The author of The Last Tsar presents a comprehensive biography of Stalin, drawing from privileged access to Russia's secret archives. Edvard Radzinsky reveals a portrait of the Soviet leader as more calculating, ruthless, and bloodthirsty than previously depicted. For Stalin, power was paramount, terror a strategic tool, and deceit a constant presence. Radzinsky chronicles Stalin's dramatic rise to dominance within the Communist Party and his control over the Soviet Union and beyond, unveiling startling truths about this complex figure. In the post-Soviet era, previously suppressed details emerge, including Stalin's early involvement in terrorism, his crucial yet misunderstood role during the October Revolution, and his often antagonistic relationship with Lenin. The narrative also covers his orchestration of terror, particularly the infamous show trials of the 1930s, his disastrous dealings with Hitler, and chilling plans for the Soviet Union's Jews, which foreshadowed a potential second Holocaust. Additionally, Radzinsky explores Stalin's private life, including his tumultuous marriage to Nadezhda and the circumstances surrounding her suicide. The Kremlin's intrigues and the backstabbing within the Soviet ruling class are vividly brought to life, making the enigmatic leader's quest for absolute power and his legacy as one of history's most notorious mass murderers compellingly clear.
