Stalin. Vol. 1

The first of three volumes, this biography is an enormous project based on years of research in archives and very extensive reading of published material. The size of the publication allows Stephen Kotkin to discuss the evidence in great detail, which produces a very rigorous and meticulous discussion of Stalin’s early life set within the context of the world in which he lived. This is history-writing at its best and most lucid. Professor Kotkin is well versed in the historiographical arguments, but these he leaves to the 120 pages of notes, and his main text is illuminating and gripping. Kotkin rejects the idea that Stalin’s actions and personality were determined by childhood experiences and beatings administered by his father. Rather, he argues that Stalin’s childhood, while not charmed, was also not so devoid of happiness that it should provide some kind of psychological explanation for his later behaviour. His mother harboured ambitions for her son, who had an attractive singing voice and could have progressed in the seminary where he showed talent. As other historians have shown, Stalin can be seen as a tough and difficult character, who was distraught at the death of his first wife, enjoyed reading, wrote poetry, and could be amusing and charming. Kotkin argues that the development of Stalin’s ideas must be seen as part of his political development and his experience of the political process. Equally he refutes the idea put forward by Trotsky and other colleagues that he was a political nonentity

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