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Young Stalin
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
15 posts | 10 read | 9 to read
Based on ten years' astonishing new research, here is the thrilling story of how a charismatic, dangerous boy became a student priest, romantic poet, gangster mastermind, prolific lover, murderous revolutionary, and the merciless politician who shaped the Soviet Empire in his own brutal image: How Stalin became Stalin. From the Trade Paperback edition.
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jenniferw88
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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OriginalCyn620 Sometimes you just have to bail! Too many books out there to read something you‘re not into! 4y
78 likes1 comment
review
jenniferw88
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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Bailedbailed

@Cinfhen has done me a #favor & convinced me to bail on this book. #reallyrandomfebruary @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

OriginalCyn620 Litsy is great for bookish favors! 😊 4y
jillrhudy Recommended three but wrong Georgia 4y
Cinfhen Yay!!!! I need to find a Georgia 🇬🇪 book too!!! 4y
68 likes3 comments
blurb
jenniferw88
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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#bookreport 1/2/20 @Cinfhen

Really considering bailing on tagged book - can anyone recommend a book on Georgia for #readingeurope2020?

Cinfhen Oh, you‘re still struggling with his one 🙁Just bail....something else will find its way to you 🥰 4y
Butterfinger I read this one last year for Around the World and loved it. 4y
JazzFeathers Oh! I'm reading Menkell too for Sweden. First time l'm reading him and l'm totally loving it. Wallander is such a relatable character. 4y
64 likes3 comments
blurb
jenniferw88
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore, Sebag Montefiore
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#weeklyforecast 26/1/20 @Cinfhen

10 hours left on Bad Pharma and 12% through Young Stalin - hope to finish at least one of these this week (probably the Montefiore). I flew through my first Wallander when I read it last year, so I expect I'll finish it quickly when I start it!

Cinfhen I‘m curious about both your books that your in the midst of!! 4y
69 likes1 comment
blurb
jenniferw88
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore, Sebag Montefiore
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Cinfhen ❤️👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 4y
Cathythoughts 11/22/63 a long book & so good ! Well done all round 👍🏻👏🏻 4y
69 likes2 comments
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jenniferw88
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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#weeklyforecast 19/1/20 @Cinfhen

Finish:
🐧 A Man Called Ove

Make progress on / finish:
🐣 11/22/63

Make progress on:
🦉 Young Stalin

IF I finish both Ove & 11/22/63 I'll start a couple more.

Cinfhen That would work for world leader !!! 4y
jenniferw88 @Cinfhen too early to tell, I'm afraid - only started last night! The hardback is a chunkster though - 397 pages but the last 75 is the index, references etc! 4y
Cinfhen I‘ll wait for your review 😉 4y
79 likes4 comments
review
Abailliekaras
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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Pickpick

Outstanding biography of the man who became a monster. Simon Sebag Montefiore has a deep understanding of the time, country and context; & new sources that shed light on Stalin‘s early years. It‘s a compelling story told in a pacy, narrative style. Helped me understand how the type of person he was, hard childhood & violent town - combined w his passion for the cause - shaped Stalin. Fascinating, disturbing & nuanced. Highly recommended.

ClairesReads Sounds great- must get hold of this 6y
BarbaraBB Great review. 6y
Abailliekaras @BarbaraBB thanks! @ClairesReads it‘s entertaining, although it feels wrong to say that. 😬😉 6y
See All 8 Comments
Cinfhen Great review! I've always wanted to read any of SSM's books but they seem so intimidating 6y
Abailliekaras @Cinfhen thanks! The Romanovs is great too (esp for a Russia novice like me) but long - this one was more fun. 6y
Cinfhen Good to know ! Most of his books are #Chunkstiers 6y
Abailliekaras @Cinfhen yes I don‘t know how he died it (& maintains an engaging pace)! 6y
Abailliekaras *does 6y
34 likes8 comments
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Abailliekaras
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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Accompanying Stalin this evening, butter chicken and a glass of John Duval wine (the former Penfolds Grange winemaker). 😋 #bookndinner #bookandwine

ClairesReads Divine! 6y
quietlycuriouskate A dinner date with Stalin?! 😱 6y
Abailliekaras @ClairesReads thanks! I may have over-eaten 😉 @River_Voice yes it‘s all wrong! But Stalin was a drinker & wine was huge in Georgia so I‘m in theme. This is pre-dictatorship so he‘s only killed a few dozen at this point and just impregnated a 13 yr old girl but apart from that ... 🤔😳🙈 6y
39 likes3 comments
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Abailliekaras
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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When you‘re writing a postcard and you start off with large, well-spaced writing but then run out of room & have to cram it all in at the end... Happens to all of us! 😉
Stalin‘s postcard to his girlfriend Pelageya (‘Glamourpuss‘).

britt_brooke 😆 6y
LeahBergen 😂😂 6y
40 likes2 comments
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Abailliekaras
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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It‘s G&T time with Stalin... no, that just sounds wrong! #bookanddrink 🙈🍸

tricours Oh that looks so perfect! 6y
Abailliekaras @tricours it was! The kids joined me with their dinner ... but it‘s all unravelling now. 😉 6y
46 likes2 comments
quote
Abailliekaras
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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“Stalin was often hired to sing at weddings.”

I‘m sorry, what? 😳

Izai.Amorim Why not? Show business people make the best autocrats. Look around... 7y
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Abailliekaras @Izai.Amorim so true 😬 7y
BookishTrish I'd forgotten that! 7y
Abailliekaras @BookishTrish quite a few revelations in this book (all new to me as I‘m terrible on history)! 7y
39 likes6 comments
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Abailliekaras
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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Visiting Russia tonight or rather, Georgia. Apparently wine was so plentiful that workers were paid in wine instead of cash. I‘m honouring this info with a glass of Cabernet Merlot from Margaret River, Western Australia. Quite old 2003 (= historical to match the book 😉). all this in between getting the kids to sleep. 😬🍷

ClairesReads So keen to read this one 7y
Abailliekaras @ClairesReads it‘s so disconcerting that he looks quite attractive on the cover 🙈😂 7y
ClairesReads @Abailliekaras oh totally! I'm a history teacher and I always show that photo to the kids and they freak out because young Stalin was such a hottie! 7y
Abailliekaras @ClairesReads ha! Interesting character, he would be fun to teach ... but that sounds wrong!? 😬 7y
ClairesReads @Abailliekaras not at all- the most messed up ones are the most fun to teach. 7y
46 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Yossarian
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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Barber told me that the funniest hair story she had was a guy who wanted to get his hair cut like Young Stalin, but was afraid to say he wanted his hair cut like Stalin's.

Young Josef may be about to maniacally slaughter 10 million plus is the name of Communism, but he sure tops Hitler and Mussolini for stylish 'dos!

TrishB My 15 year old daughter came home and showed me this picture when they'd done Stalin in school. Her words were 'have you seen how hot young Stalin is'!!! 7y
8little_paws Lol this is great 😅 7y
Laura317 One side of his face is off - one eye/eyebrow looks wonky. 7y
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Alfoster Hahaha😜😜!! 7y
SiriGuruDevSingh Who says mass murderers can't have great hair? 😂 7y
Cinfhen He does have excellent hair, very J CREW 7y
Suet624 He looks like a number of my old boyfriends. 7y
enidkeaner He does have some fantastic hair in that photo 7y
Haweller And looks! 7y
104 likes10 comments
blurb
Abailliekaras
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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Not exactly a blurb, but this is the back cover and has me hooked. 😉 #bestblurbs #seasonsreadings2016

LeahBergen Wow. He's kind of dishy as a "poet". ? 7y
Abailliekaras @LeahBergen i know, who would have thought? I wonder where it all went wrong. (Guess that's why I'll have to read the book 😜). 7y
sprainedbrain @LeahBergen I was thinking the same thing. Not too shabby in the 'lover' picture either. 😳 7y
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Abailliekaras @BookishTrish 😂😂😂 @sprainedbrain it's wrong I know! 7y
22 likes6 comments
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BookishTrish
Young Stalin | Simon Sebag Montefiore
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It feels strange to tag this #funFriday, but it is one I'll read and reread. Anyone else more inclined to reread non-fiction?

Megabooks Sometimes I'll re-read this. 8y
BookishTrish @Ebooksandcooks that does look good! 8y
J.Isgriggs I always seem to be drawn to nonfiction, and I have never been disappointed in Simon Sebag Montefiore‘s books. Even the fiction he did with Sashenka was so historically hard, you feel as if you are in the Gulags with the characters. 6y
22 likes3 stack adds3 comments