Customer Reviews
Stalin planned 9/11 - By: Red not Dead, 15 Aug 2008 
It is now twenty years since the collapse of the Soviet Union & the triumphal proclamation of the victory of capitalism & the 'end of history'. Yet this victory has not made the world a better, safer place. Rather it unleashed imperialst aggression on massive scale, accompanied by ethnic hatred & economic chaos. Unable to justify the bankrupcy of their own system,the apologists for capitalism have continually been forced to exhume the corpse of communism,dress it upin a fresh shroud, & show it to the world.
Nationalist despots like Milosovic & Saddam were described as being essentially communist - beingin possession of a strong, murderous state - whilst North Korea was linkedin with the Axis of Evil. Even today, the propaganda offensive against China isin full swing, whilst the Russo - Georgian conflict is presentedin Cold War terms.
Who would have believed the West would miss the Cold War so much ? It provides ideological certaintyin these uncertain times. Our enemy today, of course, is Islam, & how convenient to show the public its true power & evil than by establishing a link with Stalin, officially the most evil manin history.
The author presents the October Revolution a terrorist conspiracy. Marxist theory is mentioned, but is not allowed to intrude on the real issues. The Bolshevik Party is seen to be continually engagedin bank robberies, murder of opponents, intiidation & gangsterism, its memebers a collection of psycopaths who loved their work. Virtually no attention is paid to the repressive nature of Tsarism which produced centralised party organisation, nor is there any attention paid to the political work of the revolutionay groups amongst the workers & peasants at this time. Only very briefly does Montefiore touch on the brutality of the Russian workers existence, when he describes the conditionsin the Baku oilfields (p197).The tactics of the Bolsheviks of 'the gun & the ballot box'in our own age have been used by the IRA, Hamas & Hizbollah(p179).
Having established the terroristic methods of the Bolsheviks, Montefiore goes on to creaed a tenuous link to Islam. Marxism is presented as a secular religion. The Bolsheviks are described as Marxists 'of semi-Islamic fervour' (p230). Stalin himself, the product of an Orthodox seminary, is revealed as having links to 'a Muslim Bolshevik group', whatever that may mean.
This book is a combination of Cold War & anti-Islamic propaganda, reflecting the pressing needs of our rulers, & is significant for this fact rather than being important as an historical workin its own right. If you want a more reasoned discussion of Stalin, I suggest Isaac Deutschers 'Stalin'.
How could this man have become the hard hearted monster of the Soviet Republic? - By: Sally Wilton, 14 May 2008 
A topic I would never have thought could be so very interesting. The early years of the black hearted Red Tsar & what made him become so dogmatic & ultimately wicked. A fascinating blockbuster of a story, with qualities that keep you reading to the end. Interspersed with photographs & even poems by 'Soso' the 'romantic'.
Joseph did not have much going for himin his early life with an alcoholic, shoe maker father & headstrong & angry mother & I admired his thirst for knowledge & ambitionin his youth, always trying to gain an education where so little was available. He ruthlessly strived to achieve his aim to become the leader of the USSR &in my opinion regardless of his charming manner, good looks & high intelligence he seems to have had the symptoms a psychopath. His ability to encourage sympathy from people for himself at any opportunity & his cause whilst hiding a completely hard heart is evidence of that.
A great book for anyone interestedin the former USSR & understanding the present situation & the Russian people.
Best biography for years - By: Big Jim, 07 May 2008 Having just finished Tim Jeal's excellent biography of Stanley I stated that that was the best biography I had read for years. I immediately started on this one & three days later am pleased to announce that THIS is the best biography I have read for years. I could resort to cliches (OK I will resort to cliches)this is a virtually unputdownable, page turner. A boys own adventure - well perhaps a bit brutal to be boys own, butin all seriousness, if someone came to a publisher with this as a work of fiction they'd be laughed out of court at the sheer improbability of it. But having said that, the rip-snorting action packed nature of this work allows the prose to flowin a fictional "style" as it were, making this a slightly better "read" than the same author's "The court of the Red Tsar" about Stalin's yearsin power
I'm not going to repeat a lot of facts & snippets from the book that have become apparent since the opening of the Russian archives, all I'm going to do is urge you to read this book. You will definitely not regret it.
