Stalin

The First In-depth Biography Based on Explosive New Documents from Russia's Secret Archives

By: Edvard Radzinsky

Narrated by: David McCallum

Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Granted privileged access to Russia's secret archives, Edvard Radzinsky has broken down the iron curtain of myth, secrecy, and lies that has surrounded Stalin's life and career, painting a picture of the Soviet strongman as more calculating, ruthless, and blood-crazed than has ever been imagined; a man for whom power was all, terror a useful weapon, and deceit a constant companion.

Radzinsky uncovers the startling truth about this most enigmatic of historical figures. Only now, in the post-Soviet era, can what was suppressed be told: Stalin's long-denied involvement with terrorism as a young revolutionary; the real story of how he mangled his left arm; the crucial importance of his role during the October Revolution; his often hostile relationship with Lenin; the details of his organization of terror, culminating in the infamous show trials of the 1930s; his secret dealings with Hitler, and how they backfired; and the horrifying plans he had to send the Soviet Union's Jews to concentration camps, tantamount to a potential second Holocaust. Radzinsky also takes an intimate look at Stalin's private life, and his turbulent relationship with his wife Nadezhda, recreating the circumstances that led to her suicide. Finally, Radzinsky discovers one of Stalin's elite bodyguards, who breaks 40 years of silence to give the strongest evidence yet of the conspiracy behind Stalin's death.

The Kremlin intrigues, the private worlds of the Soviet Empire's ruling class, Radzinsky thrillingly brings them to life. And the riddle of that most cold-blooded of leaders, a man for whom nothing was sacred in his pursuit of absolute might, and perhaps the greatest mass murderer in Western history, is solved.

©1996 Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, A Division of Random House, Inc. (P)1996 Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, A Division of Random House, Inc.

A chillling tale of terror

It chills your spine to hear of Stalin's cruelty to his people and to his loyal servants. To live under Stalin must have been an experience from Alice in Wonderland where yes meant no and no yes. Talk about walking on egg shells; working with Stalin was simply risking your life every day, not knowing when he would turn on you for a trifle. I enjoyed the author's research in the now opened Stalin era archives and his honesty about how they have been cleansed so that one cannot take the documents at their face value. Many have been removed.

This was a fine companion to my listening to the Gulag Archipeligo.

A Worthwhile Listen/Read

First listen to Young Stalin by Montefiore, to get the most details of Stalin's amazing first thirty years. Then read Radzinsky, who does not write as much detail but speculates about Stalin's motives and personality from a Russian perspective. The two compliment one another like peanut butter and chocolate.

A Great Book About a Great Tyrant

I have been a periodic reader of Soviet history for the past three decades. With the opening of the various secret Soviet archives to certain researchers came the possiblity of better understanding of that which had only been speculated in the past, the "back-story" history of the revolution and the coming to power of Lenin and the Bolsheviks, and the succession of Koba Stalin. Prior to Radzinsky's book, I had read Dmitri Volkogonov's definitive history - STALIN: TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY. Radzinsky's book brings, I believe, a more coherant and understandble story of Stalin's rise. Which author, Volkogonov or Radzinsky, is more correct in their presentation of Stalin? I cannot say. For the most part, their stories are complementary. I found Radzinsky to be more readable, more organized. This is an excellent book which I recommend highly to those interested in Soviet history.

Now, about David McCallum's narration of this book: Brilliant. I have neaver heard a more perfect match of a book with a narrator. The pace, the phrasing, the nuance, the innuendo built into the reading was excellent. I was so impressed by McCallum's reading that I had hoped to find other historical volumes narrated by him. I'm sorry to say that I found only novels.

Highly recommend!

Informative, entertaining, fascinating and eye-opening. A must-read for anyone interested in psychopaths or Soviet history!

Abridged

Why is this not noted as an abridgement of this book. The whole book is wonderful.

McCallum really nails it

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes David McCallum really makes the book interesting..He reads the Russian names perfectly and that rrally makes the book a good read..

What about David McCallum’s performance did you like?

His dedication to making the book interesting..Without his reading it would have been a dull book..

Was Stalin worth the listening time?

Yes I enjoyed it.

Any additional comments?

No.

Biography

Good, concise and to the point. I listened to the abbreviated version. Good summary overall.

Very good book for either new or old readers....

Excelent overall biography on "'Ol Joe" and the people around him. Much of it is information that I had read about before but there is also a good amount that I had not known. This is very good for both readers new to the subject or for those of us who spend a lot of time reading up on Soviet History.

Book is great; narration is outstanding

The book itself is great and the narration by David McCallum is outstanding. It is a shame McCallum doesn't do more audiobooks, he's one of the best.

Great Narration

The narrator is tremendous. As another reviewer mentioned, his voice is perfect this book. He really captures the evil, deception, and debauchery of the times. He is slightly British sounding.

This is overall a good, interesting, and revealing book about Stalin. However, the reader/listener should be aware that at times Radzinsky takes a position that is not widespread. A few example are: Stalin was preparing to start for World War 3, his breakdown during WWII was just an act to test the loyalty of his cohorts, Stalin was not surprised by the German attack in 1941, and Stalin was planning to attack Germany before they attacked him. Radzinsky builds his case for his interpretations often times on circumstantial evidence or something someone told him. I am no expert on the subjects, so I can't say he is wrong. I just know that based on my other readings of Stalin, some of his assertions are not widely held.

The abridged audio version focuses mostly on the Bolsheviek's rise to power, Stalin's rise to power, the Great Terror of the late 1930's, World War II, and the terror and purges after the war.

Overall, highly recommended, just beware of a few of Radzinsky's uncommon interpretations.