The person reading the story

The whole story told with clarity and with emphasis on Stalin as a butcher but had some humanity giving money so some could have holidays then have others beaten and murdered

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Superb

I've listened to this audio book numerous times (4 at the last count.) John Nettles narrates it quite brilliantly and is so thoroughly engaging, it's a pleasure to listen to even on repeat visits.

Highly recommended. It's a shame Mr Nettles doesn't narrate 'The Romanovs.'

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2 people found this helpful

s

A vivid and interesting biography.

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Communist, fascist an equality in monstrosity.

Stalin is a monster as deprave and human as Hitler was, they both loved the power and the implementation of their ideas more than humans or individuals.
“Ideas are far more powerful than guns. We don't let our people have guns. Why should we let them have ideas?”
― Joseph Stalin
“Death is the solution to all problems. No man - no problem.”
― Joseph Stalin
We castigate anyone that wears a brown shirt and use the fascist salute but people still vote for people that consider this man a hero openly; they should be as shameful and repulsive as fascists, to believe in a system that wherever it has been imposed it has brought death and inequality in industrial levels, Communism is a dirty word smeared with death, blood and betrayal of the proletariat in the name of the state and Stalin was one of it prophets and disciples of death unashamedly so.

“A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic.”
― Joseph Stalin
“Education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed.”
― Joseph Stalin
“People who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.”
― Joseph Stalin

And the perfect Orwellian example of doublethink:

“...[I]ron discipline does not preclude but presupposes criticism and contest of opinion within the Party. Least of all does it mean that discipline must be blind. On the contrary, iron discipline does not preclude but presupposes conscious and voluntary submission, for only conscious discipline can be truly iron discipline.”
― Joseph Stalin

This is a good book to put the first toe into a cold lake of blood and terror, a mild expose of evil and a restrained in its descriptions if anything it errs with Stalin into seeing it all too much as statistics and not crimes of individual horror.

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Fly on the wall view of Stalin's vicious court.

Fantastic, fascinating and horrifying insights into the environment in which Stalin and his fellow monsters bitched, drank and murdered their way through their rule.

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Brilliant !

gripping story of the monster that was Stalin, narration is superb and memorable - I intend to listen again!

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Outstanding

Great narration for his finest book
Well told, thorough, insightful and a true insight into Stalin

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The best book on Stalin

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. The audiobook is like a soap opera, the dynamics of stalin and his court and fantastic.

What did you like best about this story?

A real insight into Stalin, the old bolsheviks and the upper echelons of the soviet state.

What does John Nettles bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

An amazing narration. Top notch!

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The greatest real soap opera of our time

Any additional comments?

Cant recommend this book enough, there are alot of characters but this is not overwhelming.

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Absolutely loved this book, more of a !!

Montefiore returns to form after his awful fiction book. Fantastic story of Stalin and his magnates brought to life by a brilliant narration by John Nettles.

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Fascinating

Written beautifully the book takes you on a journey around Stalin's life that if you had witnessed 1st hand you probably would not had survived.
There were many sections I re listened to amazed at the account.
Being born in 1960 our school education failed to explain this to our generation, a lot had not been revealed but this is one of the best accounts I've found so far.
John Nettles simply excellent.

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1 person found this helpful