question now asks ‘where does he take Russia now?’ And ‘what will happen after Putin?’ His third term will of course end in 2024 and he knows he cannot go on forever.

The road to Ukraine is one steeped in 1200 years of Russian history, from the inheritance of the Kievan Rus. A medieval principality in an area that straddles, modern Poland, Ukraine and Russia. The stories of both Ukraine and Russia have been intricately tied for a millennium. However, the modern journey begins with in the 1960s when Nikita Khrushchev transferred the Crimea to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic, in the USSR. Following the breakup of the Union, the new state of the Russian Federation has always feared growing influence and power of NATO, which Putin says is essentially military arm of the United Nations.

When Putin came to power, the relationship with the West and US president George W Bush was positive, the future looked bright. However, as Putin has learnt realpolitik over 22 years in power, being friendly with the USA will only suit one country: the USA. The relationship has not been two sided and Putin has felt this wraith. Allowing America to use his country for airbases in the war on terror to supporting their Middle Eastern causes, Putin has found this is only a one way street. The recognition of Kosovo (to Russia’s ally Serbia’s dismay) to almost building nuclear missile bases in Eastern Europe, to canvassing former Soviet countries for NATO agreements, the relationship has turned sour. But with this Putin’s confidence has grown. He has rejected the western lead and travelled down his own path, doing what he sees is best for Russia.

Russia needs a strong rule, it always has. With this the values do not fully align with Western politics or ideals. But is this because we just report on them in outrage? Western countries have invaded over sovereign states over recent years, so why different for Putin? All of these wars (Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine) will turn out to be long and costly for the invader. Assassinating journalists and rivals has also hit the news in recent years, but Western Governments have also been caught with their pants down in the great game of espionage.

What Short does it put this into perspective from the man in control of the ‘wild east’. A hard man who has shown vulnerabilities, has made mistakes but isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo. This is not a condoning of the actions, but a study. Done excellently. I really enjoyed this study of the modern Russia and Europe.

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Fascinating

A fascinating insight into the mindset of Putin and the reasoning behind his decisions and actions

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Ottimo. Very good.

Ottimo. Equilibrato nei giudizi. Molto ben letto. Very good audiobook. Extremely well read. I appreciated the author's comments, not only how he delivered the facts.

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Excellent biography

Not surprisingly there are suddenly a lot of books about Vladimir Putin on the scene. This is likely the best on offer. No sensationalism here, but a thoroughly well researched and rational account of Vladimir Putins rise through the Soviet system and how it made him the man he is today. Real rags to riches story with good explanations as to what makes him tick. Like Stalin was largely absent from the actual Soviet revolution, so Putin remained in the shadows until his time came to emerge. I highly recommend this book. Good narration too which helps.

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Great Insight into Putin

I really enjoy listening to and finding out about Putin. An incredible amount of research has gone into the making of this book! Definitely worth a listen. Jonathan Keeble reads it well and makes it interesting too with the tone of his voice. Would highly recommend!

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best book on Putin

insightful, inspiring and resourceful. now I understand better the man behind the mith, and I do have an honest admiration for what Putin realized in his life. the war agaist Ukrain, the 2 faced USA, all is explained.

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An astonishing achievement . Short’s book is nothing short of perfection

Informative, lucid and gripping. An absolute masterclass in historical biographical writing!
One if the best books I have listened to since joining Audible, where I have accumulated over 100 titles in the last 2 years!
Highly recommended.

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Stunning

Insightful
Intelligently organised
Personable
Explains why Putin has made the decisions he has in way that sheds light and understanding

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