The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin

If you are interested in a study of authoritarianism and, specifically the authoritarianism of Vladimir Putin, this is a must read. Masha Gessen has written a compelling, historically accurate, first-hand portrait of a megalomaniac. Gessen is a wonderful writer, clear and concise. Her historical accounts of post and current Putinism are intriguing and horrifying. It is critically important that Americans understand Putin; who he is and what he wants. Trump is a Putin pawn and we must recognize the imminent danger of a U.S. President who is beholden to a stone cold killer like Vladimir Putin. Putin's history is trump's playbook.

Ms. Gessen is a fabulous writer, if not always entirely clear the first time around; and handles best the distinctly Russian, penumbral rumors and accounts with no verifiable, factual truth. In these cases (of which they are many) Masha plots out dexterously each argument without favoring any, then suggests the most logical without insisting on it as fact. A nuanced thinker with a distinct and recognizable view of Russia that is — if not bleak — crystal clear. That said, the book is short on details of Putin's life. Its not a biography. It's about Putin's rise, which, not coincidentally, is about all the other people snagged in his dragnet of deceit, corruption, and "double-double crosses". It's made clear early on how each story will end. Putin is a profoundly cynical yet murderously sincere purveyor of the power of pure force. Easy read tho. Would recommend. Just not if you're looking for like, a definitive Putin bio, or something think-tank adjacent with layers of footnotes. This is one person's story, but a POV that is singularly compelling. EDIT: HOLY CRAP THE ADDENDUM IS THE CLIMAX BUT THEY ASK YOU TO REVIEW AFTER THE MAIN NARRATIVE. SPOILER ALERT: 😮😮😮😮😮

Reading this book, I have learned a great deal about the history of Russia beginning with the post-war period when Putin first began his career as a low-level government bureaucrat, leading to what seems, given the circumstances of the time, a very improbable rise to the highest position in Russia, where he has since been firmly entrenched. Putin's early career seems very undistinguished, and revisiting the Yeltsin years and learning of how Putin kept a low profile in St. Petersburg, it is fascinating to follow how someone who was apparently completely off the radar screen ended up where he is now - and that he is so strongly in control, at that. As a bureaucrat in St. Petersburg, it seems that Putin (like many in Russia at the time) took advantage of the changing circumstances to fatten his own bank account. He also seems to have been deft in deciding who to support as various leaders came and went, without allowing himself to be taken down with them as they eventually fell from power. It led to his eventually being in a sense the last man standing, as the Russian party sought a leader to succeed Yeltsin. What is also illuminating is the brutality and viscousness of Putin throughout, something that I find particularly relevant given how our world looks today and the role that Putin has, more influential than anyone might have expected. In addition to telling the story of Putin's rise, I found the book to be very informative in reviewing the modern history of post-Soviet Russia, reminding me of many of the events of the past few decades as well as filling in many details I was not previously aware of.

While reading this book about Putin I cant help but see similarities with the current situation were facing now in the US with Trumps rise to power.

No wonder the man is an enigma. I recommend this book to those interested in the geopolitical landscape. The details in the book are very well researched and the tone is conversational and informative. It reads like an interesting spy story but sadly, a true one. In the west we have a difficult time understanding "who is Putin". This book goes a long ways in painting a picture of the sometimes conflicting pieces which make up this dangerous world leader. Western media greatly misread Putin and his gang of associates in the early days of his kleptocracy, no wonder we were caught off-guard by some of their actions. Clearly politicians who use the sole approach of diplomacy towards Russia are not going to be successful. A good read.

Following the collapse and dissolution of the Soviet Union, political, economic and social chaos ensued across Russia as reactionary and progressive democratic factions attempted to shape the future of Russia. As the economy collapsed and the initial optimism and hope of post-totalitarianism began to fade, a power vacuum existed and the question was who would fill it. The who became Vladmidir Putin and the hope of many around the world for a more democratic, economically and politically open country aligned to the West became dashed. After hearing an interview of Masha Gessen when this book was published, I immediately downloaded it to my Kindle although never got around to reading until a few weeks ago. Based on the interview with Gessen, I was quite optimistic to read "The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin", but was disappointed with the fruits of Gessen's labor. I recognize some of the fiercest critiques of this book come from Russian individuals who consider this a hack job on Putin. I think much of their criticism is unwarranted as the reality of Putin's methodical and systemic crushing of political opposition, the free press and a growing capitalistic economic infrastructure is without question. To dismiss legitimate and real concerns about the brutal crackdown of Putin and his cronies is to ignore reality and impugn ones own credibility. Gessen is an ardent critic of Putin's and while I expected a book that covered the reality of his impact on Russia, I wasn't expecting the overt polemic that this book really is. Gessen's language is so ruthless and loaded about Putin that the book reads more like a couple hundred page op-ed than an investigative and highly researched biography. I'm not suggesting that a highly critical op-ed length book is not fair territory, it is just not why I read this book. There was subject matter like the tragic hostage situations in Beslan and the Moscow movie theater that both ended in tragedy where Gessen implicates parts of Putin's regime with fostering these situations and recklessly bringing them to tragic finalities. Sure there was some circumstantial evidence to her assertions, but I've read better investigative pieces in the New York Times than what is covered in the book. Do I share many of the sentiments of Gessen? I sure do and believe that Putin has set Russia back with his jailing of politcal threats and opponents, consolidation of power with his political party, United Russia, through sham elections and fear, as well as the evisceration of freedom of press, all resulting in the return of totalitarianism where so much promise existed. However, I was expecting a better piece of journalism and writing, one with less bias, more objectivity and far greater dimension than I found in "The Man Without a Face".

I didn't want put this exciting book down. I love books which have an amazing story, suspense, drama of a great novel but the added qualities of being faithfully true. The exciting drama continues today and in coming months and years. It's about an important struggle of courage and suffering for freedom and democracy. Some may argue that it's biased -- anti-Putin propaganda with inaccuracies. I don't agree. I have some knowledge about the subject and it checks out regarding the parts that I'm sure of. Gessen is a well-reputed top-notch journalist who writes objective news stories for major internationally respected publications, including a major U.S. newsweekly, etc. As a professional journalist she is meticulous about objectively stating what she knows, and alerts you to what is uncertain -- for example, what some specific source had stated to her but which she feels is lacking in evidence. In other words, this is not conspiracy theory, innuendo, or embellishment to sell a book. This part of history is so interesting that the truth will sell more books than anything one might fabricate -- the detail of her research is amazing. She was there, she has the contacts, and obviously talked with many "inside" people. One may argue that Russia was never a Democracy, so Putin could not have turned a democracy into a more totalitarian country, but if you look at history, you see that Putin very significantly dismantled several key democratic-transparency characteristics of the society and government. The fact that these characteristics had been relatively recently created doesn't diminish the reality or significance of what Putin did. Gessen is also a major author and journalist on the subjects of math and science, which is consistent with a high level of objectivity and intellectual honesty. The book is in perfect English even though she is a native Russian living in Russia. The writing style and composition are first class - she's an important scholar, activist, and literary master. Almost everyone will know a lot more about the recent history of Russia after reading this.

The biggest negative comment I continue to see is that Gessen is a crazy liberal who hates Putin and this book is a heavily skewed portrait of the reality of modern "democratic" Russia. I can't wrap my mind around this theory simply because news reports, anti-human rights policies in place and even championed throughout the international community (like the illegality of same sex relationships), and general defector information prove that the accuracy of this bio must not be too far off the mark. If anything, I'm glad to have read this at a time when Russian interference with the American presidential election seems to be a real possibility. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but I think it's essential to consider its legitimacy. Quick read. Lots of confusing names, but if you're reading on a kindle, the look up feature keeps confusion to a minimum. Favorite quote: "When my kids were little, they made Putin into a sort of household villain, the bogeyman who would come get you if you did not mind your table manners. I put a stop to that, and as they have grown I have tried to give them a reasonably nuanced picture of politics, but I think I may have neglected to say that no one rules forever."