Biographies

[Welsh_Saddler]

Perhaps my deafness is a contributory factor, but I do seem to be reading more and more (rather than following television programmes which, even with sub-titles, don't do much for me). I've just finished a 720-page paperback entitled "Stalin" - the opening up of Soviet society means that authors can not only delve into previously restricted archives, but interviews can be carried out with some of the participants who survived very trying times.

The image of "cuddly Uncle Joe" is shown by author Simon Montefiore to be hundreds of country miles from the true situation. I mean, we know that Stalin instigated purges within the USSR and banished all kinds of people to gulags (including members of his own family), but one particular instance really got my attention ... I will quote a few of the relevant lines from the beginning of Chapter 55 (page 617) - at the end of the body text there is an asterisk directing you to a footnote which I will also quote:

"On 7 December 1949 Stalin arrived back in Moscow in time for two momentous events; the arrival of the new Chinese leader, Chairman Mao-Tse-tung, and the celebration of his seventieth birthday. At noon on 16 December, Mao, who had taken Peking in January, arrived at Yaroslavsky station, where he was met by Molotov and Bulganin in his Marshall's uniform.*

(Footnote)

* Mao had brought a treasure trove of Chinese gifts and several carriages of rice. The lacquer ornaments still hang on the walls of Molotov's retirement flat on Granovsky and Stalin divided the rice amongst his courtiers. In return, Stalin presented him with the names of his Soviet agents in the Chinese Politburo. Back in Peking, mao swiftly liquidated them.

It's politics, Jim, but not as we know it........ :shock:

Anyone else into biographies (or auto's)?

[shrewsbury saddler]

I think I read an edition of the Montefiore book in the 80's before the collapse of the Soviet Union-has he updated it? Nothing in it about Stalin really surprised me because I'd read some Solzhenitsyn previously. Stalin appears as a character in the novel "The First Circle." The term "peasant cunning" could have been invented for him.

[Kevlar]

Just waded through an epic tome about betrayal , denial , dictatorship and tyranny .

Anyone else read Jimmy Walker's book ?

[SaigonSaddler]

Same birthday as me, just saying. :wink:

[Welsh_Saddler]

I think I read an edition of the Montefiore book in the 80's before the collapse of the Soviet Union-has he updated it? Nothing in it about Stalin really surprised me because I'd read some Solzhenitsyn previously. Stalin appears as a character in the novel "The First Circle." The term "peasant cunning" could have been invented for him.

The "C" date in this paperback is 2014, and its hardbacked ancestor was published by Weidenfeld & Nicholson in 2003. For all the fact that there are 700+ pages I found it quite a gripping read (bit by bit!!).

The book came my way courtesy of a local charity shop, for 25p :D

[shrewsbury saddler]

Sorry. This can't be the one I read. Montefiore only started writing biographies much later. I can't find the one I read anywhere-it's not the ones generally referred to, but I think it was about the same length.

Does this one say how he originally intended to become an Orthodox priest?

[chunkster]

After reading your replies i feel a little stupid saying i have read gordon ramsay/ peter kay and ricky tomlinson's :oops:

[Welsh_Saddler]

After reading your replies i feel a little stupid saying i have read gordon ramsay/ peter kay and ricky tomlinson's :oops:

Not a bit of it, chunkmeister - one of the most entertaining autobiographies I've seen was that of Eric Sykes - good title too ... "If I don't write it, no-one else will"

:D

[hullsaddler]

Am currently in the middle of Montefiore's 'Young Stalin'. Great pity he didn't go on to be a Georgian poet. Totally ruthless even from an early age.

[shrewsbury saddler]

After reading your replies i feel a little stupid saying i have read gordon ramsay/ peter kay and ricky tomlinson's :oops:

Not a bit of it, chunkmeister - one of the most entertaining autobiographies I've seen was that of Eric Sykes - good title too ... "If I don't write it, no-one else will"

:D

Read Paul O'Grady's first two volumes . Very warm and funny-with two wonderfully larger than life Aunts, clearly the basis for Lily Savage. Unexpected too-the first volume ends with him getting his girlfriend pregnant. No, really.

[chunkster]

After reading your replies i feel a little stupid saying i have read gordon ramsay/ peter kay and ricky tomlinson's :oops:

Not a bit of it, chunkmeister - one of the most entertaining autobiographies I've seen was that of Eric Sykes - good title too ... "If I don't write it, no-one else will"

:D

I will get that the welshy lad :wink: has anyone ever read any of spike milligan's ?

[Exile]

After visiting, my father left behind a copy of 'The Romanovs', which intend to delve into. I'm well appraised regarding Stalin and his particular brand of leadership. He was a monster, but he beat Germany, with the help of a few other nations, in WWII, for which we should all be grateful, if only because of the incredible sacrifice of human life to accomplish the task. Single-minded doesn't come close.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Sorry. This can't be the one I read. Montefiore only started writing biographies much later. I can't find the one I read anywhere-it's not the ones generally referred to, but I think it was about the same length.

Does this one say how he originally intended to become an Orthodox priest?

The question of his wanting to enter the priesthood is not specifically answered in my book. Having been born in 1878 it says that Stalin entered the Gori Church School in 1888. His mother was ambitious, and wanted him to be a priest "perhaps like his real father". The seminary provided his only formal education. This boarding school's catechismic teaching and 'Jesuitical methods' of 'surveillance, spying, invasion of the inner life, the violation of people's feelings' repelled, but impressed.

In 1899 he was expelled from the seminary, joined the Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party and became a professional revolutionary.

[yoda]

I tend to read books about events rather than (auto)biographies because I don't particularly care for lots of stories about the subject as a child/teenager - I find them irrelevant. People change.

That said, I have read Montefiore's Starlin as I wanted a broad view and agree it's a stellar read.

In terms of paying it forward, I'd recommend Mike Tysons autobiography. It's a very funny read all the way through, even if you only have a passing knowledge of boxing.

Edit - Just remembered to recommend any book on Theodore Roosevelt. Truly an amazing man with an unbelievable life.

[Welsh_Saddler]

I tend to read books about events rather than (auto)biographies because I don't particularly care for lots of stories about the subject as a child/teenager - I find them irrelevant. People change.

That said, I have read Montefiore's Starlin as I wanted a broad view and agree it's a stellar read.

In terms of paying it forward, I'd recommend Mike Tysons autobiography. It's a very funny read all the way through, even if you only have a passing knowledge of boxing.

Edit - Just remembered to recommend any book on Theodore Roosevelt. Truly an amazing man with an unbelievable life.

Love Theodore Roosevelt's quotation - "Speak softly, and carry a big stick" :D

[Welsh_Saddler]

A book I've just finished may well appeal - well, it's actually two books in one - "The past is myself" and "The road ahead" by Christabel Bielenberg.

This was an English woman who married a German lawyer in the early 1930's, took up German citizenship and lived there until after WWII was over, raising a family and trying to come to terms with the Nazi regime. Her husband became associated with the failed 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler, and her descriptions of much that happened in Germany are very revealing.

As she says in her Foreword ... " Historians and others have access to an unprecedented amount of material enabling them to draw their own conclusions about the happenings in Germany during those years. I make no claim to be so equipped, but I have one advantage perhaps over those whose knowlegde is dependent upon documents; I am English; I was German, and above all I was there."

At times, scary stuff.

[yoda]

Love Theodore Roosevelt's quotation - "Speak softly, and carry a big stick" :D

Love it. Considering what he did, I'm amazed history overlooks him so much.

[Whitters]

I read a bit each day.
About half an hour I suppose.
I'm different to yoda, as I'll read a bit of a book to find out how people became well known and then might not bother with the rest.
My Kindle is loaded with stuff so there's plenty of choice.
Do people prefer actual books or stuff like Kindles?
I'm going through a phase of reading novels at the moment as I'm a bit lazy and read to really relax, but keep on thinking I might revisit David Irving's WW2 stuff as well as Secret Footballers books.

I always remember John Lennon saying - "I read 7 pages of 7 books each day".
Some guru had mentioned this was the way to go for Johnny boy.
Taking advice from pop stars isn't always recommended but I might try this when time allows.