In this new biography of Joseph Stalin, Oleg Khlevniuk provides well-documented answers to questions that have puzzled historians and political scientists, as well as the general public, for decades. How did Stalin evolve from an insignificant revolutionary into one of the most powerful people in history? How did he first manage to overpower his rivals within the Soviet leadership, then subjugate the Communist Party and the Red Army to his personal authority, ultimately building an empire whose ghost continues to haunt Eastern Europe to this day? And – the most crucial question – why did no one stop him before it was too late? Khlevniuk, a deep connoisseur of the vast archives of the Soviet period that have surfaced over the past 25 years, offers a new, revealing portrait of Stalin. Without mythologizing him, either as a charismatic or as a satanic genius, he sheds light on many contentious issues regarding events in his life. Utilizing hundreds of letters, memos, reports, and diaries, Khlevniuk manages to compose a comprehensive, imposing narrative of the life of a man who has left timeless wounds on the peoples he ruled and who changed the course of world history. "This fascinating, groundbreaking, brilliant book confirms the view that Khlevniuk is probably the greatest expert on Stalin today. A reference work." Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar "Khlevniuk manages to introduce us to the inner sanctum of Stalin's power and show us his method of governance, the whip and the ginger – the Russian version of the carrot and stick – with which he kept his subordinates and, of course, the entire country in submission. A masterful portrait by a historian of caliber." Ronald Grigor Suny, author of The Soviet Experiment: Russia, the Soviet Union, and the Successor States "An excellent read, skillfully written, which provides a great moral compass. This book will become the benchmark for all future biographies of Stalin. A masterpiece." Jan Plamper, author of The Stalin Cult: A Study in the Alchemy of Power "Khlevniuk is one of the greatest authorities on Stalin and his era. This exceptional biography constitutes the essence of contemporary research and an essential read for the general public." Hiroaki Kuromiya, author of Stalin: Portraits of Power "A marvelous work by the distinguished scholar who pioneered the opening of Soviet archives. Oleg Khlevniuk summarizes a lifetime of research, remaining faithful to scientific documentation. He refrains from unfounded anecdotes and rumors and constructs an authoritative and imposing narrative of Stalin's life and times." Paul Gregory, Hoover Institution "Khlevniuk not only gives us a biography of Stalin but also a history of the system of governance that Stalin created, and he does so in six concise chapters, with clarity and deep knowledge. Khlevniuk's biography of Stalin is a substantial achievement." David Shearer, author of Policing Stalin's Socialism: Repression and Social Order in the Soviet Union, 1924-1953 "Khlevniuk's sober analysis draws a strict dividing line between what we know from serious research and what we must reject as mere speculation." David Holloway, author of Stalin and the Bomb "Oleg Khlevniuk is undoubtedly the best scholar of Russian history. This book makes its reader a much deeper connoisseur of some of Europe's darkest decades." Andrea Graziosi, author of History of the USSR