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The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin Audiobook
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(3.02) - 647 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
National Book Award winner Masha Gessen's biography of a ruthless man's ascent to near-absolute power. “In a country where journalists critical of the government have a way of meeting untimely deaths, Ms. Gessen has shown remarkable courage in researching and writing this unflinching indictment of the most powerful man in Russia.” —The Wall Street Journal The Man Without a Face is the chilling account of how a low- level, small-minded KGB operative ascended to the Russian presidency and, in an astonishingly short time, destroyed years of progress and made his country once more a threat to her own people and to the world.
Handpicked as a successor by the "family" surrounding an ailing and increasingly unpopular Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin seemed like a perfect choice for the oligarchy to shape according to its own designs. Suddenly the boy who had stood in the shadows, dreaming of ruling the world, was a public figure, and his popularity soared. Russia and an infatuated West were determined to see the progressive leader of their dreams, even as he seized control of media, sent political rivals and critics into exile or to the grave, and smashed the country's fragile electoral system, concentrating power in the hands of his cronies.
As a journalist living in Moscow, Masha Gessen experienced this history firsthand, and for The Man Without a Face she has drawn on information and sources no other writer has tapped. Her account of how a "faceless" man maneuvered his way into absolute—and absolutely corrupt—power is the definitive biography of Vladimir Putin.
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"This was a book that put everything that I have suspected together. Even though I have always known Russia is corrupt, I have not realized the extent of this corruption. It is amazing to realize how much people did not know about Putin and for how long they did not know it. It's a very important book because when there is no way that the people of Russia can legally take back their power, journalists like Masha Gessen are the ones who fill the power gap."
— Liza (5 out of 5 stars)
The Man Without a Face Listener Reviews
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" Very fascinating! A must read for anyone who wants to understand what's going on in Russia right now. I finished the last page anxious for the people of Russia and inpatient to see how this will all end up over the next few years. "
— Dave, 2/16/2014 -
" Passionately written (yet also cynical, how Russian!) story of the monster ruling Russia today. "
— Gordon, 2/15/2014 -
" Revelatory. Made me cringe. There's too much to pretend its not happening. "
— Mijito, 1/24/2014 -
" Unlike George Bush, I've always through Vladimir Putin was evil. This book confirms it. An interesting look at post USSR politics. "
— Laura, 1/24/2014 -
" Informative, but I have definitely read less biased, more enrapturing biographies before. "
— Mikaela, 1/19/2014 -
" Absorbing tale of what really seems to have been going on in post Cold War Russia and the imminent change at hand "
— Mariano, 12/29/2013 -
" While detailed and clearly connected to the events, the author is unquestionably biased. She has a few moments of brilliance that paint a scary, scary Russia and monster of a person in Putin. However she also displays a naivete that casts a question on the rest of her claims. "
— Marin, 12/21/2013 -
" I was stunned by this book. Stunned at the casual nature of Putin's rise and stunned to learn how little his comrades knew about him before he took office. This is a terrific book for anyone interested in international politics. "
— Ro, 12/4/2013 -
" Readable and engaging history of Vladimir Putin's rise to power, portraying him all his creepy and thuggish particulars. "
— Sean, 11/15/2013 -
" Really revealing and scary report on Putin's corrupt regime. So pervasive and far reaching I am almost afraid to post a negative review! "
— Carl, 10/20/2013 -
" Solid, solid take-down and shine-light on Putin and his tundra-cold machinations. Clean and crackling prose. Damning. "
— Mark, 7/7/2013 -
" So. Putin's a bad guy, according to Gessen. I guess I don't have a hard time believing that. Isn't it an old Russian saying, "Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss." "
— Motorcycle, 6/17/2013 -
" In this fearless, scrupulously reported, and engaging portrait of Post-Soviet Russia's transformation from fledgling democracy to authoritarian state to tyranny, Gessen distills her 20 years of experience as a journalist in Russia with a mixture of skepticism and hope for the future. "
— Keith, 6/8/2013 -
" A must read for anyone who loves history and wants to see it play out in close to real time. "
— Mary, 4/20/2013 -
" Not what I was expecting. Not nearly enough about how Putin came to power, and way too much about how Masha Gessen thinks he is the worst person of all time. "
— Nikolai, 6/18/2012 -
" I am terrified of Putin now. So happy to live in America! This author writes a chilling book that reads like a thriller. I loved it. "
— Nicole, 6/8/2012 -
" If all the info in this book is true then it is certainly very scary. "
— Wendy, 5/14/2012
About Masha Gessen
Masha Gessen is a Russian American journalist who is the author of several books, including the national bestseller The Man without a Face. Her work has appeared in Vanity Fair, the New York Times, Newsweek, Slate, and many other publications, and has received numerous awards, most recently the 2013 Media for Liberty Award. She has served as the editor of several publications and as director of Radio Liberty’s Russia Service. She lives in Moscow.