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The Death of Stalin

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( 51 ratings, 11 reviews)
Brief Description
The personal and the political collide in this masterful account of the death of a dictator. When Joseph Stalin died in 1953, he had been the unchallenged leader of the Soviet Union for over twenty years, having presided over the ruthless modernisation of the early 1930s,... Read More
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The personal and the political collide in this masterful account of the death of a dictator.

When Joseph Stalin died in 1953, he had been the unchallenged leader of the Soviet Union for over twenty years, having presided over the ruthless modernisation of the early 1930s, the Great Purges later in the decade, the near-catastrophe and ultimate victory of World War II, and the country's postwar emergence as a superpower. He was surrounded by a cult that made him seem godlike; no successors were in sight. His death was bound to be a deeply unsettling event, both in the Soviet Union and elsewhere.

Sheila Fitzpatrick draws on her unparalleled knowledge of Stalin's circle and Soviet society to tell a tale that blends black comedy with forensic analysis, exploring the problems and opportunitiesโ€”often missedโ€”created by the death of the dictator. The final chapter deals with Stalin's eventful afterlife, including his recent resurrection in Putin's Russia. This is both a riveting read and a salutary one.

Wise, comprehensive and brilliantly succinct - Owen Matthews

Fitzpatrick knows more than almost anyone about the Soviet system. - Orlando Figes

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781760645090

Publisher: Black Inc.

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 June 2025

Country: Australia

Imprint: Black Inc.

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 10.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 133g

Pages: 128

About the Author

Sheila Fitzpatrick is a pioneer in the field of Soviet history. She regularly contributes to the London Review of Books and is the multi-award-winning author of many books, including Everyday Stalinism, On Stalin's Team, The Russian Revolution, White Russians, Red Peril and the bestselling The Shortest History of the Soviet Union.

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