The New Tsar

The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin

By: Steven Lee Myers

Narrated by: René Ruiz

“A riveting, immensely detailed biography of Putin that explains in full-bodied, almost Shakespearian fashion why he acts the way he does.” –Robert D. Kaplan

The New Tsar is the book to read if you want to understand how Vladimir Putin sees the world and why he has become one of the gravest threats to American security.

The epic tale of the rise to power of Russia's current president—the only complete biography in English – that fully captures his emergence from shrouded obscurity and deprivation to become one of the most consequential and complicated leaders in modern history, by the former New York Times Moscow bureau chief.

In a gripping narrative of Putin’s rise to power as Russia’s president, Steven Lee Myers recounts Putin’s origins—from his childhood of abject poverty in Leningrad, to his ascension through the ranks of the KGB, and his eventual consolidation of rule. Along the way, world events familiar to readers, such as September 11th and Russia’s war in Georgia in 2008, as well as the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, are presented from never-before-seen perspectives.

This book is a grand, staggering achievement and a breathtaking look at one man’s rule. On one hand, Putin’s many reforms—from tax cuts to an expansion of property rights—have helped reshape the potential of millions of Russians whose only experience of democracy had been crime, poverty, and instability after the fall of the Soviet Union. On the other hand, Putin has ushered in a new authoritarianism, unyielding in his brutal repression of revolts and squashing of dissent. Still, he retains widespread support from the Russian public.

The New Tsar is a narrative tour de force, deeply researched, and utterly necessary for anyone fascinated by the formidable and ambitious Vladimir Putin, but also for those interested in the world and what a newly assertive Russia might mean for the future.

TSAR PUTIN?

Vladimir Putin is no Tsar. Steven Lee Myers has written a highly polished and informative biography but fails to convince one that Putin is a Tsar. Putin is more Richard Nixon than Catherine the Great. Putin, like Nixon, is smart and thin-skinned. Putin, like Nixon, makes personnel decisions based on loyalty, and views the world in real-politic terms.

Russia is unlikely to be ruled by a Tsar again. Its population is better educated; and aware of the value of qualified freedom. This qualified freedom insures relative social stability, and security. Russia is equally unlikely to return to U. S. S. R.’s hegemonic control of independent nations because ethnic nationalism and the desire for freedom are unquenchable thirsts. Forcing the Ukraine or Georgia to return to the Russian block or quelling Chechen resistance is, in the long run, beyond the military strength of Putin or his successors. Reassembly of a form of the U. S. S. R. is only conceivable based on political accommodation based on economic influence and independent federation.

Just as Watergate exposed the hubris of Nixon, Putin will suffer from the nature of being a flawed human being. Putin, like Nixon, is a great patriot of his country but neither exhibits or exhibited the inner moral compass that make good leaders great leaders.

A comprehensive and complete account of one of the world's most important men

The book does a good job of telling a story that is still in progress, and one in which many of the details are still shrouded in the secrecy of the recent past. It is a remarkably unbiased account, given the current political climate.

Putin is, without doubt, the most enigmatic figure on the world stage. He, by all indications, will continue to lead Russia for years to come. This book is in excellent summary of his life, and provides valuable insights into the decisions he may make in the future.

The main failing of the book is it's most tantalizing quality – there seem to be many 'holes' in Putin's past which, despite the author's best efforts, seem incomplete. As a reader, I enjoyed speculating on what more to the story there may have been.

Highly recommended.

Very comprehensive

Absolutely the most well written and comprehensive history of the man Putin remaking global affairs.

A Great Biography

A great biography on one of the defining characters of our age. Detail oriented and unbiased, the biographer helps you see the world through both Putins eyes, and those of his critics. Hard to put down!

Must read in this political environment

This book provides the necessary information to get one on speed with the mainstream media's image of Putin. The account of Putin's life after presidency could be fact checked I guess but the stories from his earlier life sometimes seem unreal. Overall, I would recommend it for curious readers. The performance was good.