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Stalin

The Court of the Red Tsar

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Stalin

By: Simon Sebag Montefiore
Narrated by: Jonathan Aris
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About this listen

Winner of the British Book Awards History Book of the Year

Longlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize

This thrilling biography of Stalin and his entourage during the terrifying decades of his supreme power transforms our understanding of Stalin as Soviet dictator, Marxist leader and Russian tsar.

Based on groundbreaking research, Simon Sebag Montefiore reveals in captivating detail the fear and betrayal, privilege and debauchery, family life and murderous cruelty of this secret world. Written with extraordinary narrative verve, this magnificent feat of scholarly research has become a classic of modern history writing. Showing how Stalin's triumphs and crimes were the product of his fanatical Marxism and his gifted but flawed character, this is an intimate portrait of a man as complicated and human as he was brutal and chilling.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2003 Simon Sebag Montefiore (P)2019 Orion Publishing Group Historical Military & War Russia Stalin Soviet Union War Imperialism Military Socialism

Critic Reviews

Horrific, revelatory and sobering ... triumph of research and should be required reading in Russia. Book of the Year (John Le Carre)
This grim masterpiece, shot through with lashes of black humour ... The personal details are riveting (Antonia Fraser)
Fascinating ... [Montefiore] concentrates, as any good historian should, on pushing forward the boundaries of our knowledge of the subject ... [He] provides rich detail of daily life and family relationships in a world of human values turned inside out ... scrupulously fair in the way he describes Stalin's qualities - including his ability to charm, his uncanny grasp of geopolitical issues, his brilliant handling of foreign statesmen and his genuine passion for literature (Antony Beevor)
All stars
Most relevant  
The access to archival material not previously available means this book trumps everything which came before it.

Discard all earlier biographies

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A fantastic work by Simon Montefiore, incorporating such varying evidence from personal testimony to the written annotations of Stalin himself. While it’s not a perfect work, and it never seeks to exceed its goal of providing a detailed sketch of Stalin himself, it is well worth listening to for anyone interested in the history of the Soviet Union.
Johnathan Aris also preforms beautifully, playing with the original text and adding an all-important sense of wryness to proceedings.
Highly recommended.

A Haunting annotation of one of history’s great monsters.

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Such a selfish and brutal man, couldn't say I felt sorry for the man's demise, could not have come sooner.

Brutal

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Fantastic narration. A timely reminder of how deranged and fanatic communists really are. Viva liberty!

Engrossing

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Excellent research with detailed footnotes. Very well read and narrated. It will be highly recommended.

Excellent story line and research

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Simon Sebag Montefiore, bloody great Author, great story, beautiful voice-over by Jonathan Aris..just made the listener deeply apart of the story....fantastic..Alan ..Australia

Best book written..

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Fascinating book. I knew Stalin was an evil dictator, but had no idea it was so dangerous to know him personally.

Stalin.... bad hombre

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Brings Stalin and his magnates to life in a unique and powerful way. The personal notes and diaries are particularly valuable in understanding the humanity, mostly for ill but sometimes good, in these men. Mostly it shows the evil Stalin did (and others can and did do)in the name of an aggressively secular, anti religious movement. Beautifully written and brilliantly read

Tour de Force

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Have just finished "The rise & fall of the third Reich"
So this book fitted in perfectly, so as to get both points of view.
Gee what a murderous bunch of complete peasant animals, even animals would have better ethics than those thugs.
Everybody lived in fear, Stalin picked a random victim, tortured them to keep everybody frightened then told them what to confess, which the victims did, as well as implicating some more victims, then killed them, then proceeded to torture & kill all family members. Hitler too, had an obsession with signed confessions.
And here we sit today, in comfort, saying that could never happen, & it will never happen again.
Well:- just look at people's behaviour with our very own "Lockdown" " Pandemic" etc, in these most recent times.
They said some people loved Stalin till they died, they like us in modern times, were Brain washed.
It can happen again.
A must read if you want an insight into how a Tyrant is made & thinks, & the signs of power going to their heads, both Hitler & Stalin shared that path.
Enjoy & Grimace.

Stuff we need to know

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A comprehensive and detailed account of the life and times of Stalin. Found details and nuances of his character that is seldom talked about

Has changed my perspective

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